- I blogged about Justification in my Reformation MMX post of 10-30-10. I believe as most do here that UOJ seems to be the culprit to all this Pietism. If everyone is forgiven, what is left? Only the Law!!! This is how to live! What a discombobulation....I recently went back to hear a recent 'sermon' from my former pastor at Christ the Rock. Nothing seems to be changed. The content of the sermons from a lot of these Guilt Factory Grads from the last 20 or so years just leaves you feeling so...guilty for not measuring up and living your faith... JK
- November 2, 2010 8:04 PM
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From Bret Meyer:
The Intrepids are working feverishly to defend and reinterpret the (W)ELS doctrine of Universal Justification (UOJ). Rydecki has brought in Pastor Kurt Marquart's letter in a feeble attempt to bring clarity to the blasphemous doctrine which he disingenuously describes as being misrepresented by it's opponents. I provide two examples of why the attempt to defend UOJ is absurd and the charge that it has been unfairly defined is ridiculous because the promotion of it in the (W)ELS has been precise and consistent in it's contradictions to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions throughout the numerous articles and essays by (W)ELSians Buchholz, Becker, Zarling, Beckman, Deutschlander and many others. It is also quite consistent between Lutheran denominations within essays by H.A. Preus, Marquart and many others of the LCMS. UOJ is in fact a foundational tenant of the New Age religion of the Antichrist (this is well documented in the best selling and blasphemous book, The Shack. This was recently followed by the book Burning Down the Shack which exposes it's Universal Reconciliation - Universal Justification (UOJ) teaching).
Intrepid Rev. Rydecki in response to LPC:
You are not defining correctly what UOJ is meant to convey, so you are effectively demolishing your straw man, but you are not helping the understanding in doing so. You speak as if "believing" conveys nothing. This is a caricature of UOJ, not the true teaching of it.
http://www.intrepidlutherans.com/2010/11/justification-marquart-section-1.html?showComment=1288884512968#c4160646761723975787 In Kurt Marquart's letter "clarifying UOJ" he states, "The pattern is clear and consistent throughout: the Gospel or absolution offers not a conditional, future prospect, but a perfected, past and present reality. God already is gracious, merciful, propitious, reconciled in Christ, and freely offers this ready forgiveness or grace in the Gospel. To believe this Gospel or absolution is to believe oneself forgiven, justified, accepted. Forgiveness exists "objectively" already before faith. Faith does not create forgiveness but only receives, accepts, appropriates it. Absolution is prior to, and creates faith, not vice versa (Augsburg Confession XII, 5; Apology XII, 42). The Gospel "offers forgiveness and justification, which are received by faith" (Apology IV, 62). And: "forgiveness of sins is the same as justification" (IV, 76). http://www.angelfire.com/ny4/djw/lutherantheology.marquartjustification.html
Here Marquart perverts beyond recognition Christ's doctrine of Justification when he states, "Absolution is prior to, and creates faith, not vice versa". The Scriptural and Confessional refutations of this heresy have been discussed on Ichabod and other faithful internet sites for many years. Marquart doesn't bring clarity to the doctrine but continues to teach it's Scriptural contradictions while intermingling faithful statements if spoken and taught alone. Certainly Marquart's use of Roman Catholic apologist Hans Kueng who he commends as a world class, liberal Roman Catholic New Testament scholar isn't a productive effort in bringing Confessional Lutheran light to the study of this doctrine. The position that Kueng takes, and of which Marquart approves, is more human reason dancing with the devil. Kueng states, "All men are justified in Jesus Christ and only the faithful are justified in Jesus Christ." (W)ELS Pastor Jay Webber would approve of this sophistry as it shows the Scriptural contradictions that are inherent in the false gospel of UOJ. UOJists will say that the first justification is Objective and the second Subjective but they continue the contradictions when they respond to the statements opposition by saying there are not two Justifications but only one.
(W)ELS' consistent and precise doctrinal position of Universal Objective Justification can be found in David Beckman's essay which I've posted quotes from below. In it he continues to teach that the whole world is forgiven of all sin without and before faith. He even goes so far as to say that the whole unbelieving world are part of God's elect. This is another essay which is clearly faithful to the true (W)ELS teaching of Justification showing without qualification that UOJ's opponents have not misrepresented any of the Scriptural contradictions which have been attributed to it.
Universal and Objective Justification with Special Emphasis on a Recent Controversy
By David J. Beckman
[Delivered at the District Pastor-Teacher Conference of the South Atlantic District, January 27, 1983]
"A quotation from Schaller shows us that the term "objective justification" was commonly used in his day. "The doctrine of universal, so-called objective justification sets forth that the Lord God by grace because of Christ’s redemption actually forgave sins to all men."7"
"Romans 4:25 says that Christ "was delivered over, to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." Paul could hardly mean that God’s pronouncement of innocence is limited to just the believers. If that were true, then Christ’s atonement would have to be limited to just believers." [BM - More human reason shaping (W)ELS doctrine, "Paul (Christ) could hardly mean…"]
"But some want to maintain a distinction between Christ purchasing forgiveness and God actually forgiving. This distinction was one of the chief points in the Kokomo controversy. A passage which erases any such distinction is 11 Corinthians 5:19, which states, "God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them." In Christ’s death God pronounced all men innocent since He no longer counted their sins against them. This orthodox Lutheran understanding of the passage has always linked reconciliation of II Corinthians 5 and justification of Romans 3 - 5 as meaning one and the same thing."
"Dr. Ed. Preuss draws a similar conclusion in commenting on II Corinthians 5:19. "This is not the justification which we receive by faith, but the one which took place before all faith. In Christ we were justified before we were even born."17"
"There have also been "Lutherans" who have ripped the heart out of the Gospel and have taught that God has not actually forgiven all the sins of all mankind. In Ministers of Christ, Prof. Meyer quotes a statement which came out of the old Ohio Synod, now part of the ALC. We believe and confess: Through the reconciliation effected by Christ the holy and gracious God made an approach to us, so that now He can forgive us our sin and justify us; justification itself, however, does not take place until the spark of faith is kindled by God ‘ s grace in the heart of the poor sinner; then God forgives the sinner his sins.18 (emphasis Meyer’s) This "Lutheran" statement makes God’s forgiveness dependent on man’s faith. Even Lenski, whose "big green line" adorns most WELS pastors’ bookshelves, is guilty of the same error. In commenting on II Corinthians 5:18,19 he says, "We do not (emphasis mine) find the idea that Paul here says that when Christ died, when in and by his death God reconciled the world objectively, he then and there forgave all sins to the whole world."19 If Lenski meant that God did reconcile the world "objectively," he certainly did not understand objective justification as we do, for he denies that on the basis of Christ’s death and resurrection God once and for all forgave all the sins of all mankind."
"The Bible therefore does teach that all the sins of all mankind are completely forgiven. That means also the sins of Judas, the sins of the people destroyed in the flood, the sins of all the ungodly, and the sins of all people who will from now to the end of time die apart from Christ and end up in hell. All people have a changed status. But that is not to say that all people are saints." [BM - So much for the (W)ELS rejecting the Kokomo statements. In fact (W)ELS supports the 4 Kokomo statements so strongly that they excommunicated the families who rejected them] Unfortunately the response of Faith Congregation had to be to suspend from fellowship those who leveled the charges.
"The position that all men’s sins have been forgiven, even the sins of those in hell, has always been held to by orthodox Lutheran theologians. Koehler writes, "There is not a soul in all the world which God has not already absolved from all sin. This is called objective or universal justification."22"
"Orthodox Lutherans therefore, on the basis of the scriptural doctrine of universal and objective justification, teach, believe and confess that all people who have lived, are living or will ever live on earth have been declared righteous by God and have thus been forgiven of all their sins."
Beckman ends this heretical essay with this Universalist statement declaring that the whole world are of God's elect.
"We have, however, a broader commission, a universal calling. As Christ’s witnesses we have been called to reach out to the world, not only with our wallets but also with our words. Whether it be a personal conversation with our landlord, neighbor or friend, or whether it be a more "professional" conversation with the unchurched parent of a pupil or with the new prospect discovered by the evangelism committee, we know for certain the message we have for them. In our minds there’s no Reformed reflection on whether or not this person really is one of God’s elect. There’s no Arminian condition attached to the forgiveness we hold out to them. The only message that will bring them to faith, strengthen them in their faith and motivate them to want to hear the Word is our simplified version of universal and objective justification."
http://www.wlsessays.net/files/BeckmanUniversal.PDF
Intrepid Rev. Rydecki in response to LPC:
You are not defining correctly what UOJ is meant to convey, so you are effectively demolishing your straw man, but you are not helping the understanding in doing so. You speak as if "believing" conveys nothing. This is a caricature of UOJ, not the true teaching of it.
http://www.intrepidlutherans.com/2010/11/justification-marquart-section-1.html?showComment=1288884512968#c4160646761723975787 In Kurt Marquart's letter "clarifying UOJ" he states, "The pattern is clear and consistent throughout: the Gospel or absolution offers not a conditional, future prospect, but a perfected, past and present reality. God already is gracious, merciful, propitious, reconciled in Christ, and freely offers this ready forgiveness or grace in the Gospel. To believe this Gospel or absolution is to believe oneself forgiven, justified, accepted. Forgiveness exists "objectively" already before faith. Faith does not create forgiveness but only receives, accepts, appropriates it. Absolution is prior to, and creates faith, not vice versa (Augsburg Confession XII, 5; Apology XII, 42). The Gospel "offers forgiveness and justification, which are received by faith" (Apology IV, 62). And: "forgiveness of sins is the same as justification" (IV, 76). http://www.angelfire.com/ny4/djw/lutherantheology.marquartjustification.html
Here Marquart perverts beyond recognition Christ's doctrine of Justification when he states, "Absolution is prior to, and creates faith, not vice versa". The Scriptural and Confessional refutations of this heresy have been discussed on Ichabod and other faithful internet sites for many years. Marquart doesn't bring clarity to the doctrine but continues to teach it's Scriptural contradictions while intermingling faithful statements if spoken and taught alone. Certainly Marquart's use of Roman Catholic apologist Hans Kueng who he commends as a world class, liberal Roman Catholic New Testament scholar isn't a productive effort in bringing Confessional Lutheran light to the study of this doctrine. The position that Kueng takes, and of which Marquart approves, is more human reason dancing with the devil. Kueng states, "All men are justified in Jesus Christ and only the faithful are justified in Jesus Christ." (W)ELS Pastor Jay Webber would approve of this sophistry as it shows the Scriptural contradictions that are inherent in the false gospel of UOJ. UOJists will say that the first justification is Objective and the second Subjective but they continue the contradictions when they respond to the statements opposition by saying there are not two Justifications but only one.
(W)ELS' consistent and precise doctrinal position of Universal Objective Justification can be found in David Beckman's essay which I've posted quotes from below. In it he continues to teach that the whole world is forgiven of all sin without and before faith. He even goes so far as to say that the whole unbelieving world are part of God's elect. This is another essay which is clearly faithful to the true (W)ELS teaching of Justification showing without qualification that UOJ's opponents have not misrepresented any of the Scriptural contradictions which have been attributed to it.
Universal and Objective Justification with Special Emphasis on a Recent Controversy
By David J. Beckman
[Delivered at the District Pastor-Teacher Conference of the South Atlantic District, January 27, 1983]
"A quotation from Schaller shows us that the term "objective justification" was commonly used in his day. "The doctrine of universal, so-called objective justification sets forth that the Lord God by grace because of Christ’s redemption actually forgave sins to all men."7"
"Romans 4:25 says that Christ "was delivered over, to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." Paul could hardly mean that God’s pronouncement of innocence is limited to just the believers. If that were true, then Christ’s atonement would have to be limited to just believers." [BM - More human reason shaping (W)ELS doctrine, "Paul (Christ) could hardly mean…"]
"But some want to maintain a distinction between Christ purchasing forgiveness and God actually forgiving. This distinction was one of the chief points in the Kokomo controversy. A passage which erases any such distinction is 11 Corinthians 5:19, which states, "God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them." In Christ’s death God pronounced all men innocent since He no longer counted their sins against them. This orthodox Lutheran understanding of the passage has always linked reconciliation of II Corinthians 5 and justification of Romans 3 - 5 as meaning one and the same thing."
"Dr. Ed. Preuss draws a similar conclusion in commenting on II Corinthians 5:19. "This is not the justification which we receive by faith, but the one which took place before all faith. In Christ we were justified before we were even born."17"
"There have also been "Lutherans" who have ripped the heart out of the Gospel and have taught that God has not actually forgiven all the sins of all mankind. In Ministers of Christ, Prof. Meyer quotes a statement which came out of the old Ohio Synod, now part of the ALC. We believe and confess: Through the reconciliation effected by Christ the holy and gracious God made an approach to us, so that now He can forgive us our sin and justify us; justification itself, however, does not take place until the spark of faith is kindled by God ‘ s grace in the heart of the poor sinner; then God forgives the sinner his sins.18 (emphasis Meyer’s) This "Lutheran" statement makes God’s forgiveness dependent on man’s faith. Even Lenski, whose "big green line" adorns most WELS pastors’ bookshelves, is guilty of the same error. In commenting on II Corinthians 5:18,19 he says, "We do not (emphasis mine) find the idea that Paul here says that when Christ died, when in and by his death God reconciled the world objectively, he then and there forgave all sins to the whole world."19 If Lenski meant that God did reconcile the world "objectively," he certainly did not understand objective justification as we do, for he denies that on the basis of Christ’s death and resurrection God once and for all forgave all the sins of all mankind."
"The Bible therefore does teach that all the sins of all mankind are completely forgiven. That means also the sins of Judas, the sins of the people destroyed in the flood, the sins of all the ungodly, and the sins of all people who will from now to the end of time die apart from Christ and end up in hell. All people have a changed status. But that is not to say that all people are saints." [BM - So much for the (W)ELS rejecting the Kokomo statements. In fact (W)ELS supports the 4 Kokomo statements so strongly that they excommunicated the families who rejected them] Unfortunately the response of Faith Congregation had to be to suspend from fellowship those who leveled the charges.
"The position that all men’s sins have been forgiven, even the sins of those in hell, has always been held to by orthodox Lutheran theologians. Koehler writes, "There is not a soul in all the world which God has not already absolved from all sin. This is called objective or universal justification."22"
"Orthodox Lutherans therefore, on the basis of the scriptural doctrine of universal and objective justification, teach, believe and confess that all people who have lived, are living or will ever live on earth have been declared righteous by God and have thus been forgiven of all their sins."
Beckman ends this heretical essay with this Universalist statement declaring that the whole world are of God's elect.
"We have, however, a broader commission, a universal calling. As Christ’s witnesses we have been called to reach out to the world, not only with our wallets but also with our words. Whether it be a personal conversation with our landlord, neighbor or friend, or whether it be a more "professional" conversation with the unchurched parent of a pupil or with the new prospect discovered by the evangelism committee, we know for certain the message we have for them. In our minds there’s no Reformed reflection on whether or not this person really is one of God’s elect. There’s no Arminian condition attached to the forgiveness we hold out to them. The only message that will bring them to faith, strengthen them in their faith and motivate them to want to hear the Word is our simplified version of universal and objective justification."
http://www.wlsessays.net/files/BeckmanUniversal.PDF
