- March 13th, 2014 at 14:52 | #30The issue isn’t so much what happened first, although that obviously inevitably becomes part of the discussion. The issue is more so what is based on what. Our faith must be based upon what God did and offers. And what God did and what he offers is an action. And if this action is appropriated through faith, then this action from the beginning pertains to faith. So it isn’t like there is the righteousness for all, but then there is the righteousness of faith. It is always a righteousness of faith because this is always how it is appropriated. This righteousness of faith is offered to all in the gospel, which corresponds to what Christ did. This I believe is an important point.What God offers in his gospel must correspond to what he did in Christ. And looking into what Christ did, the benefits of his resurrection must correspond to the benefits of his death. So if Christ bore the sin of all men on the cross, then it follows that his vindication in his resurrection is a vindication or absolution of the sin of all men. It follows then from that the the gospel offers forgiveness to all. This righteousness is always a righteousness of faith because that is how it was always meant to be received.
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GJ - I hope people realize the double-talk behind this double-justification. It reminds me of Walther's circular reasoning about election. Walther claimed that election MUST be without faith, or it becomes a work. Therefore, election is without faith. Any questions? Check out his own study of election.
The bum knee Walther is standing on is clear - "faith is a work." That reveals his rationalistic perception of Scripture, which consequently condemns justification by faith. The Word of God teaches is that faith is a work of the Holy Spirit in the Gospel.
Here is an ironic use of faith and works.
John 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.
The work of God is faith - faith is required to do His works. The Gospel of John emphasizes faith and is written to cause faith in Him.
John 20:30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His Name.
The second paragraph is even goofier than the misleading first paragraph, where Andrew the Seminarian extols his own opinion. Notice - must, must, must in the second paragraph. The Bible must agree with Andrew, who must agree with Walther and his syphilitic bishop, Stephan. Why? Because to question this chain of confusion is to admit Missouri, WELS, and the Little Sect are wrong. That must not be.
The resurrection of Chris is the absolution of the world, according to Andrew, Halle University, Knapp, Walther, and Stephan. But not according to the Word of God.
