Cover by Norma Boeckler
I am trying to finish the Justification by Faith book, first draft, this month. I want to have the final draft done before the UOJ conference in April. The tentative title is Luther against the Pietists: Justification by Faith versus Universal Absolution.
Readers are welcome to help edit the book. More information will follow. Thanks to Lulu.com publishing, I can update and improve the book easily, as well as make the PDF available for free.
Norma Boeckler will contribute her artistic talents.
The adult classes, for now, will focus on the disputed passages used to defend UOJ. I expect to post that material on the blog, which will have fewer of cardiac-inducing news items on it.
Here is a funny set of instructions on how to have a relevant pastor blog.
8 comments:
Good morning Pastor GJ! I was hoping that you would post some thing about UOJ and/or Joe Krohn. And "sure enough" you were reading my mind.
A few days ago, I was looking on Freddy's blog, and I saw a comment by our Christian friend Joe Krohn. It was dated on Dec. 15th. Joe seemed kind of sadened and was under the assumption that GJ was not posting his comments. GJ publishes all comments(except profanity)and some(GJ can't include all) are put on the main page. Also, Joe made reference to UOJ. He said that was what WELS believes and cannot understand why GJ teaches otherwise.
Here is a quote from Luthers Works(Three Treatises): "To preach Christ means to feed the soul, make it righteous, set it free, ans save it, provided it believes the preaching. Faith alone is the saving and efficious use of the Word of God, according to Rom.10{:9}: "If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe with your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Furthermore, "Christ is the end of the law, that every one who has faith may be justified"[Rom. 10:4]. Again, in Rom. 1 [:17], "He who through faith is righteous shalllive." The word of God cannot be received and cherished by any works whatever but only by faith. Therefore it is clear that, as the soul needs only the Word of God for its life and riteousness, so it is justified by faith alone and not by anything else, it would not need the Word, and consequently it would not need faith."
No where(Bible,BOC,Luthers writtings)does it say that you are righteous before faith. You are only saved by The Word. Budah and Allah are not The Word. The BOC clearly states that faith itself is the doctrine of justification. The fruits that come after and the full Atonement before are not to be included in the Doctrine of Justification By Faith.
Enough of my usurping,I yield the rest of my comments to Brett Meyer.
In Christ,
from WELS church lady
WELS church lady, you have every right, and even the responsibility, to witness to the truth of God's Word to all men. It is in the local congregation gathered around the Word and Sacraments where women are not to teach. It is also there where they are not to usurp authority. Two separate and distict activities. Here on this blog and elsewhere in the world you are at liberty to confess and defend the doctrine of Christ. Please continue to do so. I enjoy the instruction that your posts provide.
I would add that faith clings to the Atonement. So then the Atonement cannot be separated from the doctrine of Justification by Faith alone. It is UOJ's perversion of the Atonement which is wrong by making it synonymous with universal forgiveness distributed and declared.
I would also point out that UOJ teaches that to stand justified by God and to be saved are two different things. They pervert the Gospel and say that the whole world is guiltless, justified of all sin and righteous in the sight of God - just as Christ is. BUT, they are not saved. They teach that God has declared the whole unbelieving world to be as Christ is, but if they don't believe they are then they will be condemned to Hell. Faith, for them, does nothing but acknowledge that they've already been declared justified and righteous in the blood of Christ. They turn faith into Law since, according to UOJ, it becomes a requirement for salvation placed upon those who have no sin that they could be condemned for.
I yield back the remainder of my time to WELS church lady.
Here are some quotes from Luther which speak to the subject of women's roles in the church.
http://www.angelfire.com/ny4/djw/LutherGenderMinistry.pdf
"Rather, priesthood and power have to be there first, brought from baptism and common to all
Christians through the faith which builds them upon Christ the true high priest, as St. Peter says
here. But to exercise such power and to put it to work is not every man’s business. Only he who
is called by the common assembly, or the man representing the assembly’s order and will, does
this work in the stead of and as the representative of the common assembly and power." Page
3, second full paragraph
"Mostly the functions of a priest are these: to teach, to preach and proclaim the Word of God, to
baptize, to consecrate or administer the Eucharist, to bind and loose sins, to pray for others, to
sacrifice, and to judge of all doctrine and spirits. Certainly these are splendid and royal duties.
But the first and foremost of all on which everything else depends, is the teaching of the Word of
God. For we teach with the Word, we consecrate with the Word, we bind and absolve sins by
the Word, we baptize with the Word, we sacrifice with the Word, we judge all things by the
Word. Therefore when we grant the Word to anyone, we cannot deny anything to him pertaining
to the exercise of his priesthood." Page 7, first full paragraph
"Now you might say: “What kind of situation will arise if it is true that we are all priests and
should all preach [1 Peter 2:5]? Should no distinction be made among the people, and should
the women, too, be priests?” Answer: In the New Testament no priest has to be tonsured. Not
that this is evil in itself, for one surely has the right to have the head shaved clean. But one
should not make a distinction between those who do so and the common Christian. Faith cannot
tolerate this. Thus those who are now called priests would all be laymen like the others, and
only a few officiants would be elected by the congregation to do the preaching. Thus there is
only an external difference because of the office to which one is called by the congregation.
Before God, however, there is no distinction, and only a few are selected from the whole group
to administer the office in the stead of the congregation. They all have the office, but nobody
has any more authority than the other person has. Therefore nobody should come forward of his
own accord and preach in the congregation. No, one person must be chosen from the whole
group and appointed."Page 8, first full paragraph
"As St. Paul says in Gal. 3:28, you must pay no attention to distinctions when you want to look
at Christians. You must not say: “This is a man or a woman; this is a servant or a master; this
person is old or young.” They are all alike and only a spiritual people. Therefore they are all
priests. All may proclaim God’s Word, except that, as St. Paul teaches in 1 Cor. 14:34, women
should not speak in the congregation. They should let the men preach, because God
commands them to be obedient to their husbands. God does not interfere with the arrangement.
But he makes no distinction in the matter of authority." Page 8, first full paragraph
"But in the New Testament the Holy Spirit, speaking through St. Paul, ordained that women
should be silent in the churches and assemblies [I Cor. 14:34], and said that this is the Lord’s
commandment. Yet he knew that previously Joel [2:28 f.] had proclaimed that God would pour
out his Spirit also on handmaidens. Furthermore, the four daughters of Philip prophesied (Acts
21[:9]). But in the congregations or churches where there is a ministry women are to be silent
and not preach [I Tim. 2:12]. Otherwise they may pray, sing, praise, and say “Amen,” and read
at home, teach one another, exhort, comfort, and interpret the Scriptures as best they can."
Page 15, first paragraph
http://www.wlsessays.net/files/BeckerJustification.PDF let your 3 readers decide...
Joe, you're dug in like an Alabama tick!
S.W. Becker is a 33rd degree heretic.
Objective Justification written by WELSian Siegbert W. Becker. The essay can be found online here http://www.wlsessays.net/files/BeckerJustification.PDF
From that essay:
The Kokomo statements are as follows, 1) Objectively speaking, without any reference to an individual sinner’s attitude toward Christ’s
sacrifice, purely on the basis of God’s verdict, every sinner, whether he knows it or not, whether he believes it or not, has received the status of a saint. 2) After Christ’s intervention and through Christ’s intervention, God regards all sinners as guiltfree saints. 3) When God reconciled the world to himself through Christ, he individually pronounced forgiveness to each individual sinner whether that sinner ever comes to faith or not. 4) At the time of the resurrection of Christ God looked down in hell and declared Judas, the people destroyed in the flood, and all the ungodly, innocent, not guilty, and forgiven of all sin and gave unto them the status of saints.
Becker confesses, "The first three statements are taken verbatim from WELS sources."
Joe Krohn states on June 30, 2009 8:13am, "No WELSian should believe this garbage." Becker retorts, "The third statement is a basically good summary of our position" Becker follows with, "it is especially necessary to point out that the statements do not contain false doctrine."
Kokomo statement #1 - Becker, "the meaning of the statement is nevertheless clear and correct."
Kokomo statement #2 - Becker, "we could say that when God forgave the sins of the whole world he regarded all sinners as guilt-free, but if they are guilt-free we might also say that they are considered sinless in the sight of God. But a sinless person is a holy person, a saint."
Kokomo statement #3 - Becker, "The third statement is a basically good summary of our position,"
Kokomo statement #4 - Becker, "Even the fourth statement can be defended even though it leaves much to be desired. As we have said, the statement is not drawn from a WELS source. If it is true that God has forgiven the sins of the world then it is also true that he forgave the sin of Judas."
Becker, "But universal and objective justification is one doctrine whose place in the victorious Christian life is clear.
Becker: Wherever men teach that faith comes first as a condition that must be fulfilled or a work that must be done or even as a fact that must be recognized before forgiven(ess) is bestowed men will be trained to look into their own hearts for assurance rather than to the words and promises of God. If my sins are forgiven only if I first have faith then I have no solid foundation on which to rest my hope for eternal life. I must then know that I have faith before I can know that my sins are forgiven.
Christ: Mark 2:5, When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
Christ: Mark 4:12, That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
Christ: Acts 10:43, To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
Christ: Romans 8:24, For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for.
Christ: John 3:18, He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Becker: But there are times when a Christian does not know that he has faith. And many people who think they have faith do not have it, and many that think they are not believers are believing children of God. In regard to our own faith we may be in error or filled with doubt.
Christ: Romans 14:23, "And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
Becker: In times of temptation when I am no longer aware of my faith, when my heart tells me that I am an unbeliever, I have no place to turn for assurance if faith must come before forgiveness.
Christ: Romans 4:16, "Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all.
Becker: But if forgiveness comes first, if it is always there, if it is true whether I believe it or not, I do not need to know whether I have faith or not before I can cling to God’s promise.
Christ: Romans 11:20, Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith.
Christ: 2 Cor. 13:5, Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
Becker: I know that my sins are forgiven whether I feel forgiven or unforgiven. I know that my iniquity is pardoned whether I believe it or not.
Christ: Romans 9:31-32, But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith.
Becker: And when I know that, then I know also that I am a believer.
Christ: James 2:19, Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
http://www.wlsessays.net/files/BeckerJustification.PDF
http://www.htmlbible.com/kjv30/index.htm
But we like cardiac inducing headlines!
In case WELS CA/NV DP Jon Buchholz' 2005 Synodical Conference paper is presented as UOJ defense material here are a few Buchholz quotes and a comparison to Christ's Words and the Confessions:
Buchholz: "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."
Buchholz: "Here is the legal or juridical nature of justification, revealed at Calvary. The change does not take place in the sinner. The change takes place in the relationship or the status between a sinner and God.2 A verdict has been rendered, which declares man free of sin and guilt, righteous in God’s sight, and worthy of eternal life, for Jesus’ sake."
Christ: Romans 4:24, "But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;"
Buchholz: "Since the term objective justification is found neither in Scripture nor in the Lutheran confessions, we can understand the term correctly as referring to the justification of the entire world."
Confessions: AAC That We Obtain The Remission of Sins By Faith Alone In Christ, "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 Christ's sake."
Buchholz: "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."
Christ: 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."
Confessions: AAC That We Obtain The Remission of Sins By Faith Alone In Christ, "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 Christ's sake."
Buchholz: "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. But here’s where the caveat comes in: In Scripture, the word "forgive" is used almost exclusively in a personal, not a universal sense. The Bible doesn’t make the statement, "God has forgiven the world."
"God has forgiven all sins, but the unbeliever rejects God’s forgiveness." Again, this statement is true—and Luther employed similar terminology to press the point of Christ’s completed work of salvation.16 But we must also recognize that Scripture doesn’t speak this way."
"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. However, once again we’re wresting a term out of its usual context. In Scripture the term "righteous" usually refers to believers. "
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