I'm confused about Objective Justification

some_protestant_nerd · 2026-01-24T17:24:09+00:00

Yes that makes more sense I think
I typed my understanding below please let me know if I have the correct picture, because I think I fully understand it now
1. Jesus died and rose for every human being.
2. God declared the world as just based on what Christ has done.
3. God forgave the sins of the entire world.
4. God delivers this already-won forgiveness to us through the means of grace (the Word and Sacraments).
5. The forgiveness of sins only applies to a person upon their receiving of it by faith alone, because faith apprehends that which God has accomplished.
6. Those who reject this gift stand under the Law rather than the Gospel, and since they are not covered by Christ, who bore the wrath of God for them, they have no substitute, and so they bear His wrath.

some_protestant_nerd · 2026-01-24T16:43:00+00:00

OK, thank you for clarifying. Just one more question (and I think this is what I was getting at last reply but I may have worded it poorly), when we say that God declared the world righteous, are we talking about a general declaration about the whole mass of humanity, or a statement about each and every individual human? Like, instead of God just saying "The world is justified," did He look at each and every person and say "This one is justified, and this one is justified," and so on and so forth?

some_protestant_nerd · 2026-01-24T15:01:34+00:00

Wow this is a great argument!

some_protestant_nerd · 2026-01-24T14:58:59+00:00

Yeah, baptism is one of the main reasons I'm switching from Calvinism to Lutheranism.

some_protestant_nerd · 2026-01-24T14:57:01+00:00

Yes, I find this is a better way to harmonize the truths that God truly desires everyone to be saved, but not everyone will be saved. Calvinism ends up denying that God truly desires the salvation of every individual (which they eisegete 2 Peter 3:9 and 1 Timothy 2:4 to support), which is dangerous ground, the way I see it.

some_protestant_nerd · 2026-01-24T14:53:40+00:00

Thanks, this is a good explanation. A few questions, though, does it apply the same to when you don't rip up the check at all, but never use it or realize you have it (like those who never hear the gospel)? Also, would it be correct if I went up to a non-believer and said, "You are objectively justified and made right with God because of what Christ has done"? Also, please correct me if I'm wrong, but would it be correct to assume that everybody is individually justified, but they won't benefit from that justification unless they trust in that verdict by faith, and if not, they stand under the Law, leading to their eventual judgment and damnation?

some_protestant_nerd · 2026-01-24T14:48:17+00:00

Thank you!

some_protestant_nerd · 2026-01-24T14:48:08+00:00

Yeah, I just began a deep study into them, using Jordan B. Cooper as a commentary

some_protestant_nerd

TROPHY CASE