Justification
in the Scriptures –
All Quotations
Are from the English Version of Luther’s Bible –
The Tyndale
Translation edited as the King James Version
Attributes of God’s Word
Clarity
or Perspicuity
The Scriptures are clear, easy to understand, and do not
require a priest to teach us the arcane secrets that only the elite understand
Thy word is a
lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 118:105
--
19 We
have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed,
as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day
star arise in your hearts:
20 Knowing this first, that no
prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation.
21 For the prophecy came not
in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by
the Holy Ghost. 2 Peter 1:19-21
--
For this
reason, all books and authorities are subordinated to the Word of God, because
the Scriptures judge all books, articles, commentaries, authorities, and
traditions. We call the Bible “the ruling norm” because nothing is above the
Word of God, the revelation of His will.
Luther
expressed this well when he preached,
"The Holy Spirit teaches man better than
all the books; He teaches him to understand the Scriptures better than he can
understand them from the teaching of any other; and of his own accord he does
everything God wills he should, so the Law dare make no demands upon him."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8
vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p.
280. Pentecost Sunday John 14:23-31.
Efficacy of the Word
The Word
alone has the divine power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish His will.
8 For my
thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the
heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my
thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the
rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but
watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to
the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 So shall my
word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but
it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing
whereto I sent it. Isaiah 55:8-11
The Isaiah passage contains three promises:
1.
The Word will never return void, just as rain
and snow always have an effect.
2.
The Word’s effect will be pleasing to God.
3.
The Word’s effect will be great, abundant, and unmistakable, even
if seen otherwise – such as Paul preaching and causing a riot. (Acts 17:13)
--
Genesis 1
and John 1 reveal the Son of God as the Creating Word, so that nothing in the
universe around us is created apart from Him. The Trinitarian Creation is
defined by God as the Father’s will carried out through the Word, witnessed by
the Holy Spirit, accomplished in six days.
--
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. Genesis 1:3
31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was
very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Genesis
1:31
--
1 In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same
was in the beginning with God.
3 All things
were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
John 1:1-3
--
The Word of God always has this power and never
lacks in power, unless man dilutes it, distorts it, or creates an alloy made up
of one part God’s Word and 99 parts man’s opinion. Thus the power of God’s Word
is directly related to its purity.
--
12 For the
word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and
marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 Neither is
there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked
and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
14 Seeing then
that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the
Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
15 For we have
not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;
but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us
therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and
find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:12-16
--
False doctrine also has power to delude, harden, and blind people,
but that is really derived from God’s power when His Word is rejected in favor
of error.
--
5 Remember ye
not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6 And now ye
know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the
mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until
he be taken out of the way.
8 And then
shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of
his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him,
whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying
wonders,
10 And with
all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they
received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for
this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they
all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
2 Thessalonians 2:5-12
--
The Means of
Grace
Because the Holy Spirit only works through the
Word, any claim about God’s will and work must be directly attributed to the
Scriptures. Therefore, the Word of God is the Means or Instrument by which God’s
grace is conveyed to people. The Gospel is the announcement of God’s promises
and blessings, chiefly the righteousness of Christ and the forgiveness of sins,
God’s victory over sin, death, and the devil.
Very Important
– God’s Grace Is Never Divorced from the Means of Grace
--
Unity of Truth
Luther is still respected – and hated – today because he read the
Scriptures as a unified truth, not as one particular item or another to be
taught. The Lutherans of the Reformation avoided speaking of individual
articles as if each one existed separately, but taught what the Word revealed
as a whole. Naturally, some distinctions have to be made for man, since comprehending
the entire Scriptures is an art and gift given to few men.
The Scriptures not only have divine power and efficacy – they are
consistent, without error or contradictions. Luther himself used the Latin for
these words in his Large Catechism, dealing with Holy Baptism – infallible and
inerrant. The entire Christian Church, Roman Catholics included, taught the
infallibility of the Bible until the last century or so. When rationalists
began quibbling and double-talking about “infallible in doctrine but not in
history and geography,” some began using the term “inerrant.” However, inerrant
is simply Luther’s term, less vulnerable to degradation.
--
11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any
man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all
things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion
for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:11
Justification in the Bible
The new experts on justification do not seem interested in
justification in the Bible, unless they can use some phrases to launch into
their own private speculations, fads, and ethnic traditions, some almost 200
years old. But they are allergic to this ancient figure Abraham, who is
intimately connected to justification by faith throughout the Bible, Old
Testament and New.
--
15 After these
things the word of the Lord came unto
Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding
great reward.
2 And Abram
said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go
childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
3 And Abram
said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is
mine heir.
4 And,
behold, the word of the Lord came unto him,
saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine
own bowels shall be thine heir.
5 And he
brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars,
if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
6 And he
believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Genesis 15:1-6
--
The meaning of justification is to be counted or reckoned as
righteous. God not only promised Abraham a son of his own, through Sarah, but a
nation as great and numerous as the stars in the sky. We no longer see the
spangled heavens the way they appear, without light pollution and interference
from tall buildings. The infinity of space and the billions of stars expressed
to Abraham how great this Promise was – the righteous through faith would be
his heirs and fill the earth, with blessings impossible for man to number.
Abraham believed this Promise and trusted in God, so he became the example of
faith in the Old and New Testaments.
Romans is Paul’s great doctrinal essay, a summary of his Gospel
work, inspired by the Holy Spirit. False teachers have plucked one fragment of
one sentence out of Romans 4 to celebrate and emphasize their delusions. But
that must be seen in context. The first three chapters destroy any possibility
of justification by works, whether a religious work- righteousness or a civil
works-righteousness, always contrasting this man-made righteousness of works
with God’s justification by faith.
Chapter 4 is a celebration of Abraham as the example of
justification by faith –
--
4 What shall
we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
2 For if
Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
3 For what
saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for
righteousness.
4 Now to him
that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him
that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith
is counted for righteousness.
6 Even as
David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth
righteousness without works,
7 Saying,
Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is
the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
9 Cometh this
blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also?
for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
10 How was it
then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in
circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11 And he
received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith
which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them
that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be
imputed unto them also:
12 And the
father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who
also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being
yet uncircumcised.
13 For the
promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his
seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14 For if they
which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none
effect:
15 Because the
law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
16 Therefore
it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure
to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which
is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
17 (As it is
written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he
believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be
not as though they were.
18 Who against
hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations,
according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
19 And being
not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about
an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:
20 He
staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith,
giving glory to God;
21 And being
fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
22 And
therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
23 Now it was
not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
24 But for us
also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus
our Lord from the dead;
25 Who was
delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
5 Therefore
being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom
also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in
hope of the glory of God.
--
Some say, “No fair. You said Romans 4 but included Romans 5:1-2.”
The chapter headings are late, man-made. There are definite thematic breaks,
but that does not mean we should stop reading at the end of Romans 4 and not
see the next two verses as the summary of that little essay on Abraham. Paul
began with Abraham, applied this to anyone who trusts in the God who raised
Jesus from the dead – who was raised for our justification. And he concludes by
starting the next chapter with a two verse summary of justification by faith –
the only way we receive peace, forgiveness, being reckoned as righteous in the
same way as Abraham.
This Romans passage is clear so justification by faith has always
been taught by traditional Protestants and Lutherans, even Lutherans in the
LCMS and WELS. Naturally, one asks how Romans 4:25 by itself has been elevated
to a slogan often repeated – by Webber also – even though it is a fragment of a
sentence.
The Pietists misused 1 Timothy 3:16, so Romans 4:25 appealed to
them as support for their abuse of “justified in the Spirit.”
And without controversy great is the mystery of
godliness:
God was
·
manifest in the flesh,
·
justified in the Spirit,
·
seen of angels,
·
preached unto the Gentiles,
·
believed on in the world,
·
received up into glory. 1 Timothy 3:16
These six verbs strike most people as a well known confession of
faith, and “without controversy” can be translated from the Greek – “as we all
confess…” The Pietists created this strange logical cul-de-sac, as if Jesus
Himself needed to be justified. They argue - since He was justified, the entire
world was justified in Him, because He bore the sins of the world. That is the
Easter absolution of Stephan, Walther, and all Pietists. They are blind to the
previous verse, Romans 4:24, and emphasize Romans 4:25 out of context. Now they
are wedded to the dogma of Halle Pietism and feverishly hope to make people
forget Romans 4:24, Chemnitz, Luther – and St. Paul.
[Rambach versus Chemnitz]
One ardent supporter of UOJ wrote, years ago, “You cannot quote
Luther’s Romans Commentary. That was
early in his career.”
The way in which people believe and receive forgiveness is clearly
outlined in Romans 10, sometimes called the Means of Grace chapter in that
epistle.
--
8 But what
saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is,
the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if
thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine
heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with
the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is
made unto salvation.
11 For the
scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12 For there
is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is
rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For
whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14 How then
shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they
believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a
preacher?
15 And how
shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the
feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good
things!
16 But they
have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? [Reference to Isaiah 53, the central Gospel
message of the Old Testament]
17 So then
faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:8-17
--
The Holy Spirit clearly teaches us through Paul
that those who believe and confess the truth of Christ will be saved. We
believe unto righteousness, similar to the phrasing of the Formula of Concord –
the righteousness of faith.
The
Midwestern Pietists have a strange aversion to the word “faith,” which
may be explained by Walther always treated faith as a work of man. Anything
related to faith is a work, and to be disparaged, to emphasize grace. But that
is not unique to the Midwestern Pietistic Lutherans of the Synodical
Conference.
Scholarship
I do not find any Lutheran promoting UOJ who
has graduate training in theology. They are seminary graduates (and not always
that) who find themselves rewarded for repeating the limited knowledge of
Walther, a college graduate—and Stephan, who did not bother to graduate (like
Moldstadt before he became Professor of New Testament and UOJ at Bethany
Seminary). If McCain, Webber, Buchholz, and others would study modern theology
and read hundreds of books on this topic, they would find a striking
resemblance between Walther, themselves, and the modern apostate, mainline
theologians. Whether someone is a PhD from ELCA, or the Presbyterian Church, or
European, the famous theologians all caution the reader against “making faith a
contingency.” If faith is required, then it is no longer grace, but a work.
They necessarily conclude that everyone is already saved because of God’s
grace. Anything else is a denial of grace. The result in WELS, the ELS, and the
corrupted echelons in Missouri is an attempt to erase faith from the Christian
Faith.
There are two kinds of scholarship. One is
based on formal training and earned degrees. For better or worse, a PhD at a
real university will expose the student to a wide variety of scholars,
opinions, and research methods. Drive-by DMins have not claim to scholarship,
because they have simply exchanged a lot of money for a chance to call
themselves “Dr” when they know better.
The other scholarship is simply study, whether
one earns degrees or honors. Anyone can be a scholar of the Bible. The original
Greek word meant “leisure,” which mean the scholars of the day took the time to
study and think about various topics. These scholars laid the foundation of
Western culture, law, science, arts, and architecture. Pastors and laity can be
scholars, and many of them are. They are the fifth column, the resistance
against the eructations of self-destructive Waltherians. The pastors have let
down their members and gone against their ordination vows for many decades.
