Febreze on WELS versus Hunnius

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In the following please excuse stupid typos because I literally had to type out every single one of these, including the WELS quotes. There was no C&P. Also, the asterix is to represent the italics used in the original version written by Hunnius himself. I don't know how to make it bold like AC V does.

Hunnius, back from the grave, seems to be writing to the WELS UOJers when he says: 

"Thesis 3

This universal justification of the *entire human race* he considers (even without respect to faith in Christ) to be *fully completed*, sins having been remitted on account of the satisfaction made by the Son of God and swallowed up in His own blood and wounds. These things he says concerning his justification."

- WELS: "The Bible and Lutherans teach that God judged all sinners righteous in his sight when Jesus Christ died on the cross for us. God declared everyone free from the guilt and punishment owed for our sins." (http://www.wels.net/what-we-believe/statements-beliefs/what-lutherans-teach)

- WELS: "Objectively speaking, without any reference to an individual sinner's attittude toward Christ's sacrifice, purely on the basis of God's verdict, every sinner, whether he knows about it or not, whether he believe it or not, has received the status of a saint. What will be his reaction when he is informed about this turn of events? Will he accept, or will he decline?"

J.P. Meyer, Ministers of Christ, A commentary on the Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing House, 1963, p. 107. 2 Corinthians 5:18-21

He goes on:

"Thesis 8

Therefore it is certain that no one receives remission of sins for the sake of Christ except the one who believes in Him (Acts 10). Nor is anyone justified from his sins except the one who believes in Christ (Acts 13)."

-WELS: "'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'"

The fourth statement of the "Kokomo Statements". August 30, 1979.

- WELS: "The resurrection of Christ is, as Holy Writ teaches, the actual absolution of the whole world of sinners. Romans 4:25: 'Who was raised again for our justification.' At that time we were objectively declared free from sin."

Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, 3 vols, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1951, II, P.P 348. Rom. 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:19

[I love this one]

Thesis 9

But let Huber explain this mystery of this universal justification of his, and let him set forth in detail when these unbelievers, who have never believed and are not going to believe in the Son of God, ever received the remission of sins and were justified before God?"

- WELS: "The Resurrection is God's public absolution of the entire world: 'Your sins are forgiven, all sins of all human beings; and there is no exception.' This is the meaning of the technical term 'objective justification.' The objective justification is central to the doctrine of salvation and derives logically from the facts that God's reconciliation, forgiveness, and declaration of 'not guilty' in no wise depend on the attitude or behaviour of human beings."

Theodore Mueller, Concordia Theological Quarterly, January 1982, p. 29. Cited by Pastor Vernon Harley, "Synergism -- Its Logical Association with General Justification," 511 Tilden, Fairmont, MN 56031, August, 1984, p. 3.

"Thesis 16

But let Huber also cut this knot: do the unbelieving Jews, Turks, etc., after they were thus justified at one time without faith, still retain this justification, or do they perhaps lose it again?

Thesis 17

If they retain it, will they then be saved with all Christians and the faithful? If, however, they lose it, then let Huber answer, how and through what do they lose it? This justification could not be erased for them through unbelief, because they are supposed to be justified without any regard to faith (which is also what makes them unbelievers)."

- WELS: "Objectively speaking, without any reference to an individual sinner's attittude toward Christ's sacrifice, purely on the basis of God's verdict, every sinner, whether he knows about it or not, whether he believes it or not, has received the status of a saint. What will be his reaction when he is informed about this turn of events? Will he accept, or will he decline?"

J.P. Meyer, Ministers of Christ, A commentary on the Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing House, 1963, p. 107. 2 Corinthians 5:18-21

"Thesis 18

Again, since at one time the Gentiles, and today the Turks and reprobate Jews were never not unbelievers, certainly if that general justification is said to be erased for them through unbelief, then it must have always been erased for them, because they have always been unbelievers. And consequently, they were never justified, not even with a universal justification, if indeed this cannot coexist with unbelief, but is erased through the same. If this Huberian justification cannot splendidly coexist with unbelief in its very beginning, then neither can it coexist with it going forward."

- WELS: "Scripture teaches that God has already declared the whole world to be righteous in Christ, Romans 5:19; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21; Romans 4:25; that therefore not for the sake of their good works, but without the works of the Law, by grace, for Christ's sake, he justifies, that is, acounts as righteous, all those who believe in Christ, this is, believe, accept, and rely on, the fact that for Christ's sake their sins are [already] forgiven." 

Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod, 1932, "Of Justification." Missouri Synod CTCR

Thesis 19

In addition, if we were all justified at the same time with a general justification and restored to the bosom of divine grace with sins having been forgiven solely by the merit of Christ without faith, then does not the justification by faith so accurately passed on by St. Paul lie in ruins, since it is clearly not a necessity for us?

- WELS: "And yet many Lutherans still labor under the delusion that God does not forgive us unless we believe...They believe that Christ has indeed provided forgiveness for all men, that God is willing to forgive, but before He really forgives He first of all demands that we should be sorry for our sins and that we should have faith. Just have faith, they say, and then God will forgive you."

Dr. Becker in his paper entitled "Universal Justification". You can find it on WELS' essay files. This paper is still listed in Professor Schone's syllabus at MLC. I had him for class. We didn't discuss the paper like we were supposed to but it was still listed on the syllabus as required reading.

[I love this one too]

"Thesis 20

Huber will *never* be able to explain his way out of this nonsense of insoluble contradictions and most prodigious absurdities. Therefore let him enjoy his justification, and let him bless his *elect and sanctified people* with it -- Turks, Jews, and all unbelievers. We, in the meantime, shall restrict justification to believers only, as prescribed by all prophetic and apostolic Scriptures."


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GJ - I haven't received my copy of the book yet, but Hunnius looks good - right in line with Luther and the Book of Concord.