Proverbs 17:15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.
I was reminded of this verse while reading Aegidius Hunnius’ Theses Opposed To Huberianism, A Defense Of The Lutheran Doctrine Of Justification. Huber’s errors honor that which is contrary to Scripture and by his doctrine’s perverse rationalizations pronounces God’s justification upon the unregenerate and unbelieving horde while condemning the faith of the Holy Spirit and those who confess the doctrine of Justification faithfully. In classic Satanic fashion the errors of Huber teach doctrines that are 180 degrees opposed to Scripture resulting in Huber and the modern Lutheran Synods worshiping and honoring these false teachings while condemning those which are faithful to God’s Word.
Pastor Paul Rydecki of the (W)ELS translated the doctrinal theses from Latin to English and also provided a succinct historical introduction - which clearly depicts the doctrinal challenges the Lutheran church was facing at the time of its writing. The introduction also briefly details a history of Aegidius Hunnius which establishes him as a faithful Christian defender of the faith. Hunnius had experience in correcting compromises in doctrine as a professor at the University of Marburg and was hired by the University of Wittenburg as superintendent and professor with a specific task to restore faithfulness to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.
As one of the early signers of the Formula of Concord, Hunnius was well suited to address the errors of Samuel Huber and to speak from the authority of Scripture and the established faithfulness of the Lutheran Confessions regarding Huber’s false teachings. The attentive reader will find that Hunnius rejected any inference or assertion that Huber’s doctrine of Justification and its related affect on his teachings concerning Election and Baptism were in harmony with Scripture or the Book of Concord.
The theses addressed Huber’s errors in three areas. They were: his doctrine Concerning Election, That Is, The Predestination To Eternal Life, The Huberian Universal Justification of Believers and Unbelievers and his doctrine Concerning the Huberian Regeneration Hypocrites In Baptism. I will state here that the errors taught by Samuel Huber during the time of the Reformation are the same errors being taught by all of the Lutheran Synods (CLC, ELCA, ELS, LCMS and WELS), The Seventh Day Adventists and the New Age Religion in what is today known as the doctrine of Universal Objective Justification. Hunnius even uses (W)ELS CA/AZ DP Pastor Jon Buchholz’ favored term General Justification on page 61, Theses 19 in describing the heinous false teaching that the whole world of unbelievers were forgiven of all sin and declared righteous without faith in Christ alone.
At this time I will refrain from comparing the false teaching of Huber to that of the Lutheran Synods as Febreze has performed that task well in the following blog post comparing Huber’s teaching to that of the (W)ELS http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2012/05/febreze-on-wels-versus-hunnius.html.
A few things stand out from reading Hunnius and even the quote of Martin Chemnitz in Pastor Rydecki’s introduction. First there is no quarter given to those who are persistent false teachers, leading men, women and children into damnation through their false teachings. Chemnitz states, “For it was a labor far greater than those of Hercules to rescue the true light from the unspeakably dense darkness and the putrid filth and cesspools of the Antichrist …” p7. Hunnius also spoke of Huber’s errors with equal fury, “his rancid and moldy book” p9, “he (Huber) tries to outdo his own father (Satan) by whom he writes and speaks?” p9, “and, by the grace of God, so to stop up his impudent mouth (which knows how to spew forth nothing but the most shameful lies) that learned and unlearned alike may carefully observe who that spirit is by whose dictation Huber vomits forth his writings in the Christian world and truly tries to sell and thrust his belching and vomiting upon all people …” p10.
There is also equal passion for praising and honoring faithfulness to the Word in pure Christian teaching and acknowledging the power, efficacy, supremacy and perspicuity of God’s Word. Today too many require false teachers to be referred to with dignity and respect and this taking priority over dealing swiftly and faithfully to the false doctrine and practice being promoted publicly. Certainly there is leniency given to false teaching and practice which directly reflects the value and honor which is lacking or nonexistent toward faithfully pure doctrine and practice. The errors of Huber which is given a thorough Scriptural and Confessional thrashing by Hunnius in these Theses gives the proper honor to God’s Word and relegates false teaching to its appropriate place which is among that which is the most vile and disgusting, right below dog poo. I was again reminded of Proverbs 17:15.
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| Hunnius refuted this bizarre claim, posted on LutherQuest (sic). |
Another thing that stood out for me was the precise and all-sufficient hammer blows of Hunnius as he wielded God’s Word and the Lutheran Confessions against the false Satanic doctrinal teachings of Huber’s UOJ – declaring a universal election to salvation and therefore being heirs of Christ and children of God, the faithless forgiveness of sins and the teaching that hypocrites are received into God‘s grace without faith. Hunnius rejects UOJ in its entirety underscoring its “insoluble contradictions and most prodigious absurdities.” (P61) Hunnius applies Scripture and logical reason which is subject to God’s Word to refute and expose Huber’s UOJ and leaves it at that. Done. Hunnius states it this way following the above quote, “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.”
Hunnius’ theses are thorough and complete. They address the false gospel of UOJ in all of the same ways and with the same tools that many are using today to refute this heinous doctrine which has consumed the Lutheran Synods and the world. Only today the laity are less inclined to heed the authority and perspicuity of Holy Scripture and the proven faithfulness of the Lutheran Confessions in judging and differentiating faithful doctrines from those false doctrines spawned in the pit of Hell by the lickspittle of the Antichrist. Today, the same faithful arguments of Hunnius against UOJ are simply disregarded and just as in his day, claims of Calvanism are being waged against faithful Pastors and laymen who stand shoulder to shoulder in defense of Christ’s chief and central doctrine of Justification.
The faithful application of God’s Word is ignored by the hypocrites and the contradictions and unscriptural teachings are embraced as evidence of God’s hand establishing paradoxes which are beyond our comprehension. It’s been said many times before--and most recently by pastor emeritus Nathan M. Bickel--who wrote that it is the Holy Spirit alone who, through the Means of Grace, works Godly contrition, faith and understanding of God’s Word in men whom God has called. As much as Hunnius’ faithful theses address the false gospel of UOJ, those who reject the Holy Spirit in the purely spoken Word, faithful Lutheran Confessions and faithful reasoning of God’s children cannot nor will they ever understand or confess these things unless it is given them by the Holy Spirit to do so. Those who reject the Holy Spirit and the righteousness of faith which He works solely through the Word will continue to swallow the putrid and rancid vomit of Huber and his contemporary ilk. But, all glory and honor to God, there will be those who, purely by God’s grace and mercy, will by the work of the Holy Spirit turn in Godly contrition and faith to Christ alone and will understand God’s clear Word and build themselves up along with the whole Christian Church in the one true Word unto Life Everlasting.
May we all learn from Hunnius and Leyser, Luther and Chemnitz, St. Paul and the Apostle Peter to daily fight the good fight of refuting and reproving false doctrine and practice using the all sufficient Word of God and the faithful Lutheran Confessions. Stand boldly for God’s pure Word using it to build up Christ’s Church, praising God for giving us such rich and bountiful gifts as those in the Lutheran Confessions and the Theses of Aegidius Hunnius.
Pastor Paul Rydecki has been a good and faithful steward of God’s Word in this successful effort to translate Hunnius’ refutation of Huber’s false teachings, which wither and die under the faithfully applied light of the pure Word. As I told my wife as we discussed this significant work of Aegidius Hunnius, the translation of this book into English and its availability to anyone wanting to know more about how the Lutheran Confessors dealt with the false teachings of UOJ makes it a type of bait hanging above the forest floor.
Watch this book and specifically who condemns and devours it and those who promote and defend it. By their reaction to this Scripturally and Confessionally faithful book you will know their stripe – beastly foe and friend of the devil and false doctrines or faithful Christians and members of God’s Church. There are only two types of people in the world – those who believe in Christ alone and those who do not. The visible church is made up of both. As the Lutheran Synods contemplate consummating their fornicating unionism, it is the laity’s responsibility to test the spirits to see if they are of God. Huber and his false teaching of Universal Objective Justification are not of God and Hunnius’ faithful reproof is clear evidence that it was never taught in Scripture or the Lutheran Confessions. The reaction to this and other faithful works by individuals in the Lutheran Synods will be evidence enough of their allegiance. Matthew 7:20, “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” Do they follow men or Christ. If they follow men they should be publicly removed and if they follow Christ they should be publicly supported and encouraged. The Lord’s will be done.
In Christ,
Brett Meyer
