“He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past.” - George Orwell, Author of Animal Farm and 1984.
The Roman Catholic Church declares that it has always taught the Immaculate Conception of Mary (that she never committed an actual sin, being born without sin and conceived without sin). Their own scholarly books show this is nonsense, but how many read those instead of pious tracts?
Likewise, LCMS-ELCA-WELS-ELS claims that Universal Objective Justification has always been taught, as proven by this passage by St. Paul. The main difference between Rome and visible Lutherdom is that Lutheran clergy are allowed to marry.
Here is rationalism at work in UOJ. Their claim - Because Christ became sin (either at His death or resurrection - the jury is out) the entire world was made righteous at the blink of an eye. Their logic is peccable. They say, "If Christ is sin then we must be righteous. He became sin for the whole world, so the whole world must be righteous IN CHRIST." Be sure to shout "IN CHRIST" so the nonsense is obscured by the drama.
The context is ignored by UOJ stylists, the same ones who declare the Romans 4 chapter teaches the same UOJ, even though the entire point is that we, like Abraham, are justified by faith if we believe that Christ rose from the dead. Then they find UOJ all over Romans 5! after reading the leading verse about justification by faith. Dense? You said it.
The Corinthian letters are epistles for Christian believers, and the entire Bible, as Luther says, is a sermon about Jesus, presenting Him as our kindly, gracious, forgiving Savior.
Faith is fragile and easily damaged. That is why God has given us two chapters especially about the Means of Grace. The UOJ gurus seldom if ever quote them - Isaiah 55 and Romans 10. Many passages in the Bible assure us of our forgiveness when we waver, when Satan or the synod assails us with our all our terrible deeds, such as questioning Mother Dearest Sect.
Luther's Galatians Commentary has been wiped off the reading lists, because he who controls the past controls the future. If that book is gone, the UOJ essays by dimwits and fools can come to the forefront.
So the Apostle Paul moves the Corinthians to faithfulness in Christ by reminding them of the Gospel.
