This painting by Jason Jasperson is found in the seminary lobby. The painting depicts Martin Luther (top), through whom God restored the Gospel in the Reformation; Martin Chemnitz (middle), the leading light in Lutheranism after Luther; and C.F.W. Walther (bottom), the principal founder of confessional Lutheranism in this country. Their confession centers in the sacrificial death of the Lamb of God on the cross and His glorious resurrection, by which the whole world was declared righteous in Christ.
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GJ - I am looking for the verse where God declared everyone righteous. Calvinistic logic is not edifying for this question - or any other matter.
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Which Men Do Not Belong in This Picture? Guilt by A...":
2 Corinthians 5:19, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them.
Just because you say this verse doesn't apply, that doesn't make it so. Reconciling=justifying.
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GJ - That was a maladroit change of subject. I am still looking for the passage which reveals, "And God said, The entire world is justified and has My grace from now on, without the Word, without the Means of Grace, without faith."
UOJ fanatics equate the Atonement with justification. All Lutheran Church Growthers are UOJ disciples too.
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Which Men Do Not Belong in This Picture?Guilt by A...":
Ok Dr. Jackson, How are Atonement and Justification different.
How is saying, "The entire world is atoned of all sin" and "The entire world is declared not guilty of all sin" different?
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GJ - I am glad you asked. The UOJ disciples confuse the Atonement with justification. In the 1980s, when Robert Preus was still promoting Norwegian Pietism's UOJ (and a Church Growth faculty at The Surrendered Fort), he used that style of argumentation.
In Preus' last book, Justification and Rome, he abandoned his former position. He stated with great clarity that justification is only through faith. I have quoted that section many times.
Briefly, the reconciliation sections in Corinthians are about the universal Atonement. The Gospel message is, "Jesus died for the sins of the world." When that message, or treasure, is distributed by the Holy Spirit through the Means of Grace, people believe (a gift of the Holy Spirit through the efficacious Word) and they are declared innocent, justified by faith.
Romans 4 and 5 are instructive. Abraham is the father of faith (Romans 4), a beautiful chapter climaxing with the opening of Romans 5:
KJV Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
The double-justification language of Franz Pieper was being used in Knapp's Pietistic dogmatics book, in English, long before the Loehe missionaries invited the Missouri guys to join their group. Triumphalism triumphed and the real founders of Missouri were deleted from its official history. Here is one example.
13 comments:
2 Corinthians 5:19, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them.
Just because you say this verse doesn't apply, that doesn't make it so. Reconciling=justifying.
Ok Dr. Jackson, How are Atonement and Justification different.
How is saying, "The entire world is atoned of all sin" and "The entire world is declared not guilty of all sin" different?
As has beeen proven throughout the years, it is dangerous to pick one verse from a Biblical text to explain one's stance. With Paul, in particular, it is necessary to understand his entire thought. It is possible to collect three or four verses to emphasize a Pauline conclusion. It is necessary to get to that conclusion.
From Paul 's discussion of Law in Romans 3: [Christ Jesus is He] 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forebearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him [you, or me] which believeth in Jesus. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
From Paul's discussion of Abraham's Faith in Romans 4: 22 And therefore [because Abraham believed and trusted God] IT WAS IMPUTED TO HIM [Abraham] FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 23 Now it was not written for his [Abraham's] sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But also for us, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification. 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
It is not posssible to find the whole world declared righteous in these texts, when it is Christ Who is righteous, Who has and will justify believers, counting them righteous through their faith given them through the Word by the Holy Spirit.
With my feet of clay, I need to stand on these firm Words, not the unstable ground of questionable interpretations of single verses made to justify erroneous positions.
Romans 8:28-30, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." The doctrine of UOJ in light of these passages declares the whole world was predestinated and called by God while dead in sins and under the law because UOJ says the whole world was justified and, in harmony with the last verse, must also be glorified. God says this of those who justify the world which is outside of Christ, Proverbs 17:15, "He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD."
Galatians 3:6-11, "Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith."
God justifies through faith. Those who God accounts as justified live by faith. And harmoniously those which be of faith are blessed just as those God justified he also glorified. Those in the world who are under the law are cursed and remain under the wrath of God. While under the law no one is accounted justified by God but are accursed.
Romans 5:17-19, "For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." The doctrine of UOJ says that the whole world has been declared righteous by God. WELS CA/NV DP Buchholz says it was by divine verdict. The passages above say that they which receive the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by One. So according to UOJ the whole world will reign in life, are saved, by Christ. God says this of those who remain under the law Mark 16:16, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." 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."
UOJ teaches a new gospel and thus is thoroughly condemned by Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.
In Christ,
Brett Meyer
Hm, it's as though the more subjective justification you prove, the reality of objective justification might disappear. There's nothing new in the gospel message of Ro 3:23-24, that "All ... are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Clearly Scripture puts justification in terms of everyone.
Anonymous,
I knew someone will put up Rom 3:23-24, but please move down to v.25. "Through faith in his blood", UOJers keep on neglecting this verse. Atonement <> justification the one that equates it is being Calvinistic.
LPC
Yes, the use of Romans 3 to promote universal justification does not earn the brownie. The verses immediately prior declare that Christ's righteousness is by faith unto all and upon all that believe. Unbelievers are not included in this divinely definitive statement. The verses immediately following declare that redemption is IN Christ. It is not given while someone is outside of Christ and under the law, 1 Cor. 10:21, "Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils." Christ is only our mediator (propitiation) against God's wrath over sin through faith, 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." UOJ has the whole world declared by God to be righteous, forgiven of all sin and at peace with God but Scripture says that God's wrath abides or remains on those who don't believe in Jesus Christ. Scripture goes on to say that He is the justifier of those who believe in Christ Jesus. All are justified by faith alone and never declared justified without faith.
(Capitalization is mine for emphasis)
Romans 3:21-30, "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD WHICH IS BY FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST UNTO ALL AND UPON ALL THEM THAT BELIEVE: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace THROUGH THE REDEMPTION THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS: Whom God hath set forth TO BE A PROPITIATION THROUGH FAITH IN HIS BLOOD, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and THE JUSTIFIER OF HIM WHICH BELIEVETH IN JESUS. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore WE CONCLUDE THAT A MAN IS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Seeing it is ONE GOD, WHICH SHALL JUSTIFY the circumcision BY FAITH, and uncircumcision THROUGH FAITH."
Very appropriate Scripture quotation but it doesn't support UOJ. It denies this false doctrine and declares justification and Christ's righteousness to all, and only to, those who by the grace of God believe in Jesus Christ.
In Christ,
Brett Meyer
Brett quotes Scripture that says redemption and reconciliation are through faith in Christ.
Dr. Jackson says, "Reconciliation, atonement, expiation, propitiation, redemption - all are terms used for the objective truth of Christ dying on the cross for the sins of the world."
What's the deal? Are propitiation and redemption objective or are they ours only through faith?
Once again, WELS proponents of objective justification don't deny subjective justification. To argue back with surrounding context specifying the subsequent means of receiving salvific benefits betrays a straw man fallacy. You assume that more evidence for subjective justification dispels the notion of objective justification. I guess you don't understand your opponent's position. The fact remains that in this sentence, Ro 3:23-24, without qualification, God clearly speaks in terms of justification with regard to "all" who "have sinned," so it cannot be improper to speak of a universal or objective justification.
Anonymous, your defense of UOJ is not Confessional - hold to it if you want but you are not a Confessional Lutheran. To substantiate my statement here is what the Confessions teach is the only way to appease the wrath of God over sin:
Apology to AC, Justification, "80] Christ's sake. Thus, therefore, we prove the minor proposition. The wrath of God cannot be appeased if we set against it our own works, because Christ has been set forth as a Propitiator, so that for His sake, the Father may become reconciled to us. But Christ is not apprehended as a Mediator except by faith. Therefore, by faith alone we obtain remission of sins, when we comfort our hearts with confidence in the mercy promised for 81] Christ's sake." http://www.bookofconcord.org/defense_4_justification.php
The false doctrine of objective justification says that Christ's death and resurrection which paid for, and removed, the sins of the whole world (Confessional definition of atonement) appeased God's wrath over sin and He is now at peace with the whole world seeing them as righteous, forgiven of all sin and completely guiltless.
Not true say the Lutheran Confessions. God's wrath is not appeased unless we set against God's wrath the righteousness of Christ who is only an individuals mediator (propitiation) by faith.
The only Scriptural and Confessional definition of Objective Justification is: Christ paid for the sins of the whole world without any involvement on the part of sinful mankind. This is the definition of the Atonement.
Any effort to equate the Atonement with Justification is a false gospel and teaching which adds to and takes away from God's revealed Word. It destroys what it means to be declared by God to be Justified.
In Christ,
Brett Meyer
Your false doctrine of objective justification is imprecisely worded, so it is again a straw man. You're merely caricaturizing the concept. It isn't so far-fetched to equate the atonement with justification in the objective sense, since Ro 3:25 explicitly refers to the atonement. The same can be seen in SA II, art I: Justification is established (paragraphs 1-3) before belief in that justification is necessitated (paragraph 4). In this way Luther himself notes the progression of Romans 3 from objective to subjective.
Anonymous, please provided the universally accepted and precisely worded doctrine of Universal Objective Justification.
In Christ,
Brett Meyer
Anonymous, hopefully you're willing and able to provide the requested universally accepted and precisely worded doctrine of UOJ.
What you've failed to address is that when speaking of Objective Justification in the false doctrine of UOJ which teaches two justifications, objective and subjective, the Objective part is not only what God has done outside of and without mankind's involvement but also how God sees mankind - the world. The doctrine of UOJ as confessed by all Lutheran synods in various articles, sermons, essays (note it's not found as a chief article of Christian faith in the Lutheran Confessions - pssst... it's actually condemned as Enthusiasm) consistently declares God's attitude, following Christ's payment for all sins, as being at peace with the world having declared them righteous, forgiven of all sin and thereby justified in Christ. UOJ teaches that at that moment the wrath of God which is upon all those who reject His Son, are dead in sins and under the law has been appeased. UOJ teaches God's wrath no longer abides on the sinful world who are outside of Christ, reject Him, reject His body and blood and remain in bondage to sin and death. UOJ teaches that God has been Reconciled to the whole world and that it's not a future thing but immediately upon the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
To substantiate my claims that the WELS teaches the false doctrine of UOJ as I and others have described here are quotes from the WELS' most recent triumph in precisely documenting the doctrine of Universal Objective Justification: Justification Expounded by Scripture, Jon D. Buchholz
[58th Biennial Convention of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod Assembled at Martin Luther College New Ulm, Minnesota, July 26, 2005] The focus of our study over the next four days is the doctrine of justification. Our first essay presents an exposition of justification and urges diligence in expounding the doctrine in precise biblical terminology.
WELS, "Jesus then offered his innocent life as the payment (atonement) for the guilt of sinners. In this great transaction that took place on the cross, God removed the guilt of the world’s sin and replaced it with the righteousness of Christ."
WELS, "Scripture teaches universal reconciliation: "God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:19). Jesus is the universal peacemaker. His sacrifice on the cross has removed the barrier of guilt and sin that separated humanity from God. Where the barrier of hostility has been removed, there is peace. In Christ and through Christ the status between God and the human race has changed from one of hostility to peace."
WELS, "God has forgiven the whole world. God has forgiven everyone his sins." This statement is absolutely true! This is the heart of the gospel, and it must be preached and taught as the foundation of our faith."
WELS, "God has declared the entire world righteous." This statement is true, as we understand it to mean that God has rendered a verdict of "not-guilty" toward the entire world. It is also true—and must be taught—that the righteousness of Christ now stands in place of the world’s sin; this is the whole point of what Jesus did for us at Calvary."
None of these statements nor any of the essay has ever been retracted by Pastor Jon Buchholz, now WELS AZ/CA DP, or by anyone in the Wisconsin Synod. In the context of the doctrine of UOJ and in the specific area of Objective Justification true Christian doctrine declares that God's wrath over the worlds sin is not appeased, He is not reconciled to anyone who has not apprehended Christ as Mediator through faith, by grace, worked by the Holy Ghost through Word and Sacrament alone.
The Lutheran Confessions state, "Apology to AC, Justification, ""80] Christ's sake. Thus, therefore, we prove the minor proposition. The wrath of God cannot be appeased if we set against it our own works, because Christ has been set forth as a Propitiator, so that for His sake, the Father may become reconciled to us. But Christ is not apprehended as a Mediator except by faith. Therefore, by faith alone we obtain remission of sins, when we comfort our hearts with confidence in the mercy promised for 81] Christ's sake."
http://www.bookofconcord.org/defense_10_repentance.php
"6] Let any one of the adversaries come forth and tell us when remission of sins takes place. O good God, what darkness there is! They doubt whether it is in attrition or in contrition that remission of sins occurs. And if it occurs on account of contrition, what need is there of absolution, what does the power of the keys effect, if sins have been already remitted?"
In Christ,
Brett Meyer
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