Herman Otten was bewailing Universalism in the Church of Rome but not in the LCMS. I saw an editorial that sound Universalistic, by Scott Murray, LCMS, another UOJ friend of Paul McCain and Otten, the odd couple who elected Al Barry and Matt Harrison.
Scott asked, "What must I do to be saved?" He answered himself, not from the Scriptures, but from his UOJ talking points.
The answer is "literally. Nothing. It is done."
Christian News, 8-22-2011, "Nothing To Conquer," p. 4.Acts of the Apostles
KJV Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
The Gospel of John
KJV John 6:26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.
The Apostle Paul
KJV 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; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
KJV Romans 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
The Holy Spirit moves us to faith through the Means of Grace
The UOJ fanatics want to say they are devoted to grace, but they obliterate faith and the Means of Grace. They have to eliminate the Holy Spirit's work in the Word because their foundation is Halle Pietism - not Biblical, Lutheran doctrine.
I know something about modern theology because my professors studied under Barth, Tillich, Bultmann, and Moltmann. Stan Hauerwas, on my dissertation committee, is the best known theologian in America. Martin Marty recommended the publication of my dissertation, and so forth. Marty was good enough to lecture at Wisconsin Lutheran College, so he must be kosher for WELS.
The names are relevant because my studies meant reading hundreds of books of modern theology, not to mention writing essays based on those studies and lectures.
UOJ, mainline theology, ELCA, and modern Romanism all share the same basics of Universalism, expressed with a little variety. As someone said about gardens, "Each one is unique, but few are original."
When Team Ichabod was discussing What Happened To Knapp, the Founder of Double-Justification?, I found the clue. Knapp is largely forgotten, overshadowed by men like Schleiermacher, but the old Halle Pietist is still in print. My English copy is dated from 1830, and Knapp's Halle lectures began long before that. But people are still printing and buying his lectures from 180 years ago.
More importantly, Knapp became the gold standard for mainline theology.
Knapp's double-justification scheme, starting with the justification of the entire world, turned easily into Step One as a solo. Schleiermacher, considered the father of modern theology, studied at Halle and taught at Halle, specializing in Step One Universalism.
I remember many a mainline theology book warning. "We must not make this contingent upon faith." Similarly, Syn Conference types glare and say, "Do not make faith a work of man." Those who are giddy with UOJ love to emphasize unbelief as a virtue.
God creates and nurtures faith through the Gospel in the Means of Grace. Since faith is the foundation for the Christian life, unbelief is the basis for all sin and evil.
Many are in deep pain as they realize their synods teach against Luther's doctrine, contrary to the Book of Concord. The results are everywhere. One friend went to a WELS service where the congregation was involved in worshiping with the help of their volunteer kazoo band.
