http://www.intrepidlutherans.com/2013/02/reconciling-worldbut-not-without-means.html#comment-form
Ministers indeed are said to loose and remit sins on account of the keys, that is, because they have the ministry through which God reconciles the world to Himself and remits sins.
In the doctrinal conflict over Scripture's teaching concerning justification it is critical to address the Office of The Keys. The quote in italics is significant since the Office of the Keys has not been addressed by those promoting and defending the doctrine of Objective Justification.
The Office of the Keys was given by Christ to the priesthood of believers - all those who have the Holy Spirit's faith in Christ alone. They contain the power to forgive sins of the repentant and to retain sins in the unrepentant - in the name and in the stead of Christ.
Since all variations of the doctrine of UOJ erroneously teach that, in Christ, God has forgiven the whole unbelieving world, declared them righteous and worthy of eternal life - what then is the effect of retaining an unrepentant unbelievers sins in the name of Christ? It creates another insurmountable contradiction to say that in Christ the whole unbelieving world is forgiven all sin - and that those same sins are retained in the unrepentant in the stead of Christ. UOJ creates yet another dilemma with it's teaching that God has made a declaration that in Christ the whole unbelieving world is justified: forgiven, righteous and worthy of eternal life.
The same dilemma is created regarding the Key to forgive sins. The Christian Book of Concord contends against UOJ concerning the Keys to forgive and retain sins here:
6] Let any one of the adversaries come forth and tell us when remission of sins takes place. O good God, what darkness there is! They doubt whether it is in attrition or in contrition that remission of sins occurs. And if it occurs on account of contrition, what need is there of absolution, what does the power of the keys effect, if sins have been already remitted…" http://www.bookofconcord.org/defense_10_repentance.php
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rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "The Keys - The Concept Is Entirely Lost with UOJ":
Luther believed that the teaching of the Office of the Keys was important enough to include in the Small Catechism:
What is the Office of the Keys?
The Office of the Keys is the special authority which Christ has given to His Church on earth: to forgive the sins of the penitent sinners, but to retain the sins of the impenitent as long as they do not repent.
This points to Baptism, Holy Communion, Confession and Absolution, The Means of Grace. With the power of the Word, the Kingdom of Heaven is both opened and closed. Yet with UOJ, there really is no need for any of this. What is left for the Church to do amounts to busy work and moralizing from the pulpit.
In the doctrinal conflict over Scripture's teaching concerning justification it is critical to address the Office of The Keys. The quote in italics is significant since the Office of the Keys has not been addressed by those promoting and defending the doctrine of Objective Justification.
The Office of the Keys was given by Christ to the priesthood of believers - all those who have the Holy Spirit's faith in Christ alone. They contain the power to forgive sins of the repentant and to retain sins in the unrepentant - in the name and in the stead of Christ.
Since all variations of the doctrine of UOJ erroneously teach that, in Christ, God has forgiven the whole unbelieving world, declared them righteous and worthy of eternal life - what then is the effect of retaining an unrepentant unbelievers sins in the name of Christ? It creates another insurmountable contradiction to say that in Christ the whole unbelieving world is forgiven all sin - and that those same sins are retained in the unrepentant in the stead of Christ. UOJ creates yet another dilemma with it's teaching that God has made a declaration that in Christ the whole unbelieving world is justified: forgiven, righteous and worthy of eternal life.
The same dilemma is created regarding the Key to forgive sins. The Christian Book of Concord contends against UOJ concerning the Keys to forgive and retain sins here:
6] Let any one of the adversaries come forth and tell us when remission of sins takes place. O good God, what darkness there is! They doubt whether it is in attrition or in contrition that remission of sins occurs. And if it occurs on account of contrition, what need is there of absolution, what does the power of the keys effect, if sins have been already remitted…" http://www.bookofconcord.org/defense_10_repentance.php
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rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "The Keys - The Concept Is Entirely Lost with UOJ":
Luther believed that the teaching of the Office of the Keys was important enough to include in the Small Catechism:
What is the Office of the Keys?
The Office of the Keys is the special authority which Christ has given to His Church on earth: to forgive the sins of the penitent sinners, but to retain the sins of the impenitent as long as they do not repent.
This points to Baptism, Holy Communion, Confession and Absolution, The Means of Grace. With the power of the Word, the Kingdom of Heaven is both opened and closed. Yet with UOJ, there really is no need for any of this. What is left for the Church to do amounts to busy work and moralizing from the pulpit.
