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| Luther considered himself a "theologian of the Augsburg Confession," as did the editors of the Formula and Book of Concord. The LCMS-ELS-WELS leaders are Enthusiasts. |
The Defense of the Augsburg Confession, Article IV
“And lest we may think that the sentence that faith justifies, fell from Paul inconsiderately, he fortifies and confirms this by a long discussion in the fourth chapter to the Romans, and afterwards repeats it in all his epistles.89]
http://bookofconcord.org/defense_4_justification.php#para89
Thus he says, Rom. 4:4
To him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt . But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Here he clearly says that faith itself is imputed for righteousness. Faith, therefore, is that thing which God declares to be righteousness, and he adds that it is imputed freely, and says that it could not be imputed freely, if it were due on account of works.
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Thank you for the link on the exegetical Harley work, pure pure gold, another one saved to Kindle
“To declare” (eis endeixin ) in the NKJV is translated “to demonstrate,” which more properly indicates God’s will to show Himself as a just and righteous God at all times, not only in the Old Testament, but “at the present time” (en to nun kairo ), whenever He forgives sinners. Such demonstration or declaring takes place whenever sinners are brought to faith in Christ crucified. Through proclamation of what God in the Old Testament promised to do and has now fulfilled in Christ, God’s righteousness is manifested when sinners are brought to faith and such believers in Jesus are justified or forgiven. God Himself would be unjust, yea, even a liar, if He declared or accepted as righteous those who have no personal righteousness. But God’s believers do possess a perfect righteousness, namely that of Christ. This is an all-sufficient righteousness which God imputes to faith, and so God’s believers become righteous in His sight.
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Pastor Greg, along the lines of the recent post where Jesus told the Pharisees twice in one verse that they would die in their sins if they did not believe, Paul tells the Colossians AFTER Jesus supposedly forgave and justified the world this in Chapter 2:
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
See, it is right there, the last phrase of the verse, universal forgiveness!!! What a great opportunity to say the sins of the world are forgiven, you just have to believe it.
Except, context is a stubborn thing:
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Ooops, not universal forgiveness. Stubborn things like “complete in him”, “circumcision of Christ”, “in baptism”, “quickened together with him” after being buried with him in baptism….so they were still in their sins until they were brought to faith, hmmm.
Also, another description I do not remember learning/seeing before on faith, described as the faith of the operation of God…..why is it that since faith is the operation of God, not man, that God can not use that faith to declare someone righteous as the entirety of Scripture says?
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GJ - I believe the posts from laity are especially worthwhile, so I encourage people to send them. I do not give away names or identifying facts. Sometimes people tell me about the downhill march of their "conservative" parish, but the details would give that individual away, so I just use that in my sense of where things are going.
Regulars get nicknames and can choose their own.
