Romans 4-5 Defeats Objective Justification. The Path to Justification

This passage above opposes what the false teachers – without support – claim. Faith is almost nothing in their eyes – a withered hand grasping the Gospel – or it is a work, and to be condemned, renaming Justification by Faith as synergism. Objective Justification advocates ask their disciples to make a decision for universal forgiveness without faith. That is by definition – synergism. Justification taught by the Bible, Augustine, and Luther portrays faith as a gift from God, the power of the Holy Spirit in the Word.[1]

Romans 4:21-25

22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 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.

²² διο και ελογισθη αυτω εις δικαιοσυνην

²³ ουκ εγραφη δε δι αυτον μονον οτι ελογισθη αυτω

²⁴ αλλα και δι ημας οις μελλει λογιζεσθαι τοις πιστευουσιν επι τον εγειραντα ιησουν τον κυριον ημων εκ νεκρων

²⁵ ος παρεδοθη δια τα παραπτωματα ημων και ηγερθη δια την δικαιωσιν ημων

Abraham’s justification by faith is clearly stated in

1.     Genesis 15:6

2.     Romans 3:22

3.     Romans 3:26

4.     Romans 3:38

5.     Romans 4:3 quoting Genesis 15:6

6.     Romans 4:13

7.     Romans 4:22

8.     Romans 4:23 – Transition to all mankind

9.     Romans 4:24 – Justification by Faith for all

10. Romans 5:1f. – Having been justified by faith

Although it is common in literature to use synonyms to avoid repeating the same words, the opposite is true here, where repetition is employed to emphasize one point – Faith Counted as Righteousness. The Greek words of Genesis 15:6 (LXX) are the Greek words of Romans, roughly 2,000 years afterwards, several centuries after the Hebrew text was converted into the world language of Greek.

Modern theologians of many denominations warn against allowing any “if” clause, arguing that contingency would remove the concept of universal grace. This claim not only contradicts Romans 4:16 – “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace…” but also opposes and ignores the climax of the chapter –

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;

The modern objection, in the name of grace, is a contingency statement itself – “If a contingency clause is used, grace is no longer grace.” That is far removed from Scripture alone, which trumps such unwarranted claims.

The beauty and simplicity of Romans 4:22-25 should be remembered and repeated, resonating with the Gospel promises to comfort us with the certainty of Justification by Faith, the Chief Article of Christianity and the theme of the Reformation.

Romans 5 – Confirming Justification by Faith

After establishing in the fourth chapter that Abraham’s forgiveness through faith foreshadowed ours, the fifth chapter summarizes that argument and adds more insights into this Gospel.

Romans 5:1-2

5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

5 δικαιωθεντες ουν εκ πιστεως ειρηνην εχομεν προς τον θεον δια του κυριου ημων ιησου χριστου

² δι ου και την προσαγωγην εσχηκαμεν τη πιστει εις την χαριν ταυτην εν η εστηκαμεν και καυχωμεθα επ ελπιδι της δοξης του θεου

“Therefore being justified by faith” is a transitional phrase used to list the benefits of forgiveness through faith in Christ:

1.     We have peace with God through Jesus Christ

2.     We have access to this grace – by faith

3.     We stand in this and rejoice in the future glory of God.

And yet, the cross accompanies the Gospel Word –

Romans 5:3-5

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Lutheran Objections to Justification by Faith

The following objections will be addressed:

1.     Romans 5

2.     Romans 3 – all

3.     Romans 4  and 1 Timothy 3:16 – the Easter absolution

4.     John 1:29 – crucifixion as the Good Friday universal absolution

5.     Clinging to Objective Justification, portraying Subjective Justification as Justification by Faith

6.     The LCMS always taught

7.     The WELS always taught

Romans 5

Romans 5:6 – for the ungodly

⁶ For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

⁶ ετι γαρ χριστος οντων ημων ασθενων κατα καιρον υπερ ασεβων απεθανεν

It should seem astonishing that Paul would turn away from Justification by Faith so quickly after spending so much time on the topic, yet there are some who imagine the apostle to be fickle. The entire record record reveals that the atoning death of Jesus was fully described in detail, long before it happened, and predicted clearly by Jesus without the disciples comprehending its meaning. He did not die for healthy who think they need no physician, but for the weak and despairing who hunger and thirst for righteousness. So  method of the partial verse citation is used again to make a false point – “He died for the ungodly.” Those without Christ are ungodly. We all were before faith in our Savior. Since the context of this chapter is Justification by Faith, it is addressed to believers to show how God planned for their salvation in advance. This is monergism – God acting along – but always through Means, the Instruments of Grace, the Word and Sacraments.

Romans 5:7-8 – for sinners

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

⁸ συνιστησιν δε την εαυτου αγαπην εις ημας ο θεος οτι ετι αμαρτωλων οντων ημων χριστος υπερ ημων απεθανεν

The Atonement is prior to faith and universal in scope, but that does not make faith and forgiveness universal – applied to all people for all time, even back to the beginning of time. Nevertheless, WELS is especially dense in their efforts to declare salvation as universal and despising faith as a work. The cross has a double purpose. One is to show us that those are our sins giving Him pain, suffering, and death. The second purpose is to enforce the comforting truth that we cannot pay for those sins or make up for them, because God drowns them in the ocean of His grace.

Romans 5:9-10 - reconciled

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

¹⁰ ει γαρ εχθροι οντες κατηλλαγημεν τω θεω δια του θανατου του υιου αυτου πολλω μαλλον καταλλαγεντες σωθησομεθα εν τη ζωη αυτου

Strong's Concordance

katallassó: to reconcile

Original Word: καταλλάσσω

Part of Speech: Verb

Transliteration: katallassó

The noun form is found in Romans 5:11, Romans 11:15, 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Καταλλαγή (noun) is translated reconciliation and atonement

“Here is our diamond!” so the Zwinglians think. The original use of the verb was for the exchange of money, such as four quarters for a dollar. But we should not succumb to Kittelitis, the disease of those who hope that the history of a word in Greek will give them the perfect answer.[2] Context matters too, because we know that baptized dishes (in Greek) are not converted but washed.[3] The verb and noun are given the wrong emphasis, as if God stopped being the enemy and became reconciled to us through the Atonement. This error is found often in those who do not grasp the gracious will of God from the beginning, how man became afraid of God and angry with God because of sin. The typical unbeliever has a completely wrong idea about God, perhaps because of sermons which are 95% law and wrath, with a brief ending about the Gospel.

The Gospel of John especially reveals Jesus as the loving, gracious face and voice of God the Father. As Paul Gerhardt’s hymns teach, God must surely love humanity if He did so much for each and every one of us.

4. Thou Christian heart,

Whoe'er thou art,

Be of good cheer and let no sorrow move

thee!

For God's own Child,

In mercy mild,

Joins thee to Him;-how greatly God must

love thee![4]

3. "Yea, Father, yea, most willingly

I'll bear what Thou commandest;

My will conforms to Thy decree,

I do what Thou demandest."

O wondrous Love, what hast Thou done!

The Father offers up His Son!

The Son, content, descendeth!

O Love, how strong Thou art to save!

Thou beddest Him within the grave

Whose word the mountains rendeth.[5]

5. If our blessed Lord and Maker

Hated men, Would He then

Be of flesh partaker?

If He in our woe delighted,

Would He bear All the care

Of our race benighted?[6]

If all the Lutheran leaders at least pay lip service to Gerhardt every century or so, should they also see his emphasis on the grace of God? Luther described the Atonement as a great treasure, but one which lies in a heap until distributed by the Holy Spirit through the Word and Sacraments.

Romans 5:11 – We received the atonement (reconciliation)

11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

¹¹ ου μονον δε αλλα και καυχωμενοι εν τω θεω δια του κυριου ημων ιησου χριστου δι ου νυν την καταλλαγην ελαβομεν

The assurance of God’s love and blessings comes from faith in the original promise (Genesis 3:15) and its Gospel proclamation in Isaiah 53.

Reconciliation in 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

¹⁸ τα δε παντα εκ του θεου του καταλλαξαντος ημας εαυτω δια ιησου χριστου και δοντος ημιν την διακονιαν της καταλλαγης

¹⁹ ως οτι θεος ην εν χριστω κοσμον καταλλασσων εαυτω μη λογιζομενος αυτοις τα παραπτωματα αυτων και θεμενος εν ημιν τον λογον της καταλλαγης

²⁰ υπερ χριστου ουν πρεσβευομεν ως του θεου παρακαλουντος δι ημων δεομεθα υπερ χριστου καταλλαγητε τω θεω

²¹ τον γαρ μη γνοντα αμαρτιαν υπερ ημων αμαρτιαν εποιησεν ινα ημεις γινωμεθα δικαιοσυνη θεου εν αυτω

The overly chipper opponents of Justification by Faith want to tell the entire world that God is no longer angry with them, no longer viewing them as sinful and faithless.[7] By starting with the wrong inference about reconciliation, the opponents of the Chief Article draw the wrong conclusion, repeatedly saying, “God has declared the entire world righteous, forgiven of sin.” If we say that to the unrepentant, they will look at us the way a cow looks at a newly painted fence, as Luther preached. That is why the subtle message of Universalism has fallen flat, short-circuited the harmony of the Scriptures, and subjected its remaining adherents to extreme social activism.[8] Instead, the message of the Atonement or reconciliation assures us of God’s grace and love for the entire world of sinners, so that He provided a Savior and a life of spiritual blessings. Because of our fallen nature, we always need to be reconciled. Paul’s plea is “Be reconciled to God” (verse 20).

Likewise, some opponents repeatedly insist that “in Christ” means the entire world is forgiven and saved. Only believers are in Christ, and there is no forgiveness without faith. The origin of these errors is Calvinism mediated through Pietism, both rejecting the Means of Grace and denying the efficacy of the Word.[9] Calvinists vary in their aberrations, but they have said the Scriptures are like a statue that only points the way but does nothing more than that. However, the Word always has the divine energy of the Holy Spirit. When this is denied – which is a deadly fault among most Lutheran leaders today – they fearfully and anxiously look for clever methods to make their organizations work.

Resurrection Absolution from the Pietists -1 Timothy 3:16 and Romans 4

1 Timothy 3:16

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.

¹⁶ και ομολογουμενως μεγα εστιν το της ευσεβειας μυστηριον θεος

·        εφανερωθη εν σαρκι

·        εδικαιωθη εν πνευματι

·        ωφθη αγγελοις

·        εκηρυχθη εν εθνεσιν

·        επιστευθη εν κοσμω

·        ανεληφθη εν δοξη

“Without controversy” in 1 Timothy 3:16 really means “in our confession of faith,” using the Greek word we use for homiletics. Most would attribute this verse to a hymn, confession, or catechism used by everyone and known to the readers. The meaning of the second aorist – justified in the Spirit - reveals a definite divide between Martin Chemnitz, senior editor of the Book of Concord, and Rambach, the Halle Pietist. That God declared His Son righteous is clear, not because of any sin, but to show Jesus died without sin, which is only possible with Him as God incarnate, the human and divine natures united in His Person.

Rambach, Halle Pietism

However, Rambach was an early proponent in declaring that the entire world was justified, declared forgiven and righteous, when Jesus rose from the dead, supposedly as shown by this verse, which says nothing at all supporting Rambach’s inference.[10] Jay Webber chose Rambach’s interpretation over Chemnitz, which sparked an interesting logomachy among the Intrepid Lutherans.

Doug Lindee

You know, we at Intrepid Lutherans have been very careful, for the sake of fraternity, to avoid mention of his name or reference to his research on this subject. But the prominent use of a Halle Pietist, who produced his work at the pinnacle of the period of radical German Pietism, to discredit an orthodox theologian like Chemnitz and instead supporting the teaching of Universal Objective Justification, only proves Dr. Jackson's thesis: UOJ did emerge from Halle Pietism.

I myself, up to this point, have been skeptical of this thesis, as my own extended and personal contact with confessing Pietists has had me convinced that they are not guilty of distinguishing Objective from Subjective aspects of Justification -- certainly not to the elevation of the Objective! -- as everything for them is Subjective. But rather, I had thought, they are guilty of separating (subjective) Justification from Conversion. You yourself have read Iver Olson's Baptism and Spiritual Life, and know precisely what I am referring to. To me, if there was anything to Dr. Jackson's connection of Halle to UOJ, it was in later Halle Rationalism. But now there can be no doubt. Rambach, a bona fide Halle Pietist, supplied the foundation necessary to topple formerly orthodox teaching on the matter of Justification.[11]

Jay Webber responded:

I knew that Rambach was a pietist. I was not using his observations on this verse to discredit Chemnitz, but to supplement Chemnitz. His exegesis and reflections stand on their own, and should be evaluated on their own merits, regardless of what he might have said on other topics on other occasions. And it is also clear that on this topic in particular, he was not inventing a new pietist notion, but was recapitulating the orthodox (sic) teaching of the orthodox theologian (sic) Quistorp. Theologians with pietist leanings were not wrong in everything they said, especially when they were repeating the sound teaching of orthodox theologians of earlier times.[12]

We can see what mischief the Pietists began, by blending into the Lutheran Church while supplanting the Biblical doctrine of the Reformation. “Resist the beginnings” was not heeded, so the future Bishop Martin Stephan learned this at Halle and taught this Easter absolution of the world to his disciple, C.F.W. Walther. The younger pastor served as Stephan’s enforcer but led a riot against the newly enthroned Bishop Stephan in Perryville, robbing the leader of his land and gold, kidnapping him, and forcing him into exile in Illinois.[13]

Romans 4 and the Easter Absolution

The Lutherans who came to America were Pietists, from Henry Muhlenberg and the General Synod tradition to the Perryville and Loehe Pietists, the Swedes and Norwegians too. The Pietistic error about 1 Timothy 3:16 is assigned to Romans 4:25 (and cited that way, ever Romans 4:24-25), regardless of Romans 4:24 or the clear meaning of 1 Timothy. For decades people have heard – in support of this Easter absolution without faith – “Raised for our justification! Romans 4:25” in support of Objective Justification. After I pointed out this error in print, several dozen times, the repeated slogan has subsided, made ridiculous by the clear meaning of both verses together.

Where did such foolishness come from? We need look no farther than the often quoted but seldom digested Brief Statement of 1932, LCMS.

LCMS Brief Statement, 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…

Why were the ministers and professors not looking up these passages and studying them in context? Even worse, the later Preus era revived this political statement and made it the ultimate litmus test, which was handy in hammering potential political opponents.

The body of Objective Justification propaganda on the Walther side centers on Easter, but others perversely emphasis Good Friday as the Moment of World Absolution. How this event (never recorded, unlike Abraham’s justification) could happen on two different dates, without anyone blushing, is an enigma.

Romans 3:24 – Adding an “All” To Please the Universalists

Not content to degrade and pollute Biblical Lutheran doctrine, the “conservative” Lutheran synods have acquiesced in taking manuscript distortion to a new, low level.

Romans 3:22-23 KJV

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

²⁴ δικαιουμενοι δωρεαν τη αυτου χαριτι δια της απολυτρωσεως της εν χριστω ιησου

Romans 3:23 NIV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

The underlined all in the NIV is not found in any Greek text, and the meaning is simple, as Luther explained and anyone can read. In a chapter using all often, all have sinned, and of those justified, all are justified by faith in Christ.

---

[1] “Opponents of seeing justification only as subjective see it as nothing other than synergism, the issue which was at the heart of the Lutheran Reformation protest against Rome. Since God justifies all humanity by raising Christ from the dead, justification is universal and, as an act of God and not of man, is objective. By faith justification becomes a reality for the believer and is called subjective.”

Scaer, David P.. Surviving the Storms: Memoirs of David P. Scaer (Kindle Locations 5562-5566). Luther Academy. Kindle Edition.

[2] Kittel’s Theological Dictionary of the New Testament is a valuable resource but one to be used with an extensive reading knowledge of the original. The major words are given in Greek, but some entries are small books while other topics are passed over lightly – such as the word group for efficacy.

[3] Scholars are divided about whether dishes were immersed.

[4] The Lutheran Hymnal, #81 Text: Luke 2: 7, Author: Paul Gerhardt, 1653, cento

[5] The Lutheran Hymnal, #142, Text: Is. 53: 7Author: Paul Gerhardt, 1648, cento

[6] The Lutheran Hymnal, # 77, Text: Luke 2:11, Author: Paul Gerhardt, 1653, Translated by: Catherine Winkworth, 1858, alt.

[7] This false assurance is the foundation for modern Antinomianism. Every Biblical sin is absolved in advance, except denying this strange dogma, which crime results in excommunication, shunning, and an avalanche of slander.

[8] The ELCA seminaries, all faithful to Objective Justification, have an agenda blessed by Chairman Mao, and the Fuller Seminary graduates are rapidly closing the gap.

[9] The efficacy of the Word in the Means of Grace is summarized in The Lost Dutchman’s Goldmine and treated extensively in Thy Strong Word.

[10] Earlier, Samuel Huber, the Calvinist turned Lutheran, taught a similar righteousness of the entire world, but Polycarp Leyser and Hunnius refuted his false doctrine and sent him packing. Pietism is a union of Calvinism and Lutheran doctrine, and that influence infected the later scholastic Lutheran writers.

[11] Intrepid Lutherans, 2011, retrieved from http://www.intrepidlutherans.com/2011/09/fraternal-dialogue-on-topic-of.html, reproduced in http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-genius-behind-jay-webbers-and-jon.html.

[12] “Unquestionably, Mueller, Quistorp, and Grossgebauer can all be counted among the piety movement initiated by Johannes Arndt in the early seventeenth century. All three stressed the practice of the Christian life over doctrinal matters.” Jonathan Strom, Orthodoxy and Reform: The Clergy in 17th Century Rostock, 1999, p. 244.

[13] See Walther’s Pastoral Theology for additional insights.