WELS
Siegbert W. Becker
"Faith does nothing more than
accept the forgiveness proclaimed in the Gospel. It is not a condition we must
fulfill before we can be forgiven. It is not a cause of forgiveness on account
of which God forgives us. The forgiveness comes first. Faith is merely the
response to the message. God says to us, “Your sins are forgiven.” This is
objective justification, and God’s message to us is true whether we believe it
or not. Faith makes God’s message its own and says, “My sins are forgiven.”
This is subjective justification. The whole doctrine is just as simple as
that." Page 12
"One really becomes a guilt-free
saint only through faith, if we limit ourselves to the biblical usage of the
word. However, since our holiness, as Augustine says, consists in sin’s
remission rather than in life’s perfection, we could say that when God forgave
the sins of the whole world he regarded all sinners as guilt-free, but if they
are guilt-free we might also say that they are considered sinless in the sight
of God. But a sinless person is a holy person, a saint. The fact that
unbelievers do not consider themselves to be forgiven does not change the truth
of God’s Word that tells us that God does not impute the sins of all men to
them, or that through one man justification has come upon all men." Page
14
“But there are times when a Christian
does not know that he has faith. And many people who think they have faith do
not have it, and many that think they are not believers are believing children of
God. In regard to our own faith we may be in error or filled with doubt. In times of temptation when I am no longer
aware of my faith, when my heart tells me that I am an unbeliever, I have no
place to turn for assurance if faith must come before forgiveness. But if forgiveness comes first, if it is
always there, if it is true whether I believe it or not, I do not need to know
whether I have faith or not before I can cling to God’s promise. I know that my
sins are forgiven whether I feel forgiven or unforgiven. I know that my
iniquity is pardoned whether I believe it or not. And when I know that, then I know also that I
am a believer.”
http://www.wlsessays.net/files/BeckerJustification.PDF
WELS
AZ/CA DP Pastor Jon Buchholz
"Faith doesn’t bring anything into
existence that doesn’t already exist. Faith doesn’t cause something to happen.
Faith simply grasps— trusts—something that already is in place." Page 14
"Since the term objective
justification is found neither in Scripture nor in the Lutheran confessions, we
can understand the term correctly as referring to the justification of the
entire world."
"Jesus then offered his innocent
life as the payment (atonement) for the guilt of sinners. In this great
transaction that took place on the cross, God removed the guilt of the world’s
sin and replaced it with the righteousness of Christ."
"Here is the legal or juridical
nature of justification, revealed at Calvary. The change does not take place in
the sinner. The change takes place in the relationship or the status between a
sinner and God.2 A verdict has been rendered, which declares man free of sin
and guilt, righteous in God’s sight, and worthy of eternal life, for Jesus’
sake."
"God has forgiven the whole world.
God has forgiven everyone his sins." This statement is absolutely true!
This is the heart of the gospel, and it must be preached and taught as the
foundation of our faith. But here’s where the caveat comes in: In Scripture, the
word "forgive" is used almost exclusively in a personal, not a
universal sense. The Bible doesn’t make the statement, "God has forgiven
the world."
"God has forgiven all sins, but the
unbeliever rejects God’s forgiveness." Again, this statement is true—and
Luther employed similar terminology to press the point of Christ’s completed
work of salvation.16 But we must also recognize that Scripture doesn’t speak
this way." "God has declared the entire world righteous." This
statement is true, as we understand it to mean that God has rendered a verdict
of "not-guilty" toward the entire world. It is also true—and must be taught—that
the righteousness of Christ now stands in place of the world’s sin; this is the
whole point of what Jesus did for us at Calvary. However, once again we’re wresting
a term out of its usual context. In Scripture the term "righteous"
usually refers to believers. "
http://archive.wels.net/cgibin/site.pl?2617&collectionID=1161&contentID=76707&shortcutID=26388
WELS Our Great Heritage states,
"And yet many Lutherans still labor under the delusion that God does not
forgive us unless we believe. Instead of seeing faith as nothing more than the
spiritual hand with which we make the forgiveness of God our own, they see it
as a reason why God forgives us. They believe that Christ has indeed provided
forgiveness for all men, that God is willing to forgive them, but before he
really forgives he first of all demands that we should be sorry for our sins
and that we should have faith. Just have faith they say, and then God will
forgive you. All the right words are there. The only thing wrong is that the
words are in the wrong order. God does not forgive us IF we have faith. He has
forgiven us long ago when he raised his Son from the dead." (p. 59)"
WELS MLC
President Mark Zarling
"Faith does nothing more than
receive the forgiveness which is offered in the Gospel. It is not a condition
we fulfill nor is it a cause of forgiveness. We are already forgiven. God's
message of justification in Christ is there whether we believe it or not. Faith
then receives the blessings." And, "Faith that accepts the good news
of universal justification is the work of God the Holy Ghost." Page 7
“the glorious Gospel: In Jesus, God has
declared the entire world righteous and forgiven, irregardless of whether or
not the world believes it. Such is the jewel described by objective, universal,
or general justification.” Page 2
Quoting Permit Stoeckhardt, “If God has
already in Christ justified all men and forgiven their sins, then I also in
Christ have a gracious God and the forgiveness of all my sins.” Page 5
“Irregardless of man's faith, God
declares the world just.” Page 6
“Our salvation is an accomplished fact.
It is done. It is finished. The resurrection is the proof that God has declared
the sinners justified!” Page 6
“Faith does nothing more than receive
the forgiveness which is offered in the Gospel. It is not a condition we
fulfill nor is it a cause of forgiveness. We are already forgiven.” Page 7
“Simply present Law and Gospel. Warn
sinners that unbelief damns, and rejection of Christ will bring eternal
torment. Then comfort them with the glorious objective reality that all sins
are already forgiven in Christ.” Page 7
THOLUCK - I suppose my American brethren
would consider me orthodox in general, except for my Universalism.
INTERVIEWER - They would, most
certainly. But with them that one point would be a serious matter. With this
sentiment you could not hold a standing in our orthodox churches. Now, where
did you find this doctrine - in the Bible, or in your philosophy?
THOLUCK - In both.
Pastor
James Humann, Evergreen Lutheran High School, WELS
quoting from the WELS Our Great Heritage:
"And yet many Lutherans still labor under the delusion that God does not forgive
us unless we believe. Instead of seeing faith as nothing more than the
spiritual hand with which we make the forgiveness of God our own, they see it
as a reason why God forgives us. They believe that Christ has indeed provided
forgiveness for all men, that God is willing to forgive them, but before he
really forgives he first of all demands that we should be sorry for our sins
and that we should have faith. Just have faith they say, and then God will
forgive you. All the right words are there. The only thing wrong is that the
words are in the wrong order. God does not forgive us IF we have faith. He has forgiven
us long ago when he raised his Son from the dead." (p. 59)
"If forgiveness were dependent on
faith in the sense that God does not forgive
until we believe, we would always have
to be sure that we are believers before we would be sure that we are
forgiven." (p.60)
Email to Brett Meyer
Principal
Greg Thiesfeldt, Evergreen Lutheran High School, WELS
“I am in agreement with Pastor (James)Humann’s
statements as printed in the paragraphs from Our Great Heritage. They are
correct and consistent with Gods Word and the position of WELS. Forgiveness is not
conditional; it is universal. The unbeliever, however, forfeits Gods universal
and unconditional forgiveness through rejection of Gods grace and unbelief.”
Email to Brett Meyer
Pastor
Nathan Sieltz and Gary Ide, Board Chairman, Evergreen Lutheran High School WELS
“Jesus came as the substitute for all.
He obeyed the law for all. He died in the place of everyone. When Jesus rose,
he rose as the substitute for every sinner. By his resurrection God declared
sinners, all of them, forgiven. This is the good news Scripture reveals. This
is the good news we proclaim to contrite sinners: “God has reconciled you to himself.
Your sins are already forgiven. Calvary and the empty tomb are the proof of
it.”
“When objective justification is denied,
faith becomes a condition of salvation instead of the means through which we
receive salvation. When speaking of salvation, we don’t want to turn a person’s
attention inward to his faith, but outward to the grace of God. Preaching about
faith will not produce faith, but proclaiming God’s love and mercy and
forgiveness will produce believing hearts. A change has taken place. The change
was not in man. Man remained unchanged, by nature sinful, hostile to God.
Orthodox theologians for the most part have spoken of the change as a change in
man’s status before God. Previously God viewed the world apart from Christ—and
it stood condemned. Now God views the world in the light of Christ’s work of
redemption and has declared the world righteous, forgiven.”
“Quoting August Pieper to write for the
third volume of the Quartalschrift:
But whoever molests the doctrine of justification stabs the gospel in the heart
and is on the way of losing entirely Christian doctrine and personal faith and
of falling into the arms of heathenism, even if he ever so much emphasizes
justification by faith.”
Email to Brett Meyer
J-556
"It must be admitted that when our Lutheran
Confessions speak of justification they speak almost exclusively of that facet
of justification we usually call 'subjective' justification, which has also
been called 'special' or 'personal' justification. But the Confessions also
show us that the basis for this justification is the justification that
precedes faith."
Rick Nicholas Curia, The Significant History
of the Doctrine of Objective or Universal Justification, Alpine, California:
California Pastoral Conference, WELS. January 24-25, 1983. p. 13.
J-557
"The two terms are relatively modern. They are not
used in the Lutheran Confessions. They are also not really synonymous.
'Universal justification' is a term denoting the doctrine that God has forgiven
the sins of all men. Strictly speaking, the term objective justification
expresses the thought that the sins of a man are forgiven by God whether he
believes it or not. Objective justification is not necessarily universal, but
if justification is universal it must of necessity be objective."
Siegbert Becker, "Objective Justification,"
Chicago Pastoral Conference, WELS, Elgin, Illinois, November 9, 1982,
unpaginated.
Hoenecke,
Citing Gerhard, on General Justification
J-558
Adolph Hoenecke, Dogmatik, III, p. 354-5
“Justification is an activity of God, which takes place in
a different time and manner for each individual sinner. But there is also a
general justification which came upon all men, in the time of—and indeed,
in—Christ’s passion and resurrection (Romans 5:18; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Romans
4:25). Our dogmaticians have not written much in particular about this general
justification, but have made only occasional mention of it. For example Gerhard
(Loci, l.c. XXXIII, p. 31):
1)
Meritoriously, he himself obtained the grace of justification with his own most
holy and perfect merit.
2)
Effectively, not only did he free us from sin, death and the Devil, and acquire
for us the righteousness which avails before God, but he also offers that good,
precious grace acquired so dearly in the word of the Gospel and applies it
through faith.
3)
Formally, in its application, for we are justified by no other thing before God
than by the righteousness acquired by Christ and imputed to us through faith:’
Gerhard again (Annotations on the Epistle to the Romans, Jena
Edition, 1666, p. 156):
‘By His resurrection [God] absolved Him, since our sins had
been imputed to Him, and also in the same manner absolved us in Him, so that in
this way the resurrection of Christ may be both the cause and the complete
guarantee of our justification.’
Gerhard again (Theological Disputations, Jena
Edition, 1655, XX, p. 1450.):
‘Because we have been absolved from our
sins in the resurrection of Christ, so they cannot condemn us any more in
judgment before God.’
And Ph. D. Burk (Rechtfertigung und Versicherung, p.
41) rightly said:
‘The difference between general
justification and the more common usage of the term justification can be
expressed as follows. The latter takes place precisely upon the appropriation
of the former.’
An emphasis upon general justification is necessary in
order to safeguard the material content of the Gospel.
We need furnish no extraordinary proof in regard to the
justification of the individual sinner; let us suffice with the story of the
publican. Justification takes place in the one who appeals to the grace of God,
but it does not take place in the Pharisee. And the entirety of Scripture
demonstrates that he who believes is always justified; this applies to every
individual, the moment that faith is kindled in him.”
The popular justification literature tries to make J.
Gerhard the father of Objective Justification, but that claim was easier to
make when the theologian’s work was out of the reach of most people. The
following quotations refute any claim that Gerhard can be blamed for promoting
justification without faith.
J-559
"The entire Scripture testifies that the merits of
Christ are received in no other way than through faith, not to mention that it
is impossible to please God without faith, Hebrews 11:6, let alone to be
received into eternal life. In general, St. Paul concludes concerning this
[matter] in Romans 3:28: Thus we hold then that a man becomes righteous without
the works of the Law—only through faith."
Johann Gerhard, A Comprehensive Explanation of Holy
Baptism and the Lord's Supper, 1610, ed. D. Berger, J. Heiser,
Malone, Texas: Repristination Press, 2000, p. 165.
J-560
"Therefore, the fulfillment of this promise to Abraham
is in no way to be interpreted to mean that Abraham's seed became righteous and
saved without individual faith."
Johann Gerhard, A Comprehensive Explanation of Holy
Baptism and the Lord's Supper, 1610, ed. D. Berger, J. Heiser, Malone,
Texas: Repristination Press, 2000, p. 167.
J-561
"The danger is that by use of the term subjective
justification we may lose the objective divine act of
God by which He declares the individual sinner righteous ek pisteos eis pisti the
instant faith (embracing Christ) is wrought in him, leaving only the one divine
declaration regarding the whole world of sinners, calling this an actus
simplex, the only forensic act of God, and expanding this to mean
that God declared every sinner free from guilt when Christ was raised from the
dead, so many millions even before they were born, irrespective of faith, apart
from and without faith. This surely wipes out 'justification by faith alone.'
Only his faith is reckoned to him for righteousness."
R. C. H. Lenski, Romans, Augsburg Publishing
House: Minneapolis, 1963 p. 85. Romans 1:17.
One person has claimed to find objective justification in
the Book of Concord, directly connected with the term justification.224 The sentence from the Smalcald Articles
is quoted below.
J-562
“Likewise: All have sinned and are justified without merit
[freely, and without their own works or merits] by His grace, through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus, in His blood, Romans 3:23f. Now, since it
is necessary to believe this, and it cannot be otherwise acquired or
apprehended by any work, law, or merit, it is clear and certain that this faith
alone justifies us, as St. Paul says, Romans 3:28: For we conclude that a
man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the Law. Likewise verse 26: That He
might be just, and the Justifier of him which believeth in Christ.”
Martin
Luther, Smalcald Articles, The Second Part, #3-4, Concordia Triglotta, St.
Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 461. Tappert, p. 292. Heiser, p.
137.
The
Missouri Synod Contribution
Quotations from the Missouri Synod founders show that the
major points of Kokomo justification were first made by Walther, Pieper, and
Stoeckhardt:
1.
God pronounced the sins of the world forgiven or absolved, without contrition
or faith or the Means of Grace, at the moment of Christ’s resurrection, based
upon Romans 4:25.
2.
Reconciliation and justification are equated, using 2 Corinthians 5:19.
“Accepting the absolution by faith” has fallen out of many
discussions defending objective justification in the Missouri Synod, Wisconsin
Synod, and smaller groups. In practice, the efficacious Word is no longer
proclaimed at all. J. P. Meyer introduced plenty of problems with his book Ministers
of Christ but at least he advocated preaching the Word (see
footnote).225 Now evangelism in the former Synodical
Conference is nothing more than gathering those people who are “already
forgiven,” and telling them they are already “absolved of their sins,” even
though they do not know the nature of sin according to the Scriptures. This
approach soon collapses to an appeal to join the congregation because this particular
church is friendly, active, caring, and buzzing with lots of cell groups. A
Unitarian minister with some charm and organizational skills can do as well
with the same approach.
J-564
"For God has
already forgiven you your sins 1800 years ago when He in Christ absolved all
men by raising Him after He first had gone into bitter death for them. Only
one thing remains on your part so that you also possess the gift. This one
thing is—faith. And this brings me to the second part of today's Easter
message, in which I now would show you that every man who wants to be saved
must accept by faith the general absolution, pronounced 1800 years ago, as an
absolution spoken individually to him."
C. F. W.
Walther, The Word of His Grace, Sermon Selections,
"Christ's Resurrection—The World's Absolution" Lake Mills: Graphic
Publishing Company, 1978, p. 233. Mark 16:1-8.
J-565
"Now, then, if the Father raised Christ from the dead,
He, by this glorious resurrection act, declared that the sins of the whole
world are fully expiated, or atoned for, and that all mankind is now regarded
as righteous before His divine tribunal. This gracious reconciliation and
justification is clearly taught in Romans 4:25: 'Who was delivered for our
offenses and was raised again for our justification.' The term dikaiosis here
means the act of divine justification executed through God's act of raising
Christ from the dead, and it is for this reason called the objective justification of all
mankind. This truth Dr. Walther stressed anew in America. He taught that the
resurrection of Christ from the dead is the actual absolution
pronounced upon all sinners. (Evangelienpostille, p.
160ff.)… Calov, following Gerhard, rightly points out the relation of Christ's
resurrection to our justification as follows: 'Christ's resurrection took place
as an actual absolution from sin (respectu actualis a peccato absolutionis). As
God punished our sins in Christ, upon whom He laid them and to whom He imputed
them, as our Bondsman, so He also, by the very act of raising Him from the
dead, absolved Him from our sins imputed to Him, and so He absolved also us in
Him.'" [Bibl. Illust., ad Rom. 4:25]
Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, 3 vols., St. Louis:
Concordia Publishing House, 1951, II, p. 321. Romans 4:25.226
J-566
"Scripture teaches the objective
reconciliation. Nineteen hundred years ago Christ
effected the reconciliation of all men with God. God does not wait for men to
reconcile Him with themselves by means of any efforts of their own. He is
already reconciled. The reconciliation is an accomplished fact, just like the creation
of the world. Romans 5:10: 'We were reconciled to God by the death of His Son.'
When Christ died, God became reconciled. As Christ's death lies in the past, so
also our reconciliation is an accomplished fact. 2 Corinthians 5:19: 'God was
in Christ, reconciling' (namely, when Christ lived and died on earth) 'the
world unto Himself.' The katallassein of
Romans 5:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:19 does not refer—let this fact be noted—to any
change that occurs in men, but describes an occurrence in the heart of God. It
was God who laid His anger by on account of the ransom brought by Christ. It
was God who at that time already had in His heart forgiven the sins of the
whole world, for the statement: 'God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto
Himself' means—and that is not our, but the Apostle's own interpretation—that
God did 'not impute their
trespasses unto them.' And 'not imputing trespasses' is, according to Scripture
(Romans 4:6-8), synonymous with 'forgiving sins,' 'justifying' the sinner.
"The resurrection of Christ is, as Holy Writ teaches, the actual
absolution of the whole world of sinners. Romans 4:25: 'Who was raised again
for our justification.' At that time we were objectively declared free from
sin."
Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, 3 vols., St. Louis:
Concordia Publishing House, 1951, II, p. p 348. Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:19.
J-567
"This doctrine of general justification is the
guarantee and warranty that the central article of justification by faith is
being kept pure. Whoever holds firmly that God was reconciled to the world in
Christ, and that to sinners in general their sin was forgiven, to him the
justification which comes from faith remains a pure act of the grace of God.
Whoever denies general justification is justly under suspicion that he is
mixing his own work and merit into the grace of God.”227
George Stoeckhardt, Concordia Theological
Quarterly, April, 1978, p. 138. Cited by Pastor Vernon Harley
"Synergism—Its Logical Association with General Justification," 511
Tilden, Fairmont, Minnesota 56031, August, 1984, p. 1.
J-568
"The chief purpose, however, is to keep this article
(general justification) before the people for its own sake. It cannot be
presented and studied too often. Its vital relation to the subjective, personal
justification by faith, cannot be stressed too strongly. It forms the basis of
the justification by faith and keeps this article free from the leaven of
Pelagianism. Unless the sinner knows that his justification is already an
accomplished fact in the forum of God, he will imagine that it is his faith, his
good conduct, which moves God to forgive him his sins. And unless he knows that
God had him personally in mind in issuing the general pardon on Easter morning,
he will have no assurance of his justification."
Theodore Engelder, Concordia Theological Monthly, July/
August/ September, 1933. Reissued by the seminary print-shop, Ft. Wayne, 1981.
Cited by Pastor Vernon Harley, "Synergism—Its Logical Association with
General Justification," 511 Tilden, Fairmont, Minnesota 56031, August,
1984, p. 1f.
J-569
"The entire Pauline doctrine of justification stands
and falls with the special article of general justification. This establishes
it beyond peradventure that justification is entirely independent of the
conduct of man. And only in this way the individual can have the assurance of
his justification. For it is the incontrovertible conclusion: Since God has
already justified all men in Christ and forgiven them their sins, I, too, have
a gracious God in Christ and forgiveness of all my sins."
Quoted with
approval by Theodore Engelder, from George Stoeckhardt, Commentary on Romans, p. 264. Cited by Pastor Vernon Harley, "Synergism—Its Logical
Association with General Justification," 511 Tilden, Fairmont, Minnesota, 56031,
August, 1984, p. 2.
J-570
"The resurrection is God's public absolution of the
entire world: 'Your sins are forgiven, all sins of all human beings; and there
is no exception.' This is the meaning of the technical term 'objective
justification.' The objective justification is central to the doctrine of
salvation and derives logically from the facts that God's reconciliation,
forgiveness, and declaration of 'not guilty' in no wise depend on the attitude
or behaviour of human beings. If objective justification is denied, then it
must follow that those who are declared righteous in some way have contributed
to God's change of heart; justification is then no longer solely the result of
God's grace."
Theodore Mueller, Concordia Theological Quarterly,
January, 1982, p. 29. Cited by Pastor Vernon Harley, "Synergism—Its
Logical Association with General Justification," 511 Tilden, Fairmont,
Minnesota 56031, August, 1984, p. 3.
J-571
"The fact of the redemption and reconciliation of the
entire human race through Christ, and with it the forgiveness of all sins for
all men on God's part—which, indeed, is precisely what the Gospel proclaims,
presents and gives—can by no means become a lie through the unbelief of men...
even when the unbelievers don't receive it, but reject it for themselves and
for this reason—indeed, for this reason alone—are lost."
Walther's colleague, Theodore Brohm, 1808-1881. Cited in
Rick Nicholas Curia, The Significant History of the Doctrine
of Objective or Universal Justification, Alpine, California:
California Pastoral Conference, WELS. January 24-25, 1983. p. 16.
J-572
"The teaching of the Wisconsin Synod [of the old
Norwegian Synod] is this, that in and with the universal reconciliation, which
has occurred in Christ for the whole world—even Judas; the whole world—even
Judas—has been justified and has received the forgiveness of sin. Therefore,
according to Luther's clear words ("for where there is forgiveness of
sins, there is also life and salvation"), the whole world (i.e. every
person who is a part of the world—even Judas) has become a child of God and an heir
of heaven."
Gottfried Fritschel, "Zur Lehre von der
Rechtfertigung," Theologische Monatshefte,
volume 4, 1871, (1-24), p. 7.228 Cited in Rick Nicholas
Curia, The Significant History of the Doctrine of Objective or
Universal Justification, Alpine, California: California
Pastoral Conference, WELS. January 24-25, 1983. p. 2.
Missouri
Synod Brief Statement, 1932
J-573
“Scripture teaches that
God has already declared the whole world to be righteous in
Christ, Romans 5:19; 2
Corinthians 5:18-21; Romans 4:25; that therefore not for the sake of their good
works, but without the works of the Law, by grace, for Christ’s sake, he justifies, that
is, accounts as righteous, all those who believe in
Christ, that is, believe, accept, and rely on, the fact that for Christ’s sake
their sins are forgiven.”229
Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod, 1932,
“Of Justification.”
Missouri
Synod CTCR
J-574
"It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to
teach: That forgiveness and justification before God do not involve each other,
or that justification and reconciliation are entirely different from each
other, as though a person can be reconciled without being justified or
justified without being reconciled."
LCMS Commission on Theology and Church Relations
"Theses on Justification" St. Louis: May, 1983, #3.
J-575
"In normal Biblical and ecclesiastical usage the terms
justify and justification refer
to the ('subjective') justification of the individual sinner through faith
(Romans 4:5, 5:1, etc.; AC IV, 3; FC SD III 25). But because theologically
justification is the same thing as the forgiveness of sins (Romans 4:1-8; Ap
IV, 76; FC Ep III, 7), it is Biblically and confessionally correct to refer to
the great sin-canceling, atoning work of the Redeemer as the 'objective' or
'universal' justification of the whole sinful human race. (John 1:29; Romans
5:6-18; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 2:14-15; 1 Timothy 3:16; Ap IV, 103-105;
LC V, 31, 32, 36, 37; FC SD III, 57)
LCMS Commission on Theology and Church Relations
"Theses on Justification" St. Louis: May, 1983, #4.
J-576
"Thus objective justification or reconciliation is the
forgiveness of sins both as it has been acquired for the entire human race by
Christ's work of obedience in its stead and declared by His resurrection, and
as it is seriously and efficaciously offered to all in the means of grace."
LCMS Commission on Theology and Church Relations
"Theses on Justification" St. Louis: May, 1983, #5.
J-577
"Subjective justification or reconciliation is this
same forgiveness as it is received, appropriated by, and applied to the
individual sinner through God-given faith alone (sola fide)."
LCMS Commission on Theology and Church Relations
"Theses on Justification" St. Louis: May, 1983, #6.
Hottentots
Justified Without Faith
J-578
"So, then, we are reconciled; however, not only we,
but also Hindus, and Hottentots and Kafirs, yes, the world. 'Reconciled,' says
our translation; the Greek original says: 'placed in the right relation to
God'. Because before the Fall we, together with the whole creation, were in the
right relation to God, therefore Scripture teaches that Christ, through His
death, restored all things to the former right relation to God."
F. R. Eduard Preuss, 1834-1904, Die Rechtfertigung der
Suender vor Gott. Cited in Rick Nicholas Curia, The
Significant History of the Doctrine of Objective or Universal Justification,
Alpine, California: California Pastoral Conference, WELS. January 24-25, 1983.
p. 24.230
Justification
by Faith in the Old Missouri Synod Catechism
J-579
"#305. Why do you say in this article: I believe in
the Forgiveness of Sins? Because I hold with certainty that by my own powers or
through my own works I cannot be justified before God, but that the forgiveness
of sins is given me out of grace through faith in Jesus Christ. For where there
is forgiveness of sins, there is also true justification. Psalm 130:3-4; Psalm
143:2; Isaiah 64:6; Job 25:4-6 (Q. 124)."
Kleiner Katechismus, trans. Pastor Vernon Harley, LCMS, St.
Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1901, p. 164ff.
"#306. What is justification? Justification is that
activity (Handlung) of God by which He out of pure grace
and mercy for the sake of Christ's merits forgives the sins of a poor sinner
who truly believes in Jesus Christ and receives him to everlasting life."
Kleiner Katechismus, trans. Pastor Vernon Harley, LCMS, St.
Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1901, p. 164ff.
The
Kokomo Statements, 1979
J-580
I. "Objectively speaking, without any reference to an
individual sinner's attitude toward Christ's sacrifice, purely on the basis of
God's verdict, every sinner, whether he knows it or not, whether he believes it
or not, has received the status of saint."
II. "After Christ's intervention and through Christ's
intervention God regards all sinners as guilt-free saints."
III. "When God reconciled the world to Himself through
Christ, He individually pronounced forgiveness to each individual sinner
whether that sinner ever comes to faith or not."
IV. "At the time of the
resurrection of Christ, God looked down in hell and declared Judas, the people
destroyed in the flood, and all the ungodly, innocent, not guilty, and forgiven
of all sin and gave unto them the status of saints."
The letter sent to the two families
quoted the statements and declared that the families were being expelled for
denying them. Certain people have tried to confuse the issue by claiming the
statements were made up by the expelled families to parody WELS doctrine. Three
statements are almost verbatim from J. P. Meyer’s Ministers of Christ, now
out of print. The fourth statement came from a controversy in the 19th century but was added by Pastor
Papenfuss to the previous statements from J. P. Meyer. Although WELS has often
backed away from the Kokomo statements, the synod continues to defend the
content and reproduce the most obnoxious falsehoods found in them. The
Evangelical Lutheran Synod teaches Kokomo justification in their seminary.
After a layman wrote to Bethany Seminary professor John Moldstad Jr., the
following statements appeared in the Evangelical Lutheran Synod Lutheran
Sentinel:
J-581
“When Paul uses the word ‘reconciling’ here, [2 Corinthians
5:19] he clearly means that forgiveness of sins is really imputed to ‘the
world.’
John Moldstad, Jr., “I
have heard some Lutherans say they do not believe the Bible teaches objective
justification. How can they assert this and still call themselves ‘Lutheran’?”
Lutheran
Sentinel,
October, 1996, p. 11.234
The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod teaches an ambiguous
form of the same doctrine. Each synod (WELS, ELS, LCMS) teaches various forms
of justification, with pastors teaching a version somewhere between the
extremes of Universal Justification (without faith) and the Scriptural norm of
justification by faith.
The Pohlman and Hartman families were suspended from Faith
Lutheran Church on July 8, 1979. The circuit pastor, Alan Siggelkow, agreed
with the suspension at the July voters’ meeting.
J-582
"Three of the four [Kokomo] statements,
because of their lack of clarity, tend to confuse the issue. But since the
disciplined laymen used them to advance their false doctrine, it was
understandable that the congregation should also use them in its rejection of
the falsehood being advocated. I do not consider any of the four statements to
be false doctrine, but I would rather not use the language used in the first,
second, and fourth." [conclusion of paper]
Siegbert Becker, "Objective
Justification," Chicago Pastoral Conference, WELS, Elgin, Illinois,
November 9, 1982, unpaginated. [GJ
– The first three statements came almost verbatim from WELS Professor JP Meyer,
as Becker admitted in another essay. The two families were not advancing false
doctrine but asking if WELS really taught these things, which the pastor,
circuit pastor, Armin Panning, and Sig Becker said WELS certainly did.]
J-583
“The three statements unfortunately and
inaccurately attributed to Prof. Meyer's Ministers
of Christ are in reality inaccurate paraphrases.
They were written by a lay member of the Kokomo congregation, who was
questioning the WELS doctrine of objective justification as it was presented by
the local pastor. The fourth statement was also a paraphrase not from any WELS
source. The statements were called "a caricature of objective
justification" by WELS president Carl H. Mischke.”
John Lau, “An Apology and Correction, CLC Journal of Theology,
December, 1997.
Compare what WELS seminary professor Siegbert
Becker wrote at the time:
J-584
"The first three statements are taken
verbatim from WELS sources."
Siegbert Becker, "Objective
Justification," Chicago Pastoral Conference, WELS, Elgin, Illinois,
November 9, 1982, Unpaginated.
J-585b
“Faith Lutheran Church
3215 West Judson Road
Kokomo, Indiana 46901
November 19, 1980
Mr. and Mrs. David Hartman
R. R. #1, Box 90
Kokomo, Indiana 46901
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Hartman,
In accordance with the
recommendations of the Southeastern Wisconsin District Panel of Review
the voters of the Faith Lutheran Church have approved a resolution terminating
your membership in the congregation unless and until such time as you accept
the doctrine of justification as practiced by the WELS.
We encourage you to reassess your position on this matter
and pray for a favorable decision so that once again we can work together for
His Kingdom.
Yours in Christ,
Michael Liebner, Secretary”239
J.
P. Meyer, Foundation for the Kokomo Statements
J-586
I. "Objectively speaking, without any reference to an
individual sinner's attitude toward Christ's sacrifice, purely on the basis of
God's verdict, every sinner, whether he knows about it or not, whether he
believes it or not, has received the status of a saint. What will be his
reaction when he is informed about this turn of events? Will he accept, or will
he decline?"240
J. P. Meyer, Ministers of Christ, A Commentary on the
Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, Milwaukee:
Northwestern Publishing House, 1963, p. 103f. 2 Corinthians 5:18-21.
II. "Before Christ's intervention took place God
regarded him as a guilt-laden, condemned culprit. After Christ's intervention
and through Christ's intervention He regards him as a guilt-free saint."
J. P. Meyer, Ministers of Christ, A Commentary on the Second
Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing
House, 1963, p. 107. 2 Corinthians 5:18-21.
III. "This applies to the whole world, to every
individual sinner, whether he was living in the days of Christ, or had died
centuries before His coming, or had not yet been born, perhaps has not been
born to this day. It applies to the world as such, regardless of whether a
particular sinner ever comes to faith or not."
J. P. Meyer, Ministers of Christ, A Commentary on the
Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, Milwaukee:
Northwestern Publishing House, 1963, p. 109. 2 Corinthians 5:18-21.
