Simpleman Jones has left a new comment on your post "The Rock Is Justification by Faith - Not Justifica...":
What is the problem with the Knapp quote? Isn't he saying the same thing you say, only he uses the phrase "objective justification"?
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GJ - I have answered this before, in Luther versus the UOJ Pietists, and various posts.
The Woods/Knapp Error, Part I
The most basic problem is the distortion of the Biblical word "justification." That word means "a declaration of innocence." Woods, a Calvinist, interpreted Knapp (a Halle Pietist) as saying - the entire world has been given a universal declaration of forgiveness.
A Lutheran could misinterpret this Woods explanation as saying that God has redeemed the world through Christ. The key difference is justification, which is where the UOJ Enthusiasts start howling. Woods and Knapp merge the atonement with justification, making the death of Christ the absolution of the world.
That error is leveraged by Woods using the term pardon: justification is pardon in his lexicon.
To clarify, the Scriptures teach that the atonement is universal, because Christ paid the price for all sins for all mankind. That point is not disputed, although the UOJ Stormtroopers always want to confuse the issue with false charges.
The Woods/Knapp Error, Part II
The Word of God is utterly consistent. The Scriptures are in perfect harmony, all parts agreeing with each other.
Therefore, an error about the atonement will necessarily lead to many other errors. The language makes me grind my aging molars - "an act of man." Do Lutherans want to plant their banner there? An act of man means making a decision for Christ. God offers a transaction, which man completes - the classic definition of synergism.
And it is worse yet - "he accepts the pardon freely offered," leaving no doubt that this gives man the glory for doing the right thing.
Missing from Woods/Knapp and UOJ, Part III
The silence is as important as the errors. Woods and Knapp are silent about the Means of Grace.
Everyone wants to associate grace with forgiveness, and that is good. This quotation dis-associates (hyphen in the original manuscript) grace from the Word, grace from the Means of Grace.
How exactly did God pardon all of mankind from Adam to Zelda? How can it be, that the Holy Spirit always works through the Word, except in absolving all people of sin, so they are born forgiven, as E. Preuss claimed?
The Scriptures teach, as the Book of Concord witnesses, that Christ earned forgiveness through His atoning death, that this grace is distributed by the Holy Spirit through the Instruments of Grace, the Word and Sacraments. The power of the Gospel imparts and sustains faith, so forgiveness is received through that faith that the Promises give.
Medium Rare observed that Knapp and UOJ are prime examples of blaspheming the Holy Spirit. The first part of the blasphemy is attributing absolution to mankind without the work of the Holy Spirit. This great miracle just happens, even though the Word of God failed to record it. The second part of this blasphemy is giving man credit for saving himself, by making a decision for Christ. Look in your NIV Bible for "the sinner's prayer."
I am not going to say what Calvin always taught, because he contradicted himself, just as Spener did in his own voluminous works. Both were tireless workers, so their efforts spread everywhere. One can read Zwingli (hard to find) but Calvin's commentaries are everywhere, including Lutheran pastors' offices (sorry to report). Spener's cell groups are everywhere, especially the SynConference today. In contrast, Luther always taught the efficacy of the Word in the Means of Grace.
Spener was the first union theologian, merging Calvin's doctrine with Lutheran teaching. Halle University was established to teach Pietism. The true founder of Missouri, Bishop Martin Stephan, studied at Halle and imparted his version of justification to C. F. W. Walther.
Walther adopted the Rambach spin on UOJ, an emphasis on Easter absolution rather than Good Friday absolution. The Stormtroopers have never resolved this contradiction.
Walther was not a great theologian. He graduated from a rationalistic university with a four-year degree. His "conservative" training consisted of attending a Philobiblicum (Halle Pietism) cell group, following a fierce and demanding Pietist, and finally submitting to Stephan's cell group leadership.
Both of Walther's Pietistic mentors demanded absolute submission to their authority, as Zion on the Mississippi records with meticulous detail. When Stephan was caught giving syphilis to the young women in his group, Walther took over the authority of the bishop, after organizing the mob, robbing Stephan, and leaving him to die on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River.
One can trace the habit of UOJ deception with the Mormon-like tales of the Great Walther leading a confused and bewildered group out of the wilderness. Walther took over the congregation his brother founded and took over the episcopate that Stephan established. The LCMS histories still claim that Walther and his good buddy were "shocked" to discover Stephan's adultery.
But Stephan left his wife and family (except his healthy son) in Europe, came across with his mistress and groupies, and lived in open sin in St. Louis. Everyone knew he was an adulterer, so the shocking confession story had to be pedaled later to explain the violence and venom of the mob that Walther brought down to Perryville. No one wanted to admit how many women caught syphilis from their bishop. His children and wife were dying from the dread disease in Europe.
Walther explained (privately) that Stephan's adultery was the fault of his wife. And Marvin Schwan had a "Scriptural divorce." Remember that, folks, whenever you see a gushing reference to St. Marvin in the LCMS, ELS, and WELS. Marvin's wife, the mother of his children, is blamed in the same way. Remember her anguish when she killed herself, whenever you use a Marvin Schwan building or retreat center.
That is the ultimate damage of Knapp's UOJ. False doctrine hardens the heart and makes deception and slander necessary in maintaining the Pietistic illusion of sanctity.
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AC V has left a new comment on your post "The Rock Is Justification by Faith - Not Justifica...":
Simpleman Jones,
The error that jumps out at me about Knapp's quote is that he makes faith an act of man. That's what happens when you use the terms "Objective Justification" and "Subjective Justification." Are there two Justifications?
Faith is an act of God. It is every bit as "objective" as God's mercy, Christ's merit, and the gospel which proclaims it. Knapp should have refreshed his memory of the Formula of Concord III:25 "The Righteousness of Faith":
"...the article of justification, in and to which belong and are necessary only the grace of God, the merit of Christ, and faith, which receives this in the promise of the Gospel, whereby the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, whence we receive and have forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, sonship, and heirship of eternal life.
