bored has left a new comment on your post "WELS - Study the Book of Concord? Better Study Wal...":
A little off topic but...Here's a passage from Luther that destroys the UOJ interpretation of Romans 5:18-19.
(NAS) Romans 5: 18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. 19For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.
KJV 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
Luther wrote:
"(v. 18) Here the Apostle says 'all'; first, because as all who are begotten of Adam are born again (through faith) in Christ; and secondly, because as there is no carnal begetting except through Adam, so also there is no spiritual begetting except through Christ. (v. 19) Here the Apostle speaks of "many" and not of "all" to show that the emphasis is not on the number of the sinners or the righteous, but on the power of sin and grace. If sin proved itself so powerful that a single transgression has perverted many, or rather all, then divine grace is much more powerful; for the one act of grace (Christ's atonement) can save many, indeed all men, of many sins, if they only desire it."
Martin Luther, Commentary on Romans, trans. Theodore Mueller, 1954, Zondervan, pg. 97)
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GJ - I believe Romans 5:18 is one of their most precious proofs for UOJ, but that shows a remarkable density about English and Greek.
This is especially clear in light of Paul's emphasis on Jews and Gentiles alike in the previous chapters, especially 4. The righteousness of Abraham comes from his faith, his circumcision happening much later. Therefore Abraham is the father of all believers not just of Jews.
There is no declaration of universal absolution without faith. Unfortunately, the UOJ cult starts with that assumption and selects a few verses to misinterpret in support. The saddest example is Romans 4:25, omitting Romans 4:24 - if we believe on the One Who raised Him from the dead.
How can someone ignore the clear message of Romans 4 and then cite one verse (4:25) in a vain effort to establish Walther's error as sound Biblical teaching?
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| One team, one UnFaith, one Evil Empire - the Synodical Conference. |
