L P has left a new comment on your post "Justification by Faith Alone":
To the UOJers, faith is an idle thought. It does not produce new life. They hate it with utmost hatred.
Imagine, they hate the one whose author and finisher is Jesus.
LPC
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GJ - UOJ suffers from mission creep. Each generation wants to outdo the previous ones in making forgiveness without faith more radical.
KJV Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The fanatics are not studious, as they admit in weak moments. They simply repeat slogans.
Krauth pointed out the motto - "Young Calvinist, old Unitarian." We can update it with "Young UOJer, old atheist." I have already experienced that with WELS Shrinker pastors. Every UOJ advocate is well on his way to atheism, because Law and Gospel are both obliterated by their Enthusiasm.
Did you notice that the WELS Kingdom Worker message started with UOJ and finished with febrile Church Growthism?
Another side of this turning away from sound doctrine is weakness and apathy about the efficacy of the Word.
Once Isaiah 55 and many other similar passages are grasped, there is no problem with the Holy Spirit creating faith through the Word. Nor is there a moment's hesitation about the Real Presence and Consecration by the Word. Nor about baptismal regeneration.
KJV Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
KJV Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
KJV 1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
The Biblical emphasis upon faith is based upon the Holy Spirit's exclusive work through the Instruments of God's Grace - the Word and Sacraments. The Concordists understood this as well as Luther. The breakdown came after the era of Pietism, when the rationalism and emotionalism of Reformed doctrine crept into the Lutheran Church on little cat's feet.
Now we are cursed with the filter of Pietism's watery dogma whenever someone discusses justification by faith alone.
