Dear Pastor Jackson,
God's
Word makes a clear distinction between those who are under the law and
those who are under grace. By nature the whole world is under the law.
Those who are under the law are NOT forgiven or justified. They are in
the flesh and at enmity with God. Those who are in the flesh cannot
please God.
"Now
we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are
under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may
become guilty before God.
20 Therefore
by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight:
for by the law is the knowledge of sin." Romans 3:19-20
The
whole world of unbelievers is under the law. They are not forgiven, and
justified prior to and without faith in Christ. They are in the flesh.
God is not pleased with them. They cannot please God.
"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But
ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of
God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is
none of his." Romans 8:5-9
Note
the whole world of unbelievers are under the law and under God's wrath
and displeasure. They are not forgiven and justified prior to and
without faith in Christ.
In
contrast C F W Walther taught that the whole world of unbelievers were
already forgiven and justified prior to and without faith in Christ.
This places the whole world of unbelievers under grace prior to and
without faith in Christ and without Baptism into Christ.
C.F.W.
Walther said, "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 " (The Path To Understanding
Justification, Gregory L. Jackson, PhD; pg. 12; ISBN 9781072530428)
C.F.W.
Walther insists God has already forgiven the whole world of unbelievers
prior to and without faith in Christ. This cannot be true for it is
impossible to please God without faith in Christ.
"But without faith it is impossible to please Him;" Hebrews 11:
Another heretic named Dr. Franz Pieper really went off the deep end when he said:
"...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,..." (Note this is Prior to and without
Faith and Baptism) (Christian Dogmatics, CPH, Vol. 2, pg. 348).
Wow!! Dr. Franz Pieper is able to see into God's heart without the Word of God? No one can see into God's heart!
"For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
33 O
the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how
unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen." Romans 11:32-36
Note:
That heretic Franz Pieper insists God's heart changed into universal
forgiveness and universal justification of the whole world of
unbelievers prior to and without faith.
This cannot be true because God never changes.
"For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." Malachi 3:6
Hardened
Objective / Subjective Justification enthusiasts have found a way to
escape the law and God's anger and wrath prior to and without true Faith
and Baptism by insisting God the Father's wrath and judgement against
ungodly unbelievers has already suddenly changed to universal
forgiveness (prior to and without Faith and Baptism) and to universal
love and universal justification ( prior to and without Faith and
Baptism). They have created the ultimate playground for the children of
the devil who fearlessly serve sin with wild abandon. We see this played
out shamelessly by WELS and LCMS "pastors", "theologians", and
"teachers", and "laymen" who fearlessly commit adultery, murder,
deception, profanity, theft, and brutal persecution of true Christians.
They blindly follow "Pope Walther" who never repented of his heinous
sins of theft, covetousness, deception, treachery, and false doctrine.
Christ our Lord said,
" Either
make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt,
and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit." Matthew
12:33
C.F.W.
Walther was always an evil tree bearing the evil fruit of lying and
deceiving by God's name and Word. His false doctrine provides escape
from the law and God the Father's wrath and anger against unbelievers
prior to and without Faith and Baptism; allowing them to continue
shamelessly wallowing in heinous sins, unbelief, and a murderous hatred
of true Christians who cling to true justification by Faith in Jesus
Christ. God our Heavenly Father has not changed. He is still angry with
wicked Objective /Subjective Justification unbelievers who attempt to
please God without true Faith and Baptism.
God
is not angry with us because God has clothed us in the righteousness of
Christ in our Baptism and has given us true Faith in Jesus Christ. We
are not under the law, but under grace.
In contrast OJ/SJ unbelievers are under God's law, wrath, and condemnation because they have a false faith that believe a lie:
"That
God has already declared the whole world righteous in Christ"
(Heretic, Dr. Franz Pieper; The Brief Statement, CPH, 1932)(Note this is
prior to and without Faith and Baptism)
God has not changed. He is still angry with the wicked OJ/SJ unbelievers who trust their own works and merits.
"Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
22 Behold
therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell,
severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness:
otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
23 And
they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in:
for God is able to graft them in again." Romans 11:18-23
Note:
God makes a clear distinction between believers and unbelievers; the
righteous and the wicked; the children of God and the children of the
devil; the just and the unjust; the Holy and the unholy; the godly and
the ungodly; the good tree and the evil tree; those under grace and
those under the law; those in Christ and those in sin; those who are in
Christ and those who are in the flesh; those who have the gift of the
Holy Ghost and those who do not have the Holy Ghost; those in the
Kingdom of God and those in the kingdom of Satan. Dr. Martin Luther
agrees when he said:
"I
call him ungodly who is without the Spirit of God. For the Scripture
saith, that the Spirit was therefore given, that He might justify the
ungodly. And as Christ makes a distinction between the spirit and the
flesh, saying, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh" and adds, that
that which is born of the flesh "cannot see the Kingdom of God"(John
3:3-6) it evidently follows, that whatsoever is flesh is ungodly, under
the wrath of God, and a stranger to the kingdom of God. And if it be a
stranger to the kingdom of God, it necessarily follows, that it is under
the kingdom and spirit of Satan. For there is no medium between the
kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan; they are mutually and eternally
opposed to each other." (Dr. Martin Luther, Bondage Of The Will;
Associated Publishers and Authors; Grand Rapids Michigan; 1971; pg. 115)
Note: CFW Walther says the exact opposite of what the Scriptures and Luther assert when he said:
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 " (The Path To Understanding Justification, Gregory L.
Jackson, PhD; pg. 12; ISBN 9781072530428)
Note: Dr. Franz Pieper taught against the Scriptures and Luther when he said:
"...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,..." (Note this is Prior to and without
Faith and Baptism) (Christian Dogmatics, CPH, Vol. 2, pg. 348).
Note: Dr. Franz Pieper completely rejects the Scriptures and Luther when he said:
"that
God has already declared the whole world righteous in Christ" (Heretic
Dr. Franz Pieper; The Brief Statement, CPH, 1932)(Note this is prior to
and without Faith and Baptism)
Note: Dr. Franz Pieper teaches a lie in opposition to the Scriptures and Luther when he said:
"The
resurrection of Christ is, as Holy Writ teaches, the actual absolution
of the whole world of sinners." (Christian Dogmatics, Vol 2, pg. 348)
Note:
This is a complete lie. God never forgives anyone prior to and without
faith in Christ. This completely overthrows justification by faith in
Jesus Christ and also completely destroys our Baptism into Christ where
God clothes us in the righteousness of Christ and gives us the washing
of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.
Furthermore,
it destroys the distinctions taught in Scripture between the Kingdom of
God and the kingdom of Satan; between the godly and the ungodly;
between the forgiven and unforgiven; between those in Christ and those
in the flesh (note: according to Pieper every unbeliever is already
righteous in Christ prior to and without faith and baptism);
Note:
These lies taught by CFW Walther and Dr. Franz Pieper turn both of them
into heretics and enemies of Christ and the gospel. Any Lutheran pastor, layman, or
theologian
who believes and teaches their lies has fallen from grace, denied the
faith, and are vicious heretics and enemies of Christ and justification
by faith in Jesus Christ.
Note: Heretic CFW Walther plunged himself deeper into lying and deceiving by God's name and Word when he said:
"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." (The Path To
Understanding Justification, Gregory L. Jackson, PhD. ; pg.12; ISBN
9781072530428)
Note: CFW Walther is a certified liar when he asserted that:
"Only one thing remains on your part so that you also possess the gift."
Nothing
remains on our part to personally receive the gift of forgiveness of
sins and eternal life. God has baptized us into Christ and clothed us in
the righteousness of Christ and given us the washing of regeneration
and renewing of the Holy Ghost. He baptized us into Christ in the name
of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
CFW
Walther clearly added man's work of "accepting" the lie of universal
absolution of unbelievers prior to and without Faith and without Baptism
when he asserted:
"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." (The Path To Understanding Justification, Gregory
L. Jackson, PhD. ; pg.12; ISBN 9781072530428)
CFW
Walther clearly changes faith into man's work of "accepting" and
"making a decision" to personally accept universal forgiveness of
believers and unbelievers prior to and without faith and baptism. This
is man cooperating with God. We call this synergism or adding man's
meritorious works in order to earn the gifts of forgiveness of sins and
eternal life from God.
CFW
Walther knew NOTHING about the righteousness God gives us by faith. He
only knew of an acquired righteousness that is earned by man doing his
part of "accepting" and "making a decision to personally accept." Luther
referred to this sort of righteousness as a "painted on" righteousness
or a righteousness that can be touched and verified by our senses. It is
similar to the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees. Christ our
Lord said:
'Except
your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and
Pharisees ye shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of God." Matthew
5:20
The
righteousness God gives us by faith is a legal or forensic
righteousness. God gives us the righteousness of Christ by faith not by
works. I John makes it clear that God gives us the righteousness of
Christ by faith, a righteousness that cannot be taken away. Note: Read 1
John 1:9 . This passage helps us understand 1 John 3
" If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:8-10
Note:
When we examine ourselves we find only sin. As Christians we constantly
confess our sins to God and ask Him to forgive us. God promises to
forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Remember
God gives us the righteousness of Christ by faith not by works. This is a
legal or forensic righteousness that cannot be taken away from us. It
is not a righteousness we see, feel, or touch or verify by our senses: a
"painted on" righteousness that Luther warns us about.
Note:
1 John 3:6 is key to understanding this third chapter of 1 John. God
has baptized us into Christ and given us the washing of regeneration and
renewing of the Holy Ghost. We abide in Christ because God has baptized
us into Christ and given us the gift of the Holy Ghost to keep us
abiding in Christ.
"Beloved,
now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall
be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we
shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8 He
that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the
beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might
destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
10 In
this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil:
whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth
not his brother.
11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
12 Not
as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And
wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his
brother's righteous." 1 John 3:2-12
Note:
1 John 3 makes a clear distinction between the children of God and the
children of the devil. Where there is faith sin is abolished by Christ,
but where there is no faith sin remains. Luther agrees when he said:
"Therefore
wherever there is faith in Christ, there sin has in fact been
abolished, put to death, and buried. But where there is no faith in
Christ there sin remains. (Dr. Martin Luther, Lectures on Galatians;
CPH, 1963, vol. 26; pg. 286)
Pastor Jackson makes a very important point on page 42 of his book The Path To Understanding Justification:
"The
righteousness of God comes to us only by the faith of Jesus, as Paul
wrote earlier, from faith to faith." (Gregory L. Jackson, PhD; The Path
To Understanding Justification; pg . 42; ISBN
9781072530428
" Now
we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are
under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may
become guilty before God.
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
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:
25 Whom
God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to
declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past,
through the forbearance of God;
26 To
declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just,
and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Romans 3:19-26
Note:
we are given the righteousness of Christ by the faith of Jesus Christ.
(See Romans 3:22) Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith:
12 Wherefore
seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset
us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking
unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that
was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set
down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
"But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea
doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of
all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And
be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the
law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness
which is of God by faith:
10 That
I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship
of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; Phillipians
3:7-10
16 Knowing
that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith
of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be
justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for
by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
17 But
if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are
found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
20 I
am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ
liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the
faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. Galatians 3:16-21
Lord God we are few in number. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness we may speak thy Word.
" God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day." Psalm 7:11
" The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." Psalm 34:15-18
"For
the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto
their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?" 1 Peter 3:12,14
We
are under grace, NOT because God the Father changed, but because God
Baptized us into Christ His Son, clothing us in the righteousness of
Christ, and giving us the washing of regeneration and renewing of the
Holy Ghost in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. We stand by Faith.
"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Galatians 3:26-27
24 "Not
for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy:
for by faith ye stand." 2 Corinthians 1:24
"Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
4 Who
comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort
them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are
comforted of God." 2 Corinthians 1:1-4
3 "Blessed be the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his
abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." 1 Peter 1:3-5
Here
is a wonderful hymn titled: Kyrie, God Father In Heaven Above; The
Lutheran Hymnal; CPH; 1941; Hymn 6. Kyrie Eleison means: Lord have
mercy.
"Kyrie, God Father in heaven above, Great art Thou in grace and love, Of all things the Maker and Preserver. Eleison, eleison!
Kyrie,
O Christ, our King, Salvation for sinners Thou didst bring. O Lord
Jesus, God's own Son, Our mediator at the heavenly throne, Hear our cry
and grant our supplication. Eleison, eleison!
Kyrie,
O God the Holy Ghost, Guard our faith, the gift we need the most; Do
Thou our last hour bless; Let us leave this sinful world with gladness.
Eleison, eleison! Amen.
In Christ,
Tom Fisher
