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Theses on Justification

Part II

A Report of the
Commission on Theology and Church Relations
of the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod

May 1983


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VII

THE APPROPRIATION OF CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS
(Justification Through Faith)

24. "The only essential and necessary elements of justification are the grace of God, the merit of Christ, and faith which accepts these in the promise of the Gospel. ..." (FC SD III, 25)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

25. Christ's righteousness and all the benefits of His perfect obedience of life and death are imputed and communicated to the sinner individually through faith (sometimes called "subjective justification"). (Gen. 15:6; Acts 10:43; 13:39; Rom. 3:25; 4:16; 5:1-2; Gal. 3:22-24; Ap IV, 80-86,148-150, 227, 305, 307; SA II, ii, 24; LC IV, 37)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

26. Faith is the only vehicle, or means, through which a sinner can receive, appropriate, and have the righteousness and benefits of Christ, forgiveness of sins, and salvation. (Gen 15:6; Hab. 2:4; John 1:12; Rom. 3:25, 28; Gal 2:16; AC IV, 2; XXV, 4; Ap IV, 43, 45, 50-52, 80-86, 115, 158, 182, 272, 292, 305, 307; XII, 36; SA II, i, 4; III, xiii, 1; LC III, 54; V, 34-35; FC Ep III, 5)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

27. The faith through which we are justified is trust in Christ and is knowing His benefits and appropriating them. (Phil. 3:8-10; AC XX, 23-26; XXIV, 31-32; Ap IV, 45, 48, 50, 80-81, 99, 101, 227, 304, 337, 351, 386; XIII, 21; FC Ep III, 6; FC SD IV, 12)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

28. When used in connection with the article of justification faith must always be regarded as receptivity like an empty hand which does nothing but solely receives a free gift. (John 1:12, 14; Rom 4:16; Ap IV, 48, 50, 56-57, 80-81, 84, 86, 112-113, 159, 292; XII 65; SA II, i, 4; ii, 24; LC IV, 37; FC Ep III, 5; FC SD III, 13, 31, 41)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

29. The sinner is justified through faith alone without and apart from any merit or works of the law that man does. (Rom. 3:24, 28; Eph. 2:8- 9; AC IV, 1; XX, 9-14; XXVI, 5; Ap IV, 57, 73-74, 80-81, 84, 159, 227, 231, 257; SA II, ii, 24)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

30. That the sinner is personally justified through faith alone does not exclude good works as a part of the sanctified sinner's renewal or as the inevitable fruit of faith. (John 15:5; Rom. 6:1-14; Eph. 2:8-10; AC VI, 1; XII, 6; XX, 29; Ap IV, 45, 250-251, 348-350; SA III, xiii, 1-2; LC II, 67-69; FC Ep IV, 8-11; FC SD II, 62-66, 89; III, 23, 32; IV, 7, 10-12, 20)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

31. That the sinner is justified through faith alone does not exclude the work of the Holy Spirit and the means of grace in the sinner's justification before God. (John 17:20; Rom 10:17, 15:13; 1 Cor. 6:11; 12:3; 2 Thess. 2:14; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:23; AC V, 1-2; Ap IV, 64, 73; XII, 40-43; LC II, 38, 53-54; III, 37, 51; IV, 23-24, 29, 41; V, 31, 68; FC Ep II, 4, 13; XI, 10; FC SD II, 46, 50-52, 71-72; XI, 29, 37-38)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

32. When we say that faith justifies, we say this not in the sense that a sinners faith is a meritorious or efficient cause or condition of his justification, or in the sense that God justifies the sinner because of his faith, but (metonymically) in the sense that faith clings to Christ's benefits, in the sense that God justifies us freely for Christ's sake through faith. Faith justifies by virtue of its object. (John 3:16; Rom. 4:5; AC XXIV, 28; Ap IV, 44-45, 53-56, 67, 86, 88-99; FC SD III, 13, 24)

33. Faith does not justify for the reason that it produces good works or is in itself a good work or for the reason that it meets the evangelical mandate to believe, but solely because of its object. (1 Cor. 1:30; Phil. 3:9; Ap IV, 57-60, 74, 147-151, 180-182, 308-312, 338; XII, 88, 94-97, 116; FC Ep III, 19, 21; FC SD III, 32-33, 35, 43)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

34. The sinners personal justification, i.e., his having or appropriating Christ s benefits, forgiveness, and justification, does not take place because of his contrition or faith, or on the ground of his contrition or faith, or in view of his faith, or after he believes, but solely through faith. (Acts 13:38-39; Rom. 3:25, 28; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 2:8-9; AC IV, 2; XXVII, 37; Ap IV, 45, 81; XII, 77)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

35. Anyone who does not believe, teach, and confess that a sinner is justified alone through faith in Christ does dishonor to Christ and obscures the Gospel. (Gal. 2:21; 5:4; AC XX, 9-10; XXVII, 37-38, 41-43; XXVIII, 35; Ap IV, 3, 12, 18, 120, 149-150, 157, 204, 213, 215-216, 223, 269, 317, 324, 332-333; XII, 16; XV, 9, 18; XXI, 14-15; XXIV, 96; XXVII, II, 16, 40; Tr 45; FC SD V, 27)

36. Faith is a gift of God, that is, it is worked in a sinner by God alone through the means of grace, without any cooperation, effort, work, inclination, will, decision, movement, activity, or merit of man. (John 6:44, 65; 1 Cor. 12:3; Eph. 2:8-9; Phil. 1:29; 2 Tim. 2:25; AC V, 2; FC SD II, 25-27, 40, 48, 54, 89; IV, 10)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

VIII

UNBELIEF,
THE REJECTION OF CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS

37. Just as it is necessary and Scriptural, according to the Gospel, to speak of God as having declared the whole world to be justified for Christ s sake and by raising Him from the dead, it is also necessary and Scriptural, according to the terms of God's law, to speak of sinners as not justified and forgiven, but condemned. (Matt. 16:19; 18:18, 34; Luke 18:14; John 20:23; Rom. 9:33; Gal. 5:4; AC II, 2; XXVII, 41-43; Ap IV, 29-32, 222; LC II, 66)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

38. Although faith itself does not cause justification, the lack of faith does cause damnation; i.e., without faith the redeemed sinner to whom God is reconciled does not have the righteousness of Christ or any of the benefits of His work of obedience, but is condemned by God and lost eternally. (Mark 16:16; John 3:36; 8:24; 1 Thess 5:1-10; 1 John 5:12; Ap II, 40; IV, 69, 80-81; SC IV, 5-8; LC I, 16; II, 66; III, 90-91; FC SD III, 20; VII, 89; XI, 60-61, 78)

IX

THE GOSPEL AND ABSOLUTION

39. The justification of the world is Christ's work accomplished once and for all through His obedience of living and suffering. Justification by faith is the work of the Holy Spirit as He works faith in the hearts of individuals. (1 Cor. 2:12; 12:3; Gal. 5:5; Heb. 2:9, 14-18; 9:26; 10:12; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 2:2; SA II, i,1-4; LC II, 31, 38, 61-65; III, 88; V, 31; FC Ep III, 3-6; FC SD XI, 15)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

40. Not only has God loved all mankind and sent Christ to be the Savior of all, not only is He graciously disposed toward each and every sinner and earnestly desirous that they lay hold on His grace and on Christ's benefits through faith, but God has instituted definite means and instruments of His grace and salvation namely His Gospel and sacraments (Baptism and the Lord s Supper) through which alone He both offers and distributes to sinners all the treasures of forgiveness and salvation which Christ has merited and creates in sinners the faith through which these treasures are received and appropriated. (Gen. 12:3; Ps. 19:7-8; Matt. 26:26-28; 28:18-20; John 17:20; Acts 2:38; 11:20-21; Rom. 1:16; 10:6-8, 17; 1 Cor. 3:5; 4:15; 15:1-2; 2 Cor. 3:5; Col. 1:5-6; 1 Thess. 2:13; James 1:1 8-21; 1 Peter 1:23; 3:21; 1 John 2:2; AC V, 1-2; XXVIII, 8-9; Ap IV, 73; XII, 40-43; XIII, 1, 5; XVIII, 8; SA III, viii, 3, 10; LC I, 101; II, 42, 53-54, 56; V, 31)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

41. The Gospel is the specific good news of everything that God in Christ has done and is doing for our salvation. Its content is that the Son of God has come into the world to be our Brother and Substitute, to endure the curse of the law and bear our sins and thus to save us. Christ and all His benefits are freely offered and given us in His Word and sacraments. (Luke 24:46-47; John 20:21-23; Acts 2:22-24, 32-33; 5:30-32; 8:35; 10:38-43; 13:32-33; Rom. 1:16-17; 16:25; 1 Cor 1:30; 2:2; 15:1-5; 2 Cor. 5:18-21; Gal. 1:11; 2:21; 3:1; Eph. 1:3-10; 2:13-16; Col. 1 :21-23; 2:14; 2 Tim. 1:8-11; Heb. 2:14-17; Ap IV, 5, 43, 67, 103, 159-165; VII, 9; XIII, 21; XXIV, 36, 69-70; LC II, 58, 62, 68-69; IV, 80- 83; V, 31-32; V Confession, 32-33; FC Ep V, 5; FC SD III, 33; FC SD XI, 16)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

42. Thus the Gospel is the message that God has saved the world through the work of Christ that He is reconciled and at peace with the sinful world because of the atonement of His Son and has by raising His Son from the dead declared the world to be righteous (objective justification). This Gospel Word is a mighty means of grace and salvation which with the sacraments the visible Word the Holy Spirit employs to create and sustain faith (subjective justification), and to build, nourish, strengthen, and sanctify His church on earth. (Is. 55:10- 11; Luke 8:11-15; Rom. 10:5-17; 16:25-27; 1 Cor. 2:2; 15:4; Gal. 1:7; 3:1; Col. 1:5-6; 2 Tim 1:10; 2:8; James 1:18, 21; 1 Peter 1:23-25; AC V, 1-3; XII, 5; XIII, I; Ap IV, 73,103; XVIII, 8; LC I, 91-92, 101; II, 38, 43- 45, 53-54; FC Ep V, 5; FC SD II, 50; III, 57; XI, 28-32)

43. When Christ died for sinners, He died for each and every sinner individually; when God accepted the redemption of Christ, He did so for each and every sinner. When we proclaim the Gospel of justification, we do so in order that every sinner may know that God loved him and had him individually and personally in mind when He delivered up His Son. And we announce to every sinner personally and individually forgiveness and justification in Christ. (Job 19:25; Ps. 32:5; Is. 53:5; Gal. 2:20; 1 Tim. 1:15; Ap IV, 45, 262-264; XII, 59-65, 72-74; XIII, 21; FC SD XI, 28-29)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

44. It is essential to the proclamation of the Gospel to declare the work of Christ, His atonement as well as its result. (Luke 24:46-47; 1 Cor. 2:2, 9:16; 2 Cor 5:16-21; 11:4; Gal. 1:8; Ap IV, 53; SA II, i, 5; FC Ep V, 5; FC SD III, 25)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

45. The work of the Holy Spirit is to convert, regenerate, and sanctify the sinner by means of the Gospel of reconciliation, not to reconcile God to the sinner. The Holy Spirit reconciles the sinner to God by means of the message of God's work in Christ. (2 Cor. 4:6; 5:19-20; Eph. 2 5-8; Col. 2:12; AC V, 2; Ap IV, 64-68; LC II, 38-39, 61-65; III, 51; FC SD I,14)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

46. When one proclaims Christ's finished work and world justification this must always be done with the purpose that it be received through faith (Mark 16:16; Rom 1:16-17). When one speaks of faith or justification through faith this must be done in such a way that it is clear that faith is logically subsequent not prior to the Gospel of objective justification. (Rom 3:21-28; 5:1-11; 2 Cor 5:19-20; Gal. 4:4- 7; Col. 1:20-23; Ap IV, 43-45, 80-81, 84, 87, 97; SA II, i, 1-4; FC Ep III, 3-6)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

47. It must be proclaimed in the churches and in the world that man is a sinner (law) just as it must be proclaimed that man is forgiven and righteous for Christ's sake that God forgives sins because of Christ's fulfillment of the just demands of the law (Gospel). (Matt 19:16-22; Rom. 3:9-19, 25-26; 10:4; Gal. 3:10-14, 21-26; Ap II, 13; IV, 166-168; XII, 53; FC Ep I, 9; FC SD I, 8; V, 10-13, 17-18)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

48. It must be proclaimed in the church and to the world that God is reconciled and at peace with all (Gospel) just as that God is angry and punishes sinners (law) must be proclaimed in the church and to the world. (Ps. 5:5; 90:7-8; 103:10-12; Is. 52:3-7; Luke 24:47; Rom. 1:18; 2:5; 4:13-15; 2 Cor. 3:9; 5:19-20; Eph. 2:3; 5:6; Col. 3:6; 1 John 2:1-2; AC II, 1-2; Ap IV, 128; FC SD V, 10-13, 17-18)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

49. With the command to preach the Gospel to every creature Christ has commanded that the forgiveness of sins which He has acquired for all that is complete absolution be preached to all. But the distinction between law and Gospel must always be observed lest the penitent be further afflicted with the law or the impenitent be falsely comforted with the Gospel. (Mark 16:15; Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8; Ap IV, 43, 62; LC II, 38) 50. This absolution or forgiveness of sins based upon Christ's perfect and vicarious obedience of life death and resurrection is the Gospel whether proclaimed to many or few. (Matt. 9:1-8; Luke 24:47; AC XII, 5; XXV, 1-6; Ap IV, 271; XII, 39; SA III, iv; FC Ep V,5)

51. Private absolution is nothing else than the proclamation of the Gospel to the individual sinner. (John 20:23; Ap XII, 39, 99, 105; SA III, iv; LC V Confession, 29, 32)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

52. The proclamation of forgiveness, or absolution (Gods justification, or acquittal), does not consist in the fact that the confessor, or pastor, sits as judge over the confessant and renders a verdict over his worthiness or faith, nor is it an empty announcement, or mere wish, that the confessant be forgiven, but it powerfully imparts forgiveness and salvation. (Matt. 7:1-5; 9:1-5; John 5:39; Acts 11:14; Rom. 1:16-17; 10:17; 1 Cor 1:21; 4:3-5; James 4:11; 1 Peter 1:23; Ap XII, 40, 104-105; SA III, vii, 1-3; LC V, 31; Confession, 14)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

53. The efficacy of the proclamation of forgiveness, or absolution, does not depend upon man's worthiness, confession, or faith; rather absolution solicits faith and, like Baptism, creates and sustains the very faith that it solicits. (John 17:20; Acts 11:20-21; Rom. 1:16; 10:17; 1 Cor. 1:21-24; AC V, 1-2; XII, 5; XXV, 4; Ap IV, 55-56, 267, 272, 324, 397; Ap XII, 42, 56; XIII, 19-20; LC II, 62; IV, 35; V, 34; LC V Confession, 15)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

X

JUSTIFICATION AND RENEWAL

54. Although the term justification may be used interchangeably with regeneration (the bestowal of faith), since faith given in regeneration is the faith through which the sinner is justified (Gal. 3:26-27; Titus 3:3-7; Ap IV, 72, 78, 117; FC SD III, 18-19), the term must never be confused or used interchangeably with renewal (sanctification, love, the keeping of the law), which always follows faith. (Acts 13:38-39; Rom. 3:28; 11:6; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-10; FC Ep III, 7-8; FC SD III, 30)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

55. Faith, which is worked by the Holy Spirit in the sinner solely through the Gospel, must not be confused with contrition, that is, terror of conscience and fear of God's wrath, which is worked by the Holy Spirit in the sinner solely through the law. (Ps. 32:3-5; 130:1-8; Rom. 3:19-28; Gal. 3:12; Ap XII, 53-54; SA III, iii, 2; FC SD III, 22)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

56. Good works and renewal are the result of faith, or the fruit of faith, in the sense that the Holy Spirit, who has quickened us and made us new creatures in Christ, works the fruits of faith in and through us. (Ps. 110:3; Jer. 31:31-34; John 15:1-11; Rom 12:1; 2 Cor. 5:17; 8:3-4; Gal 5:22-24; AC VI, 1; XII, 6; XX, 29; Ap II, 35; IV 45, 125, 250, 275; SA III, xiii, 2; LC II, 2, 69)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

57. Faith, which alone receives and obtains grace and forgiveness, must not be confused with good works, which are pleasing to God only because of faith in Christ. (John 15:1-11; Acts 13:38-39; Rom. 3:28; 11:6; 14:23; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-10; AC VI, 1-3; Ap XII, 67; FC SD III, 27-28)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

XI

CERTAINTY OF SALVATION

58. Every justified and regenerated sinner can and should be certain of his salvation. (John 10:28; Rom. 8:37-39; Phil. 1:6; 2 Tim 1:12; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 5:10; 1 John 3:2; 5:10-13; AC XII, 5; XX, 15; Ap IV, 85, 314-315, 382; XI, 2; XX, 8; LC III, 92, 96-97; FC SD XI, 90)

59. The justified sinners certainty of salvation should not be sought in his experience good works feelings or faith but rest only in the once and for all obedience of Christ's life and death and resurrection. (1 John 5:9-10; Rom. 8:32-34; 10:6-8; 1 Cor. 1:29-30; 4:1-5; Gal. 6:14- 15; AC XX, 15; Ap IV, 58, 285, 313-315; XX, 8; LC III, 96; FC SD II, 56)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:

60. The justified sinners certainty of salvation is mediated only by the Gospel to which alone he clings for certainty. (2 Cor. 1:19-20; 1 John 5:9-10; AC XX, 15; XXV, 4; Ap IV, 2, 58-60, 85, 285, 313-315, 382; XI, 2; XX, 8; LC III, 92; FC SD XI, 25-31, 65-70)

It is contrary to Scripture and the pure Gospel to teach:


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Rev. Robert E. Smith
Walther Library
Concordia Theological Seminary.

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