Walther as Theologian–Justification (by F. Pieper) - Part 6

This post continues a 10-part series (see Preface for Table of Contents) from Part 5 which presents the actual text of Wallace McLaughlin's English translation of the essay C.F.W. Walther as Theologian by Franz Pieper.  This is done to honor the two commenters on Concordia Seminary's own web post publishing a different translation.
This portion can be downloaded here.

• Pieper's text is indented in dark blue text.
• I will add commentary at certain points in green text.
• All underlinings are from the original.
• Highlighting of Pieper's text is mine!

----------------------------------------------------------------

C.F.W. Walther as Theologian 

Justification – Universal, Objective (Second essay)

By Franz Pieper 

(Translated by  Wallace McLaughlin from  “Lehre und Wehre”, February, 1890, pp. 42-50: Justification- Universal),

(Continued from Part 5)

---------------  Pieper  --------------------------------

The fanatics usually think of the matter as though Christ has brought to pass that which the Scripture calls atonement, so that God can now receive a man into heaven merely for the sake of his conversion.  They do not believe that through Christ all without exception has taken place which had to take place in order that God may save us and give us eternal life.  Something, they suppose, must yet remain for man to do, and this something is conversion.  But Scripture teaches that Christ has done all and has already obtained reconciliation with God, righteousness, etc., that it is already there and is distributed in the holy Christian Church through the Gospel,  Now no one has anything further to do than to take salvation.  That is what we wish to say when we speak of a complete redemption.  Not that man already has something and God supplies the rest; also not that God has done something and man must add that which is lacking; but that God has already done everything entirely alone. (L.c., p.34.) 

 [SCR1872S.PDF, 1872,  pg 178, col. 1]

            This doctrine – as Walther urges again and again – is the characteristic doctrine of Christianity, that whereby the Christian doctrine is distinguished from heathenism. 

----------------- Comments -----------------------------
Walther (and Pieper) and Luther speak as one.  And they speak for all Christianity!
----------------  Pieper  ----------------------------------

He who denies this doctrine denies all of Christianity.  “That man could procure grace or the forgiveness of sins for himself”, says Walther, “is what the heathen believed; but that the forgiveness of sins, gained by Another, is already at hand, is a truth of which the heathen knew nothing”.  And in another place: “While all religions, except the Christian, have showed man how he must himself do that thereby he is rescued and saved, the Christian religion, on the other hand, teaches not only how men may yet be eternally saved, but how they have already been saved.  According to the teaching of the Christian religion man is already redeemed, is already freed from sin and all ill, and God is already reconciled to him.  The Christian religion says to man: You need not redeem yourself and reconcile God.  Christ has already done all for you.  Nothing is left for you but to believe this, that is, to receive it.  It is just this which distinguishes the Christian religion from all other religions.  The Jew says: If you want to be righteous you must keep the Law of Moses; the Turk says: If you want to be saved you must conduct yourself in accordance with the Koran; the Papists say: If you want to get to heaven you must do good works, be sorry for your sins and make satisfaction for them yourself, and if you want to be perfect enter the cloister; and all the sects which pervert Christianity without exception lay something upon man which he must do in order to become righteous before God and be saved.  The Lutheran Church, ...

---------------- Comments -----------------------------
"The Lutheran Church", that is the Lutheran Church from above...
----------------  Pieper  ----------------------------------

... on the other hand, says to man in accordance with God’s Word: It is all done already: you are already redeemed, you have already been made righteous before God, you have already been saved; hence you have nothing to do in order to redeem yourself, and you do not have to reconcile God and earn your salvation.  You shall only believe that Christ, the Son of God, has already done all this for you, and through this faith you become partaker of it and are saved.” (L.c., p.34.) [SCR1872S.PDF, 1872,  pg 178, col. 1]

            That grace, righteousness, salvation reconciliation, etc., are already at hand before faith, as Walther further explains, is already demanded by the very concept “faith”, and he who denies the former must also deny that we are righteous and saved through faith.  If I am to be saved, says Walther, by believing that I am redeemed, reconciled to God, and my sins forgiven, then all this must already be on hand in advance.  As surely as God’s Word promises us that we shall be righteous, reconciled to God, and saved through faith, so surely must all these things be present before my faith, and waiting only for me to receive them. 

---------------- Comments -----------------------------
Luke 14: 16-17 – A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: ...Come; for all things are now ready.
----------------  Pieper  ----------------------------------

That a man should be justified by faith alone is possible only because that which is necessary to salvation is already at hand and accomplished, so that on my part only acceptance is necessary.  But this acceptance is just what Scripture calls believing.  Since God takes into heaven all who believe, righteousness and atonement must already be present and have taken place.--- All who will not admit that reconciliation and righteousness are already complete before faith do not regard faith as a mere hand which accepts that which has been gained by Christ, but as a work through which man cooperates toward his redemption and righteousness, as a condition which man fulfills and for the sake of which God receives man into heaven.

---------------- Comments -----------------------------
It seems the whole world puts a gate (i.e. a condition) in front of what God has already prepared for us... eternal life.  And those who fairly scream that we must have faith to make our salvation complete are at the front of the line.
-----------------------------------------------

The next Part 7 continues this essay:  Why is the Gospel the "Good News"?  What is the real Easter message?

Walther as Theologian–Justification (by F. Pieper) - Part 5

This post continues a 10-part series (see Preface for Table of Contents) from Part 4 which presents the actual text of Wallace McLaughlin's English translation of the essay C.F.W. Walther as Theologian by Franz Pieper.  This is done to honor the two commenters on Concordia Seminary's own web post publishing a different translation.
This portion can be downloaded here.

• Pieper's text is indented in dark blue text.
• I will add commentary at certain points in green text.
• All underlinings are from the original.
• Highlighting of Pieper's text is mine!

----------------------------------------------------------------

C.F.W. Walther as Theologian 

Justification – Universal, Objective (Second essay)

By Franz Pieper 

(Translated by  Wallace McLaughlin from  “Lehre und Wehre”, February, 1890, pp. 42-50: Justification- Universal),

(Continued from Part 4)

---------------  Pieper  --------------------------------

             We now indicate the points upon which, according to Walther, everything depends if we are to keep the doctrine of justification pure, also in our times.  Walther says: “In connection with the pure doctrine of justification, as our Lutheran Church has again expounded and upheld it on the basis of God’s Word, there are chiefly three points at issue:

  1.       the doctrine of the universal complete redemption of the world through Christ;
  2.       the doctrine of the power and effectiveness of the means of grace; and
  3.       the doctrine of faith” (First Report of the Synodical Conference, p. 20). [SCR1872S.PDF, 1872: pg 163, col. 1]

If the people are agree in these points then they are truly agreed in the doctrine of justification and in general in the entire Christian doctrine.  If there is a deficiency in one or more of these points, as there is in the Protestant sects and among the modern rationalistic-synergistic Lutherans, then the doctrine of justification is defective, even though there may still be outward agreement in phraseology with the orthodox church, i.e., even though one still says that man is justified before God alone by grace, through faith, for Christ’s sake, and not through the works of the Law.  (Die lutherische Lehre von der Rechtfertigung, p. 35.) [Essays For The Church, Vol. 1, page 45]; (Western District, 1875, pp. 32-40.)  [Convention Essays, pgs 105 - 112; see also my blog posts beginning here].

---------------- Comments -----------------------------
Pieper has three points in this essay.  But the 2nd and 3rd points, Means of Grace and Faith, are more fully covered in separate essays – see the Table of Contents on my original blog post for Pieper's whole series of essays.
----------------  Pieper  ----------------------------------

            We give here first of all a summary of Walther’s expositions concerning these points.  If anyone denies the universality of the atonement, if he denies with Calvin that Christ has redeemed all and that God in the Gospel earnestly offers grace to all without distinction, then he certainly overthrows the doctrine of justification.  Furthermore, if anyone teaches indeed that Christ has redeemed all men, but has not fully redeemed them, i.e., if he teaches that Christ has indeed made the forgiveness of sins possible, but that the forgiveness of sins of justification is not actually already at hand for every sinner, then faith and conversion is made a meritorious cause of the forgiveness of sins and the doctrine of justification by grace for Christ’s sake is overthrown.  If anyone teaches falsely concerning the means of grace, i.e., if he does not teach that God offers grace to the sinner in the Word and Sacrament and that the sinner is to seek and find grace in Word and Sacrament, then he directs the sinner to seek grace in his subjective condition in conversion and renewal, i.e., in human works. 

---------------- Comments -----------------------------
Although Pieper does not use the specific word "objective", yet he combats the notion of seeking grace by a  "subjective condition in conversion and renewal".  In other words, we are to seek grace in the objective justification already accomplished by Christ – it is outside us.
---------------  Pieper  --------------------------------

If anyone teaches falsely concerning faith, if he does not teach that faith is reliance upon the grace offered in the Word, but rather identifies faith with feeling, then again the condition of the human heart is made the basis of righteousness and salvation instead of the grace of God.  If anyone teaches falsely concerning faith in this manner, that he ascribes to human cooperation or the good conduct of man, then again, even with retention of the phraseology “by faith alone”, the “by grace for Christ’s sake” and therewith the pure doctrine of justification is abandoned.

            This subject, however, seems so important to us that we wish to expound each of the three points somewhat more fully in accordance with the utterances of Walther which are here so abundantly available.

            To the correct doctrine of justification belongs then, in the first place,

The correct Biblical doctrine of the

Complete redemption of all men through Christ.

            In order to place the complete redemption through Christ in the right light Walther is concerned with impressing the fact that even before faith grace, righteousness, and salvation is at hand for every man, that even before faith God is in Christ fully reconciled to all sinners, that even before faith every sinner is righteous before God with respect to the attainment and the divine intention (First Report of the Synodical Conference, p. 68) [SCR1872S.PDF, 1873: pg 11, col. 3-4], or in accordance with the judgment which God by raising Christ from the dead has already pronounced upon all men. (L.c., p. 31.) [SCR1872S.PDF, 1872: pg 177, col. 2-3]

---------------- Comments -----------------------------
How the tongues wag on this... "easy believe-ism"!... Antinomianism!  Universalism!!  Oh the howls of indignation!  Walther went too far here! you can't be serious Walther! ... before faith?  Why that's heretical!!  (No, it's the Gospel.)
---------------  Pieper  --------------------------------

“A justification has not only been made possible, but it has been obtained and has taken place”. (L.c., p. 61.) [SCR1872S.PDF, 1873: pg 2, col. 3-4] Walther is above all concerned to reject the idea that man through his faith and through his conversion renders God fully favorable to him or completes his redemption and righteousness.  The man who is to be saved must indeed be converted, but this conversion is not that for the sake of which God saves him, but the way upon which a man comes to faith, who himself does nothing but receive the complete and already bestowed redemption. (L.c. p. 34.) [SCR1872S.PDF, pg 1872: pg 178, col. 1]

---------------- Comments -----------------------------

Walther made the same point in his essay to the Western District 1875.  I published in a previous blog post the following English translation from the CPH book Convention Essays:

page 105: It is said that man must also do something in justification, namely believe.  Under such circumstances justification is not attributed solely to God.  But that means nothing else than robbing God of part of His honor and ascribing it to man.  Then it would not be God alone who saves us, but we would work together.  Only those who cannot distinguish sharply between condition and means can conceive such a thought.  A condition demands a performance on the part of the person who is to receive something.  

When a Christian comes to true faith in the Gospel, they immediately distinguish sharply between condition and means.  The Gospel contains no conditions.
-----------------------------------------------

I wish I could highlight every sentence of Pieper's essay – it all is so wonderful.  This doctrine is what the Synodical Conference was built on... this is the heart of the old (German) Missouri Synod.

The next Part 6 continues with the teaching that distinguishes Christianity – Universal Justification before our faith... only Lutheran Church teaches this.

Walther as Theologian–Justification (by F. Pieper) - Part 4

This post continues a 10-part series (see Preface for Table of Contents) from the Part 3 which presents the actual text of Wallace McLaughlin's English translation of the essay C.F.W. Walther as Theologian by Franz Pieper.  This is done to honor the two commenters on Concordia Seminary's own web post publishing a different translation.
This portion can be downloaded here.

• Pieper's text is indented in dark blue text.
• I will add commentary at certain points in green text.
• All underlinings are from the original.
• Highlighting of Pieper's text is mine!

----------------------------------------------------------------

C.F.W. Walther as Theologian 

Justification – Importance (First essay)

By Franz Pieper 

(Translated by  Wallace McLaughlin from  “Lehre und Wehre”, January, 1890, pp. 10-14: Justification- General),

(Continued from Part 3)

---------------  Pieper  --------------------------------

      Hence a living knowledge of the doctrine of justification belongs to the right preparation for the office of the ministry.  Walther says: “The most necessary thing which students of theology can take with them from the theological seminary, without which everything else would be worthless, is a clear and thorough insight, grounded upon experience, into the exalted doctrine of the justification of a poor sinner before God”.  And to the right administration of the office belongs before all else the public and private proclamation of the doctrine of justification.  Because he is permitted to proclaim this doctrine a preacher should gladly want to be a preacher.  And as the preacher’s joy in the performance of his office, so also all his hope of effectiveness should come from this doctrine.  This will preserve the pastor from a legalistic tendency. (Referat, p. 95 f.) 

---------------- Comments -----------------------------
To all seminary students -- read what Walther says of the "office of the Ministry" – whether at Concordia Seminary, Concordia Theological Seminary, Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary, Immanuel Lutheran Seminary, The Martin Luther Institute of Sacred Studies, or any of the other smaller conservative Lutheran bodies that have split off from former Synodical Conference synods.  If you do not understand this doctrine, all your labor will be in vain.  All your well-meaning ideas will be fighting against the true Christian doctrine.
---------------  Pieper  --------------------------------

In the doctrine of justification one has also the means of continuing in the true doctrine.  “As long as this doctrine is entirely pure”, says Walther, “no error in other points can find lodgment with us.  It is just as Luther says: ‘This doctrine tolerated no error’.  It is the sun in the heaven of the Church and where it arises all shadows must flee”.  We have in the doctrine of justification a “standard which makes it impossible for us if we are governed by it to take up an error”.  “He who has come to the knowledge of the doctrine of justification laughs at all learned unbelieving and self-believing professors with all their eloquence and learning when they teach falsely; when what they determine and say does not agree with his childhood text: ‘The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth us from all sin’, even the simplest believer treads it under foot, however great an appearance of wisdom or holiness it may have”. (Synod. Conf. Report p. 27.) [SCR1872S.PDF, pg 169 - 170]  He, on the other hand, who is not straight in the doctrine of justification cannot realize and show how dangerous an error is. 

---------------- Comments -----------------------------
We are seemingly drowning in errors of doctrine... all around us.  In what we see in the media, in the news, from a constant stream of endless attacks on the Bible.  A Christian is constantly blown about with every wind of doctrine... the Pope, so-called cults, the sects, violence in the world between various "religious" groups.  To be able to overcome these errors takes something other than our intelligence, our logic, our reasoning, our eloquence and learning... it takes a true faith grounded in this doctrine.  Errors that militate against the doctrines of the Bible are all dangerous, but especially those false teachings that at first appear "holy" or "sacred" but yet do not flow from this doctrine of Justification will trip you up.  Rather be the "simplest believer" who treads under foot all notions that God requires something of us for your salvation, some good behavior, some less resistance, etc.  Throw back at the error the Word of God which says  

• John 3:16 – For God so loved the world ... etc.   and 
• Romans 11:6 – If by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.

 ---------------  Pieper  --------------------------------

He who does not know what is the chief thing in Christianity is like a child who does not know the purpose of a clock and hence regards this little wheel or that shaft as unnecessary.  Without the right knowledge of the doctrine of justification the individual doctrines of the Word of God are an incoherent heap of stones from which one may carry some away without inflicting any essential damage upon the whole.  Without the right knowledge of this doctrine one will always be in doubt where the right Church is, particularly when one looks upon the humble appearance and small numbers of the true church and also the offenses which occur in it.  But if one holds fast to the doctrine of justification he will not allow the multitude, the age, the splendor, the strict order, and the great works of the false churches to impose upon him.  Also not the learning of the apologetic efforts of the modernists. 

---------------- Comments -----------------------------
Pieper enumerates quite a list of what Christians are not to be impressed with: 

• multitudes (1.2 billion Roman Catholics), 
• age (centuries of Roman church), 
• splendor (great "cathedrals"), 
• strict order (e.g. Amish, etc.) 
• "apologetics", i.e. human reason can find God apart from God's Word

Especially the Reformed and so-called "Evangelicals" want to use "apologetics" and so think that by using our reasoning, our rational capabilities, can we find a more effective and certain way to present Christianity than the Word of God.
---------------  Pieper  --------------------------------

For all of this without the doctrine of justification can have no profit or effect in the Church.

                                                Franz Pieper.
                                    Translated by W.H. McLaughlin – Mpls., Minn.

----------   End of First Essay   ------------------------------------------------

Dear reader, put away all other writers of Christianity for awhile and contemplate what Walther and Pieper are bringing to us here – true Christianity.
In the next Part 5 is Pieper's second essay -- Universal Justification, means of grace, before faith.

Walther as Theologian–Justification (by F. Pieper) - Part 3

This post continues a 10-part series (see Preface for Table of Contents) from Part 2 which presents the actual text of Wallace McLaughlin's English translation of the essay C.F.W. Walther as Theologian by Franz Pieper.  This is done to honor the two commenters on Concordia Seminary's own web post publishing a different translation.
This portion can be downloaded here.

• Pieper's text is indented in dark blue text.
• I will add commentary at certain points in green text.
• All underlinings are from the original.
• Highlighting of Pieper's text is mine!

----------------------------------------------------------------

C.F.W. Walther as Theologian 

Justification – Importance (First essay)

By Franz Pieper 

(Translated by  Wallace McLaughlin from  “Lehre und Wehre”, January, 1890, pp. 10-14: Justification- General),

(Continued from Part 2)

---------------  Pieper  --------------------------------

     If therefore, the Church is to be built and preserved it is necessary before all else that the doctrine of justification be preached.  Through the preaching of this doctrine the Reformation of the Church was brought about, while all means which had previously been tried for the renovation of the Church had failed.  Also in other lands and at other times it has been this doctrine which has renewed the Church. (Synodical Conf. Report, p. 25-27) [SCR1872S.PDF, pg 164 -170]

---------------- Comments -----------------------------
Note to President Matthew Harrison: listen to Walther here.  You want to preserve your church body of which you say that it is not a "sect" and is "orthodox"... here is your very simple answer to all your problems, here and now.  You may have translated Walther's The Church and The Office of The Ministry and other essays of Walther (and Pieper), yet you should go back to sitting at Walther's feet and get this doctrine right first.  All the others will follow when this is kept pure.
 ---------------  Pieper  --------------------------------

 And if we in our time wish to build the Church it must take placed through the preaching of the doctrine of justification.  Not “eloquent” and “popular” preachers, nor yet “reverend clergymen”; but pastors who preach the doctrine of justification build up the congregations.  (L.c., p. 27f.) [SCR1872S.PDF, pg 170] The knowledge and preaching of this doctrine outweighs many a shortcoming in external education and endowment.  If the Church had only the choice between externally inadequately educated preachers, who, however, live in the article of justification and preach it, and externally highly cultivated preachers, who, however, do not understand the article of justification and therefore also do not preach it, it would necessarily choose the former without any hesitation.

---------------- Comments -----------------------------
Some might try to accuse Walther and Pieper of despising scholarship and "scientific" theology.  Let them.  The true scholars will preach the pure Gospel - the Doctrine of Justification - rightly distinguished from the Law.  All other scholars, "Doctors of Theology" who do not understand the article of Justification, are false teachers – not true scholars.  Yes, the dear Ashery confession from Amish country far exceeds the ignoramuses who think they know theology when they do not understand Justification.
---------------  Pieper  --------------------------------

  “As supremely important as this doctrine is”, says Walther, “yet it can be preached in its fullness and power, in its clarity and rich comfort, also by less gifted men…..even the weakest , if he has only grasped the doctrine that the grace of God in Christ Jesus has appeared to all men and is apprehended by faith, can preach to the people in such a way that they become assured of their salvation; and that outweighs all wisdom and gifts and treasures of the world.  Such preachers will never be lacking in preaching material.  They will always know how to preach of what God by grace has done for us, and that will give them ever new joy.  What is learning, all of it, necessary as it is in its place, compared with the wisdom of God, which is proclaimed when even only the one passage: “God so loved the world”, etc., is proclaimed?  Over this the poor sinners rejoice, over this all the holy angels wonder, at this should the whole world fall on its knees and shout Glory and Hallelujah.  If our ministerial candidates preach this, what a reformation they can begin also in this land; as indeed a small beginning has also already been made in this direction.  For this makes really live congregations, not such as make a great noise about their life and their accomplishments, but such as, living in this doctrine, offer willingly to God in the beauty of holiness.  In fine: let us learn from Luther that we can initiate no reformation here if we do not firmly believe this doctrine, with divine assurance proclaim, maintain, and hold it fast”.

 ---------------- Comments -----------------------------
What a breath of fresh (spiritual) air to listen to Walther after wading through the filth of Berthold von Schenk who sneered (see page 76-77 here) at the faithful pastors of the old (German) Missouri Synod, who may have even struggled yet at least had the article of Justification right.  Von Schenk mixed Walther with Fosdick and Peale... and was all mixed up!  
Dear God!  Give me a less educated, less popular, less cultivated, less gifted, weak preacher –– if only he preaches and teaches the pure Doctrine of Justification!
Dear reader -- if your pastor does not preach and teach this article correctly, you cannot sit there and take it, even from the most educated, eloquent, cultivated, captivating preacher.  
-----------------------------------------------

The next Part 4 continues this same installment focuses on the relation to the Office of the Ministry.

From Amish/Mennonite country – a Lutheran confession?

I'm interrupting this series of posts on Walther on Justification because I want to illustrate Walther's teaching with a most heartening public confession of faith by a man located in the heart of Amish/Mennonite country in Holmes County, Ohio.  Although the Amish and Mennonites are sadly works oriented, yet God in His mercy breaks through that confusion on occasion to work a true faith in the Gospel by His Word.

I learned of this public confession during a trip to this part of Ohio recently.  While we were shopping at a bulk food store, I picked up a brochure and later read it in our hotel room.  My heart leaped with joy over the words that this man wrote on one of the pages.  The owner Curt Yoder of the Ashery Country Store, in spite of a synergistic confusion where he speaks of a decision to accept Christ, powerfully speaks of a Christian faith.  His essay is entitled The Power of Today and I bring an excerpt from it below:

If you have never experienced the peace of God's salvation in your life "Today" is your opportunity.  To start let's look to God's Word the Bible in Romans 3:23 where it says, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God".  At some point in our lives we have ALL broken God's law, and somehow we need to be justified so we can have Eternal Life.  God in His great love for us gave us His son as a sacrifice for our sin.  John 3:16 says: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  Romans 10:13 says: "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."  Saved from what? Saved from hell!  I cannot have enough good works to get me to heaven.  It's only through the blood that Jesus shed on the cross for my sins and yours that we can have Eternal Life.

I tell you this man, whether he calls himself a Lutheran or not, knows far more than the great Berthold von Schenk (who did call himself "Lutheran") about the Doctrine of Justification, about Christianity!

Yes, Curt Yoder, you are a Lutheran whether you know it or not, because you fairly sum up the Lutheran Doctrine of Justification in your public confession of faith.  May you continue in God's Word and take to heart the following passage:

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,... –  John 15:16

Walther as Theologian–Justification (by F. Pieper) - Part 2

This post continues a 10-part series from Part 1 (see Preface for Table of Contents) which presents the actual text of Wallace McLaughlin's English translation of the essay C.F.W. Walther as Theologian by Franz Pieper.  This is done to honor the two commenters on Concordia Seminary's own web post publishing a different translation.
This portion can be downloaded here.

• Pieper's text is indented in dark blue text.
• I will add commentary at certain points in green text.
• All underlinings are from the original.
• Highlighting of Pieper's text is mine!

----------------------------------------------------------------

C.F.W. Walther as Theologian 

Justification – Importance (First part)

By Franz Pieper 

(Translated by  Wallace McLaughlin from  “Lehre und Wehre”, January, 1890, pp. 10-14: Justification- General),

(Continued from Part 1)

---------------  Pieper  --------------------------------

      The doctrine of justification is for Walther that whereby the Christian religion distinguishes itself from all other so-called religions; it is the distinctive characteristic of the Christian religion.  When we are speaking of justification, he says, we are speaking of the Christian religion, for the doctrine of the Christian religion is none other than the revelation of God as to how a person is justified before God and saved through the redemption which has been accomplished by Christ Jesus.  All other religions show other ways which are supposed to lead to heaven (namely, the way of works), while the Christian religion alone shows a different way to heaven through its doctrine concerning justification, and this is something unheard of and undreamed of for the whole world, thoughts which were hidden in the heart of God before the foundation of the world.  And in another place: This doctrine is the heavenly sun of the Christian religion, whereby it distinguishes itself from all other religions as the light from the darkness. (Evangelienpostille, p. 278.) [English translation here]  

---------------- Comments -----------------------------
The point that Pieper makes here is also emphasized in his Christian Dogmatics book (volume 1, page 15).   In a previous blog, I revealed Pieper's great "error" in mis-identifying a quote of a British scholar as that of Max Mueller, where it was actually Monier-Williams.  But the "error" was no real error because the quote he gave is one of Pieper's great quotes.  See my blog post "Pieper's error".
 ---------------  Pieper  --------------------------------

Hence he who attacks our doctrine of justification attacks our entire doctrine, the entire Bible, the entire Christian religion. 

---------------- Comments -----------------------------
I believe this rules out Berthold von Schenk as a reliable Christian writer.  Now you know why I had to run to this essay to wash off the filth written by von Schenk.  (Thanks Prof. David P. Scaer)
 ---------------  Pieper  --------------------------------

Where this doctrine is falsified, there another way of salvation, and thus another religion, is taught.  To contend for the doctrine of justification, and for the Bible and the Christian religion, is one and the same thing.  Without the doctrine of justification the entire Christian doctrine is like a watch which lacks the mainspring.  All other doctrines lose their significance when the doctrine of justification is not right.  When the cornerstone falls the entire building caves in.  So also the whole structure of Christianity collapses where the doctrine of justification falls away; the Church is then transformed into a mere correctional institution.  And so far as the understanding of Scripture is concerned, theologians who do not stand right on the doctrine of justification, in spite of all their occupation with Scripture and all their citations of Scripture, take their position not in Scripture, but before its fast closed door.  For without the doctrine of justification the Bible becomes for a person a mere book of morals with all sorts of strange supplementary teachings.

---------------- Comments -----------------------------
Dear reader... sit at the feet of the giants of the old (German) Missouri Synod.  Put aside all other writers of the Christian religion except these for awhile and bask in "the luminous rays of the Gospel".
---------------  Pieper  --------------------------------

     Therefore the doctrine of justification is “the foremost chief article of the Christian faith”.  “As long as any one has gotten no farther than to think that the doctrine of justification is also an important article he has not yet seen the light”.  All praise of Christ, of grace, and of the means of grace, without the right doctrine of justification, is nothing.  All teaching in the Church must serve this article.  Not as though one should or could urge only this article.  All revealed doctrines must be taught with the greatest care.  But even when one is treating of hell the goal must be to show the hearers the deliverance from hell.

---------------- Comments -----------------------------
Nothing?  Nothing!  There is a lot of "nothingness" being expounded today, or as Luther might say "epicurean outrage".  Not so with the old (German) Missouri Synod and the old Synodical Conference.  Set a bookmark to this blog post – I am.  I have used this quote in many other blog posts:  

• here (Berthold von Schenk who was "amused to tears"), 
• here (CTS-FW detractors),
• here (Marquart), 
• here (no Public Ministry), 
• here (Paul McCain), 
• here (ELCA pastor).

I have used this quote to separate the goats from the sheep, (Matt. 25:32-33), a corrupt tree from a good tree, (Matt. 7:18).  There is a "First Premise", a "pivotal point" in Christianity – it is this doctrine.  All my CTS-FW detractors can say anything they want about me, but if they bring not this doctrine, I cannot bid them godspeed. (2 John 1: 10-11)  Ah, but to the

• two commenters on Concordia Seminary's website praising Pieper's essays, 
• commenter on my review of WELS essays on Justification
• 4 commenters giving 5 stars on Amazon for Walther's Law & Gospel book
• dear commenter on my initial blog on Luther's Vom Schem Hamphoras
• translator Ken Howes who defends Objective Justification against "GJ" (CN, 1/14/2013, pg 14-15)

... to these, and all who defend Universal, Objective Justification, I bid godspeed for they either bring the Gospel or have confessed to a true faith.
---------------  Pieper  --------------------------------

       The knowledge of the doctrine of justification is unconditionally necessary for the salvation of the individual.  Christians are people who are in possession of the knowledge of the article of justification, i.e., people who believe that God forgives their sins by grace for Christ’s sake.  This knowledge, this faith, makes a man a Christian.  “Upon this article”, declares Walther, “rests all salvation, and therefore it is unconditionally necessary for every Christian.  It would be of no profit if one should have an exact knowledge of all other articles, e.g., those concerning the Holy Trinity, the Person of Christ, etc., if he did not know and believe this article”. ‘Synodical Conference Report, p. 21.) [see SCR1872S.PDF, 1872, pg 163, column 1]

       This article is rightly called the article with which the Church stands and falls. 

---------------- Comments -----------------------------
    "... the article with which the Church stands and falls."  Some want to debate whether Luther said these exact words regarding Justification.  Let them debate, for Walther settles the matter here.  It is this article of the Doctrine of Justification that this whole blog is dedicated to – Christianity.

Token Lutherans

    There is an article entitled "The Doctrine of Justification: The Article on which the Church Stands and Falls" on a so-called "Evangelical" (non-Lutheran) website called ModernReformation.org.  The article was authored by a "J.A.O. Preus" but the link to his bio reveals no information ...  rather odd.  Why?  Could it be that this "J.A.O. Preus" is J.A.O. Preus III, the former Dean of the Faculty at Concordia Seminary, the son of J.A.O. Preus II, former president of the LC-MS? — The article apparently appeared in the March/April 2002 issue of their magazine.  The website was instituted by Michael Horton, a theologian of the "Reformed Christian" sect and editor of WhiteHorseInn.org radio broadcast.  Could it be these "Reformed Christians" don't want to look too "Lutheran" but want to appear "Christian" by having a token Lutheran?  And what about their other token Lutheran, Dr. Rod Rosenbladt, professor of theology at Concordia University in Irvine, California?
==>> I say these token Lutherans are confusing the "article with which the Church stands and falls"! Unfortunately there is no short supply of "token" Lutheran theologians.  It has happened before in Church History... it is happening again.
---------------  Pieper  --------------------------------

“For what is the Church?  It is the totality of believing Christians. 

---------------- Comments -----------------------------
Updated Sept. 10, 2013:
This might be a good time for the reader to take a break to order Walther's The Church & The Office of the Ministry, the worthy new translation by President Matthew Harrison from CPH (if not already done).
With the poor reviews that have been received, I am removing my recommendation for Harrison's new translation for it appears that he has falsified Walther's meaning.  Better to order the older translation of J.T. Mueller – Church and Ministry.  Berthold von Schenk falsified Walther's doctrine of the Church -- do not be confused by false prophets. (see page 107 here).
---------------  Pieper  --------------------------------

Therefore the Church is where Christ rules and reigns in grace; but He rules inwardly in a man in such a way that He offers and conveys grace to him.  Now where He has conquered a heart there is His Kingdom.  Hence where there are regenerate living Christians there is His Church.  But no man becomes a true regenerate Christian without this doctrine of justification.  Every other doctrine can indeed make great Pharisees, but no Christians.  One becomes a Christian only in this way that through the Holy Ghost it is revealed in his heart that he is truly redeemed by Christ, has forgiveness of sins, a reconciled heavenly Father, righteousness which avails before God, and may therefore lay himself down with confidence even upon his deathbed.” (L.c. p. 24, 25.) [SCR1872S.PDF 1872: pg 164, column 1] And in another place: “When Luther says that without the article of justification the Church could not endure for an hour, that is no exaggeration.  For the Church is not an external institution, but the assembly of the believers.  Hence where there are no believers there is also no Church”.

-----------------------------------------------------------
The next Part 3 continues this same installment describing the importance of the Doctrine of Justification for the teaching of the Church and the Office of the Ministry.

Walther as Theologian–Justification (by F. Pieper) - Part 1 [w/ downloads]

This post continues a 10-part series (see Preface for Table of Contents) from the Preface blog, now presenting the actual text of Wallace McLaughlin's English translation of the essay C.F.W. Walther as Theologian by Franz Pieper.
This portion can be downloaded here.

Pieper's text is indented in dark blue text.
I will add commentary at certain points in green text.
All underlinings are from the original.
Highlighting of Pieper's text is mine!
----------------------------------------------------------------

C.F.W. Walther as Theologian 

Justification – Importance (First part)

By Franz Pieper 

(Translated by  Wallace McLaughlin from “Lehre und Wehre”, January, 1890, pp. 10-14: Justification- General)

     We have until now pointed out what Walther taught concerning the Church and the subject immediately connected with this doctrine.  This doctrine it was indeed for which the Saxon immigrants had in the first place to contend.  But when we endeavor to characterize Walther as a theologian we must above all else discuss his position on the doctrine of justification.

---------------- Comments ----------------------------
The above paragraph was not included in J.T. Mueller's translation, but should have been.  Pieper beautifully puts this doctrine, the one doctrine by which the church stands and falls, at the head of Walther's teaching.  All other teachings of Christianity flow from this doctrine.  This is what Christianity is based on.  
Martin Luther was quoted by Martin Chemnitz (and President J.A.O. Preus II in this wlsessay.net essay) where he said (page 1): 

“The article of justification is the master and prince, the lord and ruler and judge of all areas of doctrine. It preserves and governs the entire teaching of the church and directs our conscience before God. Without this article the world is in total death and darkness, for there is no error so small, so insignificant and isolated that it does not completely please the mind of man and mislead us, if we are cut off from thinking and meditating on this article. Therefore, because the world is so obtuse and insensitive, it is necessary to deal with this doctrine constantly and have the greatest understanding of it. Especially if we wish to advise the churches, we will fear no evil, if we give the greatest labor and diligence in teaching particularly this article. For when the mind has been strengthened and confirmed in this sure knowledge, then it can stand firm in all things. Therefore, this is not some small or unimportant matter, particularly for those who wish to stand on the battle line and contend against the devil, sin, and death and teach the churches.” 

As mentioned elsewhere, the LC-MS likes to speak of Walther as "Mr. Law and Gospel".  But these essays speak of Walther as Mr. Universal, Objective Justification.  It is with this doctrine that he could properly distinguish Law and Gospel.
---------------  Pieper  --------------------------------

       Walther’s position on this doctrine gives us the key to his entire conduct in a life filled with controversies.  Walther places the doctrine of justification, or the doctrine that a man is justified before God and saved by grace through faith in Christ, in the center of all Christian doctrines.  All other doctrines serve as antecedents to this doctrine or flow from it as consequences.  And because Walther always saw that also this doctrine was placed in jeopardy by various individuals, therefore he sought so determinedly and uncompromisingly against all errors.  This doctrine was for him the pivotal point as in the contention for the right doctrine of the Church. (Die lutherische Lehre von der Rectfertigung.  Ein Referat, p. 93.) [The Lutheran Doctrine of Justification – A Presentation.]

---------------- Comments ----------------------------
    Currently President Matthew Harrison and Concordia Publishing House are promoting Harrison's re-translation of Walther's Church and Ministry.  Although I have not yet purchased the book, yet I believe it will be an improvement of J.T. Mueller's translation.  However, will President Harrison emphasize also what Franz Pieper highlighted – that the Doctrine of Justification was the "pivotal point" in the contention for the doctrine of the "Church"?  I fear that Harrison will avoid the "center of all Christian doctrines".  Could this be the heart of his tragic apology on the Newtown situation – his avoidance of this doctrine?  Could it be that he wants to avoid the controversies that Walther's life was filled with...  because of this doctrine?
    And what about the presentation of Walther's essay called "Die lutherische Lehre von der Rechtfertigung" or "The Lutheran Doctrine of Justification" (LDJ)?  Can you find it anywhere?  It was presented to the Western District of the old German Missouri Synod in 1859.  You will see it listed in my spreadsheet on my blog post "Convention Essays" – 1859.    But where can you get an English translation of one of Walther's great essays on this pivotal doctrine?  In a CPH book that is still unavailable – Essays For The Church, Volume 1, pages 30-64.  Thanks CPH – if you continue to withhold this important book, I will have to provide my own translations.  As a minimum for now, I will provide a download to a scanned copy of the original German:

Walther's Lutheran Doctrine of Justification (LDJ) download:
Western 1859, Walther - Justification.pdf

[Note: Pieper's text  specifies "page 93" but Walther's essay was only on pages 11 - 65.  It seems that J.T. Mueller could be in error, so this reference is unclear.  It could be a misprint, or another essay by Walther.  In any event, it is certain that Walther did use the "pivotal" doctrine of Justification in setting forth the doctrine of the Church.]
---------------  Pieper  --------------------------------

Walther demonstrated, how, e.g., in the teaching of a visible church outside of which there should be no salvation, and in the claim that the validity of absolution should be dependent upon the ordination of the one who pronounces it, the doctrine of justification was overthrown.  He offered the same demonstration with reference to the other false doctrines against which he contended, e.g., with reference to chiliasm, a physical effect of the Sacraments, synergism, etc.  “The contention against false doctrine”, he says, “gains practical significance for the individual Christian only when he realizes how through the falsification of other articles also this doctrine cannot remain pure”. (Report of the first convention of the Synodical Conference, p. 23.) 

---------------- Comments ----------------------------
Walther was the author of this report.  It is elsewhere commonly referred to as "Synodical Conference Report 1872" or "SCR 1872".  In an earlier blog post, I have already provided a download link to a DOC file of the entire "SCR 1872" published by the Ohio Synod in their Lutheran Standard magazine in the November 1, 1872 issue, page 163 ff..  Prof. Kurt Marquart also translated it, although this Lutheran Standard translation is quite sufficient   But I want to highlight it again here and again provide download links for both DOC and PDF versions:
Synodical Conference – founding essay ==>> SCR1872S.DOC  (176 KB, English)
Synodical Conference – founding essay ==>> SCR1872S.PDF   (282 KB, English)
Synodical Conference – founding essay ==>> SCR1872GS.DOC (259 kb, German)
Synodical Conference – founding essay ==>> SCR1872GS.PDF  (424 kb, German)
---------------  Pieper  --------------------------------

In this doctrine Walther lived, both as a Christian and as a theologian.  Even his opponents have confessed that he understood how to speak powerfully of this doctrine.  Concerning this doctrine Walther held the most lectures in his so-called Luther-hours.  It was before all else on the subject of how this doctrine should be rightly preached that he gave effective guidance in the theological seminary, both by showing the right way and also by a lively characterization of the most common aberrations.  We believe we are not asserting too much when we say that after Luther and Chemnitz probably no teacher of our Church has given more vital witness of the doctrine of justification than Walther.  Walther had Luther as his teacher especially also in this doctrine, and gathered the luminous rays which the later teachers shed upon this doctrine into one beam of brilliant light.

---------------- Comments ----------------------------
Dear God!  – the dear Pieper is not asserting too much!  It is indeed Walther who is the greatest teacher in the Lutheran Church after Luther and Chemnitz.  Pieper is not downgrading the great lights of Adolf Hoenecke of the Wisconsin Synod or Herman Amberg Preus of the old Norwegian Synod.  Pieper is rather recognizing that it was Walther himself who brought again the Gospel in all its glorious beauty to our modern world ... and the fellow theological leaders of the sister synods recognized it.
Ah, but I will go beyond Pieper's assertion and say that Pieper himself is with Walther, for he carried Walther's teaching to the day he died.
---------------  Pieper  --------------------------------

       As we prepare to expound Walther’s position on the doctrine of justification we wish, first to direct attention to the general characterization which Walther gives of the doctrine of justification with respect to its importance, etc.  In the second place we intend to bring out the points which Walther emphasizes in connection with this doctrine in order to keep it intact over against the errors of the time.

--------------- Comments -----------------------------
The "second" part that Pieper speaks of is in a future blog.  This "first" part is covered in 2 installments.
------------------------------

The next Part 2 continues this same installment – Christianity alone, no Church w/o true Doctrine of Justification.

Walther as Theologian–Justification (by F. Pieper) - Preface

In a previous blog post over a year ago, I published downloads to the complete English translations of Franz Pieper's great tribute series to the legacy of C.F.W. Walther after his death, C.F.W. Walther als Theolog or C.F.W. Walther as Theologian.  I am almost sorry now that I only provided download links instead of publishing at least some complete portions of this magnificent series, what I would call "The Heart of Missouri", or "The Heart of Christianity".

As I mentioned in that previous post, also Concordia Seminary provided posts of 2 installments (ConcordiaTheology.org – Part 1, Part 2) of this series originally translated by J.T. Mueller and published in the 1955-1956 issues of Concordia Theological Monthly.  This was done ostensibly to honor the "Bi-Centennial Celebration" of Walther's birth.  Prof. Mueller chose well among the over 20 segments of Pieper's series to translate into English – he chose the epitome, the "First Premise" of Walther's theology – the Doctrine of Justification.  But although Concordia Seminary (St. Louis) re-published these articles, it seems for them that these essays are just articles to review and pass by... and go back to their own theology that attempts to judge Luther and Walther (and Pieper).  But that wasn't actually true for 2 of the commenters on their posts.  Two commenters actually "got" the message (unlike Berthold von Schenk) and exclaimed their joy.  I want to repeat their truly Christian comments!  I will not mention their names on my blog because I and my BackToLuther blog are probably considered persona non grata by the faculties of the LC-MS (and also Paul McCain):

Commenter #1:
This is a wonderful document and I look forward to the second part. For me this is the clearest description of the doctrine of justification that I have ever read.
For awhile now I have been considering ordering Francis Pieper’s DOGMATICS, but have been hesitant due to the cost. Would you say that this essay is characteristic of his writing? If so, it sounds like the volumes would be well worth the money.

How my heart leaps at this comment!!  Does the reader see the Holy Spirit working here to create and strengthen true Christian faith, true because it is the true Gospel?
The "Editor" of the ConcordiaTheology.org posts, Travis Scholl, responded well to the question posed by Commenter #1 by saying Pieper's Christian Dogmatics are essentially Walther's teaching.  Well done, Editor Travis Scholl.  You answered correctly.  But did you also "get" the message these other 2 commenters got?

Commenter #2:
I cannot imagine with such a Gospel why there is not a line waiting outside of our churches to be let in to here the absolution.

Dear God!  What a beautiful response to the true Gospel!!  Dear reader, if Commenter #2 is now your pastor and still has this in his heart, then consider yourself truly blessed, for you have a true confessional Lutheran as your pastor!  But dear Commenter #2, if you are a Concordia Seminary student, have you noticed the Gospel message you read about in these articles by Pieper on Walther isn't quite what they teach in your classes?  Have you maybe noticed some caveats and conditions introduced to the Gospel in your classes, e.g. faith is a condition, or that "Universal Justification" can be misunderstood?  Maybe you came away from your classes thinking "the Gospel is too good to be true"?  Maybe you came away thinking that "good works are (in some way) necessary to retain salvation"?

Editor Travis Scholl (of ConcordiaTheology.org), what do you think?  Did the LC-MS in their "Bi-centennial Celebration" of C.F.W. Walther's birth extol this teaching of Walther like these two Commenters did?  Yes?  If so, where?  Maybe in your movie about Walther? ... Or will you admit that it was not?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Enough of this talk of today's Concordia Seminary–St. Louis (CSL).  This series is not about them, it is about the pure, unadulterated Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Luther is in the Book of Revelation, Revelation 14:6-7.  Why?  Because Luther was that angel with the everlasting Gospel.  I wonder if Walther is also in the Book of Revelation...  I'll have to look sometime for he too is "another angel ... with the everlasting Gospel".

What is to follow is a different translation of the same 2 articles that J.T. Mueller made, but this time by a different translator, the great Wallace McLaughlin – a great teacher who left the LC-MS because of it's false teachings.  (No article in Wikipedia on him.)  These translations are similar and I do not mean to detract from Mueller's translation – both are good.  But by presenting a different translation, I hope more readers will be exposed to the heart of the old (German) Missouri Synod, to the heart of the old Synodical Conference.

In the Gospel of John, it records the following exchange between Jesus and the Jews, John 8:51-59:

[51] Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. [52] Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.  [53] Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? ... [56] Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

For the Jews, Abraham, their "father" is dead.  Not so for the real Abraham... and not so for C.F.W. Walther.  As Abraham did, so did Walther who also kept Jesus saying, through the Holy Scriptures.

Walther lives through his faith and his teaching of the Gospel!

And so I present the living Walther, through his blessed successor, Franz Pieper.

The next post Part 1 begins the presentation... enjoy... spiritually!
--------------------------   Table of Contents   --------------------------------
Preface – this blog post
Part 1 – (First Part): Importance; Downloads: 1859 essay, Synodical Conference founding essay
Part 2 – Christianity alone; w/o Justification, no Christian doctrine or Church
Part 3 – How to build the Church – faithful pastors (even less gifted preachers) w/ true Gospel
Part 4 – Right prep for Ministry; shield against all error; signifies where right Church is
Part 5 – (Second Part): Universal complete redemption of world; means of grace, faith (before faith)
Part 6 – Universal, complete – distinguishes Christianity; only Lutheran Church teaches all done already
Part 7 – Good News! Peace that God has made for us; Resurrection = absolution of world
Part 8 – Christ's resurrection -whole world justified; no Justified by Faith w/o Univ. Justif. before faith
Part 9  – Absolution and Christian Counsel
Part 10 – Objection – What about God's wrath?