Pick Your Universalism - #1 - The Cross - #2 - the Resurrection

 

This is the basic empty grave absolution of the world, not original with CFW Walther B.A., or even with Martin Stephan, STD, but widely taught in Pietism and in Calvinism.

Those who claim the entire world has been absolved of all guilt will always use the fallacy of emphasis. They find a nugget and fashion it into false doctrine, often with great glee and fierce looks at those who dare to disagree.

One key passage is frequently the source of Objective Justification nonsense. Readers will find that the 1 Timothy 3:16 passage is used to promote the Watherian absolution of the entire world...without faith. Later, the scheming Walther used predestination "to prove" that faith is a work of man. 

KJV 1 Timothy 3:16 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.

This verse can be seen as a creed or short hymn, certainly poetic with six aorist participles. "Without controversy" can be translated literally as "confessionally." However, the Lutherans who use the word "confessional" every few minutes - and in their Facebook titles - are those who reject and ridicule Justification by Faith.

1. Manifest in the flesh
2. Justified in the Spirit
3. Believed on in the world
4. Received up in glory.
5. Seen of angels
6. Preached unto the Gentiles.

The second phrase - justified in the Spirit - is twisted into claiming that the Holy Spirit absolved the unbelieving world when Jesus rose from the dead. In fact, Jesus Christ is sinless in His divinity, not from a declaration or a change over time. His resurrection proved what was always true, He was both man and God, two natures, one person. To claim that Jesus - without sin - was declared without sin is another mental pretzel fashioned by the Objective Justification mob.

Walther - borrowing from Bishop Stephan STD - makes the resurrection of Christ the absolution of the entire world, a claim without any basis in the Scriptures, but popular in Pietism and Calvinism. 

 Jay Webber is fond of Rambach. One discussion was here. Webber argued in favor of Rambach but against Chemnitz, which the Intrepid Lutherans found abusive and amusive.

Luther's Epiphany sermon points out that the so-called intellectuals twist words around rather than teaching the plain Word of God. The content of 1 Timothy 3:16 is an expression of Christ's glory, not mankind's absolution without faith.

The Objective Justification beehive likes to merge 1 Timothy 3:16 with Romans 4. The 1932 Brief Statement facilitates that error. But let's start with the actual passage.

KJV Romans 4:23 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.

Missouri Synod B.S. - 1932

"Scripture teaches that God has already declared the whole world to be righteous in Christ, Rom. 5:19; 2 Cor. 5:18-21; Rom. 4:25..."

 By citing Romans 4:25 and not the verses before 4:25, the LCMS and its copycats repeat the false doctrine of Walther, Stephan, and Rambach. The New NIV (but not the older one) is loved by the Synodicals because Romans 3 has everyone being justified. 

New NIV 

 Romans 3:24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

 

Knapp was a famous Pietist and Woods was a famous Calvinist.

Like Brenner in WELS, Jack Kilcrease was trained by Jesuits.