Quia subscription to the Kokomo Statements? Bah!
Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "The Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity":
Bored, here's one of Luther's confession concerning this. I believe it shines God's Light on this issue and leaves no room for UOJ to breathe.
36. Abraham and every other patriarch, you will observe, recognized God's testament or covenant. It was delivered to them just as much as to us, although not at that time read and proclaimed to the world as after Christ's ascension They obtained the very same thing that we and all God's children obtain, and through the very same faith. The grace, the blessing, the testament, the faith--all are the same; the Father is one and the same God of us all.
37. Note, Paul everywhere teaches justification, not by works, but solely by faith; and not as a process, but instantaneous. The testament includes in itself everything--justification, salvation, the inheritance and great blessing. Through faith it is instantaneously enjoyed, not in part, but all. Truly is it plain, then, that faith alone affords such blessings of God, justification and salvation--immediately and not in process as must be the case with works--and constitutes us children and heirs who voluntarily discharge their duties, not presuming to become godly and worthy by a servile spirit. No merit is needed; faith secures all gratuitously-- more than anyone can merit. The believer performs his works gratuitously, being already in possession of all the Cain-like saints vainly seek through works and never find--justification and divine inheritance, or grace.
http://www.trinitylutheranms.org/MartinLuther/MLSermons/Galatians4_1_7.html
3 comments:
Yo Brett
Danke Schoen. Right on. That is a great quote.
But the following is not my original question, but something I was reminded of by the quote. Luther writes "and not as a process".
I seem to remember reading in the Lutheran Confessions something that indicated Justification is a 'process'. (which argues with your Luther quote).
I'm not hangin my hat on this, by any means, but I recall reading something that described 'the completion of Justification' happening when a saint dies in Christ.
Ring any bells, Dr. Jackson? Brett?
Are we completely Justified until we are no longer capable of sinning?
(p.s. I realize I could be way off on this...)
The completion of justification would be eternal life. As long as we live, we sin. As Father Luther said, "You can tie a hog ever so tightly to a tree, but you cannot keep him from squealing."
I am wary of words that can be viewed through our modern filters. Process would be one of them. I doubt whether the original word in German or Latin had the same meaning I think about when I hear "process" today.
However, justification is ongoing, because the Holy Spirit continues to work through the Word, which conveys Christ to us.
UOJ fits what Luther said about the Enthusiasts. They talk about Jesus all the time, but they tear down the bridge. The Means of Grace bring Christ to us.
How often do the Stormtroopers even mention the Means of Grace? And when they do, are they clear about the Biblical meaning?
As long as we live, we sin.
Note that this is true of a Christians sinful flesh but in our spriritual mind in Christ, we do not sin as declared in Scripture. As a child of God He does not view us as sinful or sinning since we are in Christ and Christ in us through faith. Our sinful flesh however continues to sin and will do so until we die and are fully sanctified in body. Therefore we daily turn to God in repentance over our sinful flesh and turn in faith to Christ for the forgiveness of sins.
This is also a doctrine which UOJ cannot live with. Since UOJ has God declaring everyone righteous in Christ, justified and forgiven before faith and that God's wrath over sin still dwells on us at the same time that he graciousely forgives all our sins in Christ there is never any real comfort. In the doctrine of UOJ this applies to both believers and unbelievers - at the same time forgiven of all sin by God and under God's wrath over their sin.
Pastor Jay Webber (W)ELS, confesses UOJ's teaching on Extra Nos, "In Christ, as God looks at the world through Christ, all are under divine mercy and are forgiven, and are therefore invited to believe and be saved. But outside of Christ, as God looks at the world apart from Christ, all are under divine wrath and judgment, and are condemned. The same people - namely all people - are under consideration in each case."
Blasphemy.
I called Pastor Webber on it and he stated, "Of course the Bible does not say exactly this in so many words. But the basic point is reflected here: "For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all" (Romans 11:32)."
http://extranos.blogspot.com/2010/03/grinding-my-ax.html
I would point you back to Buchholz' 2005 convention essay for more double speak.
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