More Tactics of the Lutheran Left - To Promote Their Precious UOJ. The Atonement Is Not Justification

 Lutherans are dismayed about the results,
but avoid dealing with the cause -
Universal Absolution without Faith, UOJ.

The previous post on Tactics of the Lutheran Left described some, but not all of their methods.

Below are a few more.

Appeal to Authority. Certain names are used to end all discussion because these people are more significant than the Scripture witness.

• Holy Mother Synod has spoken. The leaders say "Scripture alone" but they practice "Holy Mother Synod Alone." His Holiness DP Buchholz even declared that UOJ was settled doctrine.
• Walther, Pieper, their clones, the younger Robert Preus, Valleskey, Bivens, Pope John the Malefactor (nee Moldstad), Paul McCain, Herman Otten, Jack Cascione, the younger Jim Heiser and his clergy, and many more. The argument against Justification by Faith is, "Are you calling _______ a false teacher?!"
• Just like the Church of Rome, the leaders can cite an endless list of authorities who have endorsed, promoted, and fought for this, their favorite dogma. However, the entire collection together does not make a dent on the Scriptures, which is why they Baptistically misquote a Scriptural phrase here and there, ignoring the plain teaching of the Bible. To paraphrase Edward Preuss, who taught at St. Louis as a Lutheran and finished his life as a Roman Catholic authority, "Give me the citations and I can prove anything."
• The always comical Jay Webber cited the first president of my seminary as a UOJ advocate, as if that meant anything. The man was a Pietist in a Pietistic synod, where sulfuric sermons were blasted against playing cards. Jay only proved my point - Pietists love the rationalism of UOJ. As they claim, "If Christ died for the sins of the world, then everyone in the world is without sin and saved."

Why give up a false appeal to authority
when it works so well?

Fallacy of Emphasis. One matter is emphasized to create a false impression.

• Atonement passages in the Bible and in the Book of Concord are gathered with glee to "prove the entire world has been forgiven and saved, without faith." Proving that Christ died for the sins of the world is not the same as showing that everyone is born forgiven and saved, as Edward Preuss wrote and Robert Preus repeated.
• "Christ died for the ungodly..." But of course, He did. That does not support the Universalism of UOJ. The Atonement is the treasure of the Bible, as Luther often wrote. To turn the Atonement into universal forgiveness and salvation is to ignore the Means of Grace, the Holy Spirit distributing the treasure through the Word and Sacraments.
• "The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." If this means everyone is already forgiven and saved, then "You must be born from above" means "You must have a born-again experience." The Lamb of God proclamation of John the Baptist is the Atonement.
• "If Christ became sin for us, then everyone in the world is righteous." The Gospel must be preached to kindle and sustain faith. This shallow display of logic is clearly quashed in advance by many passages, such as the wrath of God remaining on unbelievers.
• "If the risen Christ was justified, 1 Timothy 3:16, then the entire world was justified in Him when He rose from the dead. This pronouncement of justification applies to Jesus alone, showing the world that He died without sin. He did not need justification, but this shows how He died without sin, unlike all of humanity. Here the Pietist Rambach rejoices in universal justification, as Jay Webber and Walther do. Jay is a true Waltherian, because he also pimped for an adulterous pastor, as Walther did.  

Ad Baculum - Threats. Someone must agree with Holy Mother Synod or be kicked out of the ministerium, excommunicated, lose all financial support and benefits, and be excoriated by all his friends.

• Many Lutheran leaders rejoice because they have the easiest life and the most money - free trips to Europe and other exotic places. They fear the truth would topple the topless beach tours of France and Brazil, where they go to share the Gospel, so they threaten anyone who would impede their pleasures.
• The threats are genuine and carried out with the speed and ferocity utterly lacking when dealing with genuine cases of discipline. However, threats only support the reign of false teachers. They cannot make a case from the Word or the Confessions, so they shake their fists and email their public executions.

The DP would like a word with you.