Dear Friend,

While apostasy is predicted in Scripture, it still comes as a shock to see it face-to-

face. The apostasy seen with the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran World
Federation in cto!er "#, #$$$, re%ardin% &The 'oint Declaration on the Doctrine of
'ustification( was called &a milestone in Christian history.( )t was also known as
&the end of reformation( alon% with other similar statements of acceptance.
The *i!le !elie+er is to remem!er such was foretold, and he is to continue to
contend for !i!lical faith. Throu%h the ,postle -aul, the Lord 'esus Christ
commands .is disciples to &stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together
for the faith of the gospel.( They are likewise commanded to &have no fellowship
with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.( The analysis %i+en
!elow is simply o!edience to that !i!lical word.
/ay ) re0uest that you study the analysis and make it known far and wide, and
continue to stand stron% in the precious Lo+e and Truth of our ,ll-Sufficient Lord.
)n the Lord1s lo+in% kindness and %race,
Richard *ennett
The Catholic-Lutheran Accord
, Denial of the 2ospel and the Ri%hteousness of Christ
*y Richard *ennett
)n the dialo%ue !etween 3+an%elicals and the Roman Catholic Church, there ha+e
!een alarmin% attempts in recent times to declare Roman Catholics as &!rothers and
sisters in Christ,( as we saw in the whole &3+an%elicals and Catholic To%ether(
mo+ement. .owe+er, somethin% more authoritati+e took place in #$$$. &The 'oint
Declaration on the Doctrine of 'ustification( 4an official doctrinal statement 5ointly
authored !y representati+es of the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran World
Federation6 was si%ned on cto!er "#
st
as a 5oint confessional a%reement. The
importance of this e+ent is clearly seen in the many comments on it that imply that
the Catholic Church has indeed chan%ed and that the 7atican now accepts
Reformation truths.
)n the area of ecumenism it has !een said that,
&8T9he most si%nificant de+elopment to date is the 'oint Declaration on the
Doctrine of 'ustification, pu!lished in #$$$ and si%ned !y the 7atican and the
Lutheran World Federation. The document, with a 5ointly si%ned anne: attached
which offered %enuine clarification to the 'D, included the acceptance !y Rome of
the sola fide formula; )n the 'oint Declaration it is affirmed that <the doctrine of
5ustification is the measure or touchstone for the Christian faith. . . an
indispensa!le criterion.1 The 'D specifically states that !oth Catholics and Lutherans
5ointly !elie+e that <whate+er 8works9 in the 5ustified precedes or follows the free
%ift of faith is neither the !asis of 5ustification nor merits it.1 )t acknowled%es that
Lutherans hold the Reformation understandin% of %race alone !y faith alone 4sola
fide6, and the imputed 4alien6 ri%hteousness of 2od to the sinner 4<at the same time
ri%hteous and sinner16. ,nd most si%nificantly, the 'D e:plicitly states that <the
mutual condemnation of former times do not apply to the Catholic and Lutheran
doctrines of 5ustification.1(
#

# http=>>www.apolo%eticsresctr.or%>+eritas?may?5un?@A.htm #B>##>@A
1
)f this were indeed true, it would mean that the Catholic Church is now
fundamentally chan%ed, in that it now accepts the +ery principles that made the
Reformation. .owe+er, !ecause we know that the 7atican continually claims that it
is &semper eadem1 4always the same6 and that her popes1 teachin%s are
&irreforma!le !y their +ery nature,(
B
we must analyCe 5ust what was 5ointly accepted
on the ADBnd anni+ersary of /artin Luther1s pi+otal postin% of the <$E theses1.
What we will see is totally different than what many claim. )n fact, the Lutherans of
Lutheran World Federation ha+e now em!raced the doctrine of the Council of Trent,
and in so doin% ha+e officially and formally denied the 2ospel and the ri%hteousness
of Christ. Si%nificantly, of the three Lutheran Synods in the FS,G the /issouri
Synod 4H million6, the Wisconsin Synod 4c. @.E million6, and 3+an%elical Lutheran
Church of ,merica 4B@ million6, only the 3+an%elical Lutheran Church of ,merica
si%ned this accord with Rome.
The Elite, Untouchable, Joint Declaration?
The 'oint Declaration was the result of thirty years of Lutheran-Roman
Catholic dialo%ue. This fact alone mi%ht dissuade many from darin% to challen%e it.
The document itself is a!out nineteen pa%es in len%th, dependin% on which printin%
one reads. ,rrayed with many footnotes, a siCa!le appendi:, the official response of
the Lutheran World Federation, the Roman Catholic response, the clarifications to
the document, and the added accoutrement of 'ohn -aul ))1s comment on the 'oint
DeclarationG the document appears +ery much like the ro!es of those who de+ised it=
all +ery &haut couture(
"
meant to stun anyone who mi%ht dare to analyCe it.

)n addition to the first rate showmanship with which the 'oint Declaration
has !een presented, it appears that there is neither %ru! nor %nat that has not !een
strained out of this cle+erly worded document and addenda. Dare anyone !e so !old
as to ask if a camel has !een swallowedI Dauntin% circumstances, notwithstandin%,
the Christian committed to Scripture as his sole authority, and in the same .oly
Spirit that %a+e the Scripture, is a!le to sift error from truth, discernin% that which is
in accord with Scripture in the fficial Common Statement in which the 'oint
Declaration is ratified and appro+ed !y !oth parties.
Heretical Landmines
There are presuppositions upheld in the 'oint Declaration that are not stated
as such in the fficial Common Statement. Some of these presuppositions totally
ne%ate !i!lical 5ustification as, for e:ample, the idea that 5ustification is !y means of
the sacrament of !aptism. *oth parties of the a%reement accept such a tradition of
men. This is listed under the headin% called &A.A The 'ustified as Sinner.( The 'oint
Declaration states= &BD. We confess to%ether that in *aptism the .oly Spirit unites
one with Christ, 5ustifies, and truly renews the person.( This heresy is in line with
the teachin% of the Council of Trent,
Can. D &)f any shall say that !y the said sacraments of the Jew Law, %race is
not conferred from the work which has !een worked 8ex opere operato9 !ut
that faith alone in the di+ine promise suffices to o!tain %race= let him !e
B &The Roman -ontiff K en5oys this infalli!ilityKFor this reason his definitions are ri%htly said to !e irreforma!le !y their +ery nature...( From
7atican Council )) Documents, Lumen 2entium p. "D@ ,ustin Flannery, 3d., #$D# ed. 4Jorthport, JL= Costello -u!l. Co., #$HE6
" refers to the creation of e:clusi+e custom-fitted clothin%.
2
anathema.(
A
*i!lical truth, howe+er, is that the !elie+er1s faith cannot !e !ased on any physical
works of men whatsoe+erG as true faith is in Christ 'esus1 perfect life and sacrifice
alone.
E
To attempt to claim causati+e effects, therefore, for that which was %i+en to
testify to the Lord1s %race and .is finished work is &to preach another %ospel.(
M
While such deadly landmines as this permeate the 'oint Declaration, this analysis is
limited mainly to e:aminin% the fficial Common Statement ratified !y !oth parties.
The Joint Declaration and the Judgment of the Soereign !od
*ecause 2od is ,ll .oly and man is dead in trespasses and sins, an immense
%ulf e:ists !etween the Creator and the human creature. *ecause of ,dam1s sin,
mankind is !orn spiritually dead. 2od 5ustifies .is own .oliness in %raciously
pro+idin% the !elie+er1s ri%hteousness !y imputin% to the sinner the perfect
ri%hteousness of Christ and .is perfect propitiation-sacrifice. The Scriptures
proclaim the holiness and ri%hteousness of 2od in the flawless life and death of the
2od-/an,
H
the Lord 'esus Christ. 'ustification, in the first place, has to do with 2od
.imself, to show that .e is 5ust in 5ustifyin% the sinner in Christ.

The 2ospel has to do with who 2od is in .is holy and ri%hteous nature. The
2ospel demonstrates that !ecause of who 2od is, .e alone 5ustifies. Thus Romans
"=BM states, &To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just,
and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.( The essential and final cause of
5ustification is the %lory of the Di+ine .oliness, 'ustice, and 2oodness. Thus, the
one who preaches any other %ospel is accursed !y 2od, as the ,postle clearly stated
in the first chapter of 2alatians.
-er+ersion of the 2ospel is an enormous crime a%ainst 2od. )t de!ases the
perfect ri%hteousness and sacrifice of Christ, and in so doin% stands a%ainst the +ery
nature of 2od1s holiness. Throu%h the prophet )saiah the Lord warns, &ut the
!"#$ of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and %od that is holy shall be sanctified
in righteousness.(
&

)t must !e carefully o!ser+ed that it is not possi!le for those who per+ert the
2ospel to continue unpunished or for 2od to permit .is %lory to !e set aside. The
time frame is not knownG howe+er, the certainty is ine+ita!le. 2od who is holy
&shall be sanctified in righteousness.( 2od is 2od, and those who teach a false
%ospel may not, !y a false fancy, assure themsel+es of uninterrupted tran0uility.
2od is holy !y nature. .e must !e sanctified in 5ud%ment, for 2od cannot deny
.imself.
The Joint Declaration"s Claim
The 'oint Declaration document alle%es, &...that a consensus in !asic truths
A .enry DenCin%er, The Sources of Catholic Do%ma, Tr. !y Roy ' Deferrari from 3nchiridion Sym!olorum, "@th ed. 4St. Louis, /= *. .erder
*ook Co., #$EH6, NDE#. *oldin% in any 0uotation indicates emphasis added in this work.
E 'ohn M=B$G Romans B=BD, B$G 3phesians B=D, $G Colossians B=##G Romans "=B#-BM
M 2alatians #=$
H

/an is capitaliCed to show that 'esus, in his humanity, is the &first!orn(

amon% many. Romans D=B$ For whom he did foreknow, he also did
predestinate to !e conformed to the ima%e of his Son, that he mi%ht !e the firstborn among many brethren. 43mphasis added6
D )saiah E=#M
3
of the doctrine of 5ustification e:ists !etween Lutherans and Catholics...( and &...that
the mutual condemnations of former times do not apply to the Catholic and Lutheran
Doctrines of 5ustification as they are presented in the 5oint declaration.(
$

Jotwithstandin%, these statements re%ardin% the rele+ant &condemnations(
!y the Church of Rome on those who hold to the !i!lical 2ospel ha+e ne+er !een
re+oked or recanted. The current do%ma of the Catholic Church upholds the
teachin% of the Council of Trent and declares that it is infalli!le.
#@
From Si:th
Session of the Council of Trent, the followin% curses still stand,
Canon $. )f anyone shall say that !y faith alone the sinner is 5ustified, so as to
understand that nothin% else is re0uired to cooperate in the attainment of the
%race of 5ustification, and that it is in no way necessary that he !e prepared
and disposed !y the action of his own will= let him !e anathema.
##
Canon ##. )f anyone shall say that men are 5ustified either !y the sole
imputation of the 5ustice of Christ or !y the sole remission of sins, to the
e:clusion of the %race and the charity, which is poured forth in their hearts
!y the .oly Spirit and remains in them, or e+en that the %race !y which we
are 5ustified is only the fa+or of 2od= let him !e anathema.
#B

Two )mportant -oints=
#. From a Roman Catholic perspecti+e, as will !e seen, these condemnations do in
fact stand !ecause the 'oint Declaration does not contradict either.
B. From a !i!lical>historical Lutheran +iewpoint, howe+er, these anathemas of Trent
fall under the wrath of 2od.
The Contents of the Joint Declaration
The 'oint Declaration consists of fi+e main di+isions with the entirety
su!di+ided into forty-four num!ered para%raphs. The fourth main di+ision, the
len%thiest of the fi+e, is !roken down into se+en sections, an o+er+iew !ein% as
follows=
-ream!le 4H para%raphs the 'oint Declaration 4'D6 #-H6
#. !i!lical /essa%e of 'ustification 4'D D-#B6
B. The Doctrine of 'ustification as 3cumenical -ro!lem 4'D #"6
". The Common Fnderstandin% of 'ustification 4'D #A-#D6
A. 3:plicatin% the Common Fnderstandin% of 'ustification 4'D #$-"$6 This B@-
para%raph section has se+en su!headin%s.
'. .uman -owerlessness and Sin in Relation to 'ustification 4'D #$-B#6
(. 'ustification as For%i+eness of Sins and /akin% Ri%hteous 4'D BB-BA6
). 'ustification !y Faith and throu%h 2race 4'D BE-BH6
*. The 'ustified as Sinner 4'D BD-"@6
+. Law and 2ospel 4'D "#-""6
,. ,ssurance of Sal+ation 4'D "A-"M6
-. The 2ood Works of the 'ustified 4'D "H-"$6
E. The Si%nificance and Scope of the Consensus Reached 4'D A@-AA6
$ ,nne: to the official common statement part # pa%e A"
#@ Catechism of the Catholic Church 4Li%ouri, /= Li%ouri -u!lications, #$$A6 -ara. D$#
## DenCin%er, ND#$.
#B )!id., NDB#.
4
The fficial Common Statement ratifies the 'oint Declaration. This !e%ins
with three para%raphs 4CS #-"6 followed !y the words, &*y this act of si%nin% The
Catholic Church and The Lutheran World Federation Confirm the 'oint Declaration
on the Doctrine of 'ustification in its entirety.( The fficial Common Statement has
an ,nne: with four sections. Finally, Section B has fi+e su!sections, ,-3.
Stumbling at the #oc$ of %ffence
The 'oint Declaration must !e analyCed in the li%ht of !i!lical truth. What
was true for )srael in the ,postle -aul1s analysis applies in this instance. &ut
Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of
righteousness. .herefore/ ecause they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the
works of the law. 0or they stumbled at that stumbling stone1 2s it is written,
ehold, I lay in 3ion a stumbling stone and rock of offence: and whosoever
believeth on him shall not be ashamed...0or they being ignorant of %od4s
righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not
submitted themselves unto the righteousness of %od.(
#"

The !i!lical &rock of offence( is Christ 'esus, the Rock on which one
!elie+es for e:trinsic 5ustification, that is, imputed ri%hteousness. ne must
remem!er from the outset that the issue at hand is &'ustification.( 3rror always
cloaks itself in reasona!le soundin% phrases and often makes use of the scheme of
Satan to twist the Scriptures. The 'oint Declaration is replete with &Reformation-
like( lan%ua%e and Scripture 0uotations. , characteristic +a%ueness and
impreciseness permeates the document. Certain sentences can !e read and assented
to !y a !i!lical Christian, !ut when the slant of meanin% is e:amined, each is seen to
!e the opposite of what it first seemed to say. The conclusions arri+ed at are similar
to the deception of 'aco! in the BH
th
chapter of 2enesis, &The voice is Jacob5s voice,
but the hands are the hands of 6sau.( &The +oice( of the 'oint Declaration is
distinctly that of the ScripturesG &the hands,( howe+er, are the hairy hands of Rome.
The document is filled with dou!lespeak. )t claims to e:plain a common
understandin% of the doctrine of 5ustification, and then adds encum!rance upon
impediment to the purely scriptural, wholly o!5ecti+e, wholly 5uridical nature of the
doctrine. There is no !etter way to assess the %uile of the 'oint Declaration in its
attendant fficial Common Statement than !y comparin% it to what the Word of
2od declares to !e truth.
Trent in &e' !arments
)n the 'oint Declaration, imputed ri%hteousness is cle+erly sidestepped for
the old lie of esta!lishin% one1s own ri%hteousness. The central point that separated
the Reformation from Rome was the !i!lical doctrine of e:trinsic 5ustification. ,
person is accepted !y the ,ll .oly 2od only &in the beloved,( &to the praise of the
glory of his grace.(
#A
The doctrine of imputed ri%hteousness struck at the +ery heart
of the Roman Catholic insistence on one !ein% made inherently 5ustG i.e., 5ust within
oneself. )n the 'oint Declaration, the doctrine of e:trinsic or imputed ri%hteousness
has !een wiped out in fa+or of the Catholic Church doctrine of inherent
ri%hteousness. Clearly, the 'oint Declaration is an attempt to do away with the
#" Romans $="#-#@="
#A 3phesians #=M
5
!i!lical 2ospel. Thus, the fficial Common Statement B. ,6 reads=
&We confess to%ether that 2od for%i+es sin !y %race and at the same time frees
human !ein%s from sin1s ensla+in% power ( 4'D BB6. &'ustification is
for%i+eness of sins and !ein% made ri%hteous, throu%h which 2od &imparts the
%ift of new life in Christ( 4'D BB6. &Since we are 5ustified !y faith, we ha+e
peace with 2od( 4Rom E=#6. We are &called children of 2odG and that is what
we are( 4# 'n "=#6. We are truly and inwardly renewed !y the action of the .oly
Spirit, remainin% always dependent on his work in us. &So if anyone is in Christ,
there is a new creation= e+erythin% old has passed awayG see, e+erythin% has
!ecome new;( 4B Cor E=#H6. The 5ustified do not remain sinners in this sense.(
#E
This is a con+oluted mi:ture of the doctrines of 5ustification and
sanctification rather than merely a pro!lem of semantics. 'ustification nowhere in
Scripture e+er means &inherent ri%hteousness( 4i.e. &!ein% made ri%hteous(6. The
!elie+er1s 5ustification is not !ased on a sin%le iota of anythin% in him= it is !ased
wholly in his standin% in Christ. This is the cru: of the matter in the 'oint
Declaration. ne %oes the way of all flesh to the 5ud%ment of hell if he adds
anythin% to the pure and perfect ri%hteousness of Christ. ne needs to !e, &afraid,
lest as the serpent deceived 6ve by his craftiness, minds should be led astray from
the simplicity and purity of 7hrist(
#M
'ustification is !ein% &declared ri%hteous( not
!ein% &made ri%hteous,( !ut the 'oint Declaration follows such statements as these
with numerous scriptural 0uotations and phrases cloakin% its errors in the sem!lance
of truth. )t is 0uite like Re!ecca1s word to 'aco!, &8ow therefore, my son, obey my
voice according to that which I command thee.(
#H
Thus, &#ebecca took goodly
raiment of her eldest son 6sau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon
Jacob her younger son.(
#D
)n the 'oint Declaration, the +oice of some of the !est
Scripture te:ts on 5ustification is heard. The conclusion, howe+er, is similar to what
)saac discerned, &The voice is Jacob5s voice, but the hands are the hands of 6sau.(
#$
The hands of the 'oint Declaration are distinctly those of RomeG the material that is
manipulated, howe+er, is that of Scripture.
B@

()eing *ade #ighteous+
)n the 5ustifyin% act of 2od, .e imputes ChristOs perfect ri%hteousness to the
indi+idual. )t is a le%al, one time, finished, and irre+oca!le act that cannot !e
misconstrued to !e a process or on%oin% occurrence, such as the term &!ein% made
ri%hteous( will allow. ne must understand that to &be made ri%hteous(
B#
is not
e0ui+alent or compara!le to &being made ri%hteous.( The simple truth of Scripture
is stated in Romans "=BB, &6ven the righteousness of %od which is by faith of Jesus
7hrist unto all and upon all them that believe.( 2od1s demonstration of .is own
#E http=>>www.+atican.+a>roman?curia>pontifical?councils>chrstuni>documents>rc?pc?chrstuni?doc?"##@#$$$?cath-luth-anne:?en.html
#M )) Corinthians

##="
#H 2enesis BH=D
#D 2enesis BH=#E
#$ 2enesis BH=BB
B@The ,pocryphal !ooks are also 0uoted. These are whole !ooks added to Scripture and also include additions to e:istin% ld Testament !ooks
of the Scripture. This was done the Roman Catholic Church at the Council of Trent in #EAM. The Catholic Church itself refers to these !ooks as
the &deuterocanonical !ooks(, the term meanin% second canon.
B# Rom E=#$ 0or as by one man4s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
6
ri%hteousness is the faithfulness of 'esus Christ in .is perfect life and sacrificial
death. The %reat news is that this a!solute ri%hteousness is !y imputation &unto all
and upon all them that believe.( *ein% &called children of 2od( and &a new
creation( is the fruit of !elie+in% in Christ. )t is what follows on this act. &*ein%
made ri%hteous( is 5ust a rewordin% of the old lie of the Council of Trent in which it
was officially declared, &'ustificationKwhich is not merely remission of sins, !ut
also of the sanctification and renewal of the interior manKwhere!y an un5ust man
!ecomes a 5ust man.(
BB
)n this final word of the 'oint Declaration, the fficial
Common Statement is the a%e-old Roman Catholic mi:in% of sanctification with the
act of 5ustification, returnin% to the a%e-old fa!rication that ri%hteousness is
supposedly within the soul, rather than to the !i!lical truth that !y our .oly 2od the
!elie+er is credited with the e+erlastin% ri%hteousness that is in Christ 'esus.
&9urely, shall one say, in the !"#$ have I righteousness and strength....(
B"
What is proposed in the 'oint Declaration, as the &doctrine of 5ustification,(
is deficient in two essential ways. )t neither upholds the perfect standard of 2od1s
.oliness nor does it demonstrate the perfect ri%hteousness of Christ in life and
death. )n the words of the ,postle -aul, &0or they being ignorant of %od5s
righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not
submitted themselves unto the righteousness of %od.(
BA
The *i!le emphasiCes and
declares the ri%hteousness of 2od, &the righteousness of %od revealed from faith to
faith.(
BE
This is not proclaimed nor tau%ht in the fficial Common Statement on the
'oint Declaration. Destitute and sinful human !ein%s need the perfect ri%hteousness
of Christ. This is what the Scripture clearly says is now manifest, &ut now the
righteousness of %od without the law is manifested.(
BM
*anifested in Scri,ture, *issing in the Joint Declaration
What precisely is omitted in the 'oint Declaration is &the righteousness
which is of God by faith,(
BH
&the righteousness of the one( and &the obedience of the
one,(
BD
and &the righteousness of %od and our 9aviour Jesus 7hrist.(
B$
The +erdict
act of 2od in declarin% that a sinner is ac0uitted and counted ri%hteous !ecause of
the o!edience and death of 'esus Christ alone is not contained in the 'oint
Declaration. That which is proposed in its place is a com!ination of some !i!lical
truths 4such as %race alone, faith alone6 with the old lyin% definition of
&5ustification( !ein% seen as a 0uality of the soul within the !elie+er.
*ecause true ri%hteousness is of and from 2od, it is a!solutely perfect. The
one-time act of 2od in 5ustifyin% a sinner in Christ 'esus is perfect. *ecause man in
himself cannot !e perfect, ri%hteousness can only !e communicated throu%h
imputation or reckonin%. 2od1s pro+ision of the perfect ri%hteousness of Christ is
BB DenCin%er, NH$$.
B" )saiah AE=BA
BA Romans #@="
BE Romans #=#H
BM Romans "=B#
BH -hilippians "=$
BD Romans E=#D-#$ PTherefore as !y the offence of one 5ud%ment came upon all men to condemnationG e+en so !y the ri%hteousness of one the
free %ift came upon all men unto 5ustification of life. For as !y one manOs diso!edience many were made sinners, so !y the o!edience of one shall
many !e made ri%hteous.(
B$ )) -eter #=#
7
ac0uired !y faith alone. This faith, in itself, is not seenG rather it is &the evidence of
things not seen.(
"@
The perfect &righteousness of %od without the law(
"#
is not to !e
seen on earth. The fruitfulness of such ri%hteousness is indeed seenG ne+ertheless,
the ri%hteousness itself is in hea+enly places in Christ.
"B
What is proposed to !e &5ustification( in the fficial Common Statement on
the 'oint Declaration is to !e seen here on earth, and not the scriptural, declarati+e
5ustification &in hea+en.( Rather, 5ustification is presented as takin% place &on
earth( in the !elie+erG as for e:ample, in ,nne: -ara B,
&To%ether we confess= *y %race alone, in faith in ChristOs sa+in% work and not
!ecause of any merit on our part, 'e are acce,ted b- !od and receie the
Hol- S,irit, who renews our hearts while e0uippin% and callin% us to %ood
works( 4'D #E6.
""
The simple truth of Scripture is that 2od ne+er accepts an indi+idual as such.
Rather, he is accepted only in the *elo+ed,
"A
in the ri%hteousness of the ne Christ
'esusG that is, in the ri%hteousness of faith. Recei+in% the .oly Spirit and the
renewal of hearts is the old confusion of 5ustification with sanctification. *ecause
the purpose of these statements is to define 5ustification, such confusion is calculated
deceit.
The phrases, &!ein% made ri%hteous( and &we are accepted !y 2od and
recei+e the .oly Spirit( !oth make room for what is to !e wron%ly concludedG i.e.,
that 5ustification is &within the person( and a 0uality of the soul &within the
!elie+er.( )n essence, howe+er, the !i!lical truth is this= the perfect ri%hteousness of
Christ &imputed( to the !elie+er is solely an act of 2od in Christ.
So,histicated so,histr-
The official statement ratifyin% the 'oint Declaration states,
C6 Justification ta$es ,lace &!y %race alone( 4#E and #M6, !y faith alone, the
person is 5ustified &apart from works( 4Rom "=BD, cf. 'D BE6. &2race creates
faith not only when faith !e%ins in a person !ut as lon% as faith lasts( 4Thomas
,0uinas, S. Th ))>)) A, A ad "6.
The use of the phrase &'ustification takes place( rather than the !i!lical concept, &to
whom it shall be imputed,(
"E
is deli!erate deceit !ecause the word &5ustification( is
meant to imply a process rather than a one-time act of 2od. )n Scripture,
5ustification is a one-time declarati+e act in which 2od pronounces the sinner 5ust or
ri%hteous, as it is stated, &%od:not imputing their trespasses unto them.(
"M
/oreo+er, as the ,postle specifically states, &lessed is the man to whom the !ord
will not impute sin.(
"H
"@ .e!rews ##=#
"# Romans "=B#
"B 3phesians #="
"" 3mphasis added
"A 3phesians #=M &To the praise of the %lory of his %race, wherein he hath made us accepted in the !elo+ed.(
"E Romans A=B"-BE &Jow it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to himG !ut for us also, to whom it shall !e imputed, if we
!elie+e on him that raised up 'esus our Lord from the deadG Who was deli+ered for our offences, and was raised a%ain for our 5ustification.(
"M B Corinthians E=#$
"H Romans A=D
8
The 'oint Declaration and the fficial Common Statement on the 'oint
Declaration use the noun &5ustification( and carefully a+oid the +er! &5ustifies.( The
2reek word &5ustifies( 4lo%iComai6 means to count esteem, to impute, to num!er, to
reason, and to reckon. )t is a +er! denotin% a one-time action. The repetition of the
noun &5ustification( in the 'oint Declaration and in the fficial Common Statement
on the 'oint Declaration con+eys the concept of a 0uality within a person that totally
disre%ards the Scripture. Jot mentionin% &imputed ri%hteousness( and continually
speakin% of &5ustification( is seducti+e sophistry.
"D

Thus in the fficial Common Statement1s endorsement of the 'oint
Declaration, the !asis for the 2ospel is %i+en as within man rather than the perfect
ri%hteousness of the 2od-/an, Christ 'esus. This is speakin% a%ainst 2od and is
worse than anythin% proposed !y )srael or the -harisees. The words of the Lord
'esus Christ therefore apply, &for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for
ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.(
"$

The *indset of #ome in the Joint Declaration
The Roman Catholic Church cannot concei+e of the act of 5ustifyin% in
which man remains a sinner. Catholic theolo%y understands 5ustifyin% as
&5ustification,( somethin% that 2od %raciously pours into a man1s heart, displacin%
sin and sinfulness in the process. *i!lically speakin%, howe+er, &5ustifyin%
ri%hteousness,( i.e., ri%hteousness that can 5ustify, is somethin% that always resides
in the person of Christ alone. The imputation of this ri%hteousness is what makes a
!elie+er accepta!le to 2od. ,s lon% as the !elie+er li+es, he is in himself %uilty, !ut
in Christ .e is ri%hteous and accounted precious in 2od1s si%ht.
An Astonishing .uote from A/uinas
)t is a surprisin% thin% that a section of Thomas ,0uinas1 teachin% is
affirmed in this final word confirmin% the conclusion of the 'oint Declaration and
the fficial Common Statement. The 0uestion ,0uinas was answerin% in S. Th ))>))
A, A ad " is, &Whether Formless Faith Can *ecome Formed or Formed Faith
FormlessI(
A@
The a!struseness of the 0uestion itself %i+es one a taste of the
intricacies of scholastic theolo%y. Why 0uote from a most intricate 0uestion in
,0uinas rather than simply %i+in% the words of Scripture that are referred to in the
!racketsI The Romans "=BD te:t %i+en in !rackets !efore the ,0uinas 0uote states,
&Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.(
The word &conclude( in this te:t is the 2reek word &lo%iCometha( meanin%, we
esteem, impute, or reckon &that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the
law.( .ad the Scripture !een cited rather than the words of ,0uinas, &ri%hteousness
reckoned( would ha+e !een o!+ious, and the sophistry e:posed. The official
statement, howe+er, chose the words of ,0uinas to suppress !i!lical truth and to
uphold the concept of inherent ri%hteousness.
The statement a%reed on says,
C6 'ustification takes place &!y %race alone( 4'D #E and #M6, !y faith alone, the
person is 5ustified &apart from works( 4Rom "=BD, cf. 'D BE6. &2race creates
"D su!tly decepti+e reasonin% or ar%umentation 4/erriam We!ster Dictionary6
"$ /atthew B"=#"
A@ Summa Theolo%ica, Tr. !y Fathers of the 3n%lish Dominican -ro+ince, Re+. !y Daniel '. Sulli+an, 3ncyclopedia *ritannica, )nc. 4FS,= Wm.
*enton, -u!lisher, #$EB6 7ol. )), p. A@E.
9
faith not only when faith !e%ins in a person !ut as lon% as faith lasts( 4Thomas
,0uinas, S. Th ))>)) A, A ad "6.
*i!lically speakin% it ou%ht to say,
The ri%hteousness of Christ is credited to the !elie+er &!y %race alone( and !y
faith alone, and thus the person is 5ustified in Christ alone, &apart from works.(
,s is stated !y the ,postle -aul, &Therefore we conclude that a man is justified
by faith without the deeds of the law( 4Rom "=BD6.
Cancerous Cuisine
3arlier, in the same work cited, ,0uinas tau%ht that %race is a 0uality of the
soul. )n the &Treatise on 2race,( he asked the 0uestion, &)s 2race a Quality of the
SoulI( )n the !ody of his article, he cited ,ristotle1s physics sayin%, &motion is the
act of the mo+er in the mo+ed.( Then in Reply !5. #, he states, &2race, as a
0uality, is said to act upon the soul not after the manner of an efficient cause, !ut
after the manner of a formal cause, as whiteness makes a thin% white, and 5ustice,
5ust.(
A#
The whole idea of %race !ein% moral 5ustice located inside a person, rather
than 2od imputin% ChristOs ri%hteousness to each person whom .e places in Christ,
!latantly contradicts !i!lical truth. Such teachin% is a ne%ation of consistent !i!lical
teachin% of positional, le%al ri%hteousness in Christ alone.
AB
Com,lete 0erfection in Christ, &ot in the 1ndiidual
3ndorsin% the teachin% of ,0uinas and all such teachin% in the 'oint
Declaration as &'ustification takes place,( &!ein% made ri%hteous,( and &we are
accepted !y 2od and recei+e the .oly Spirit( is 0uite cle+erly teachin% &inherent
ri%hteousness( without usin% those words. Such teachin% opposes !oth the 2ospel
and the ri%hteousness of Christ.
The distinction !etween the ri%hteousness of faith 45ustification6 and the
ri%hteousness of the law 4i.e, sanctification6 was foundational in Luther1s
understandin% of the 2ospel. ,fter Luther, the 0ormula of 7oncord of #EHH
reiterated the !asic !i!lical insi%hts of dou!le ri%hteousness. This was !edrock of
historical Lutheranism. )t was reco%niCed that if acti+e ri%hteousness
4sanctification6 were !rou%ht into the definition of the passi+e ri%hteousness !y
faith, then !oth the %lory of Christ and the 2ospel are denied and one returns to the
old lie of Satan that what is inside a man makes him ri%ht !efore 2od. &;e shall be
as gods( 42enesis "=E6.
The written Word of the Lord continually shows the !elie+er where he or she
is eternally and splendidly sa+ed. &2nd ye are complete in him, which is the head of
all principality and power.(
A"
The Roman Catholic Church does not rest satisfied
with Christ alone, in fact her process pro%ram nullifies the %race of 2od.
AA
What is
literally damnin% in the fficial Common Statement of the 'oint Declaration is that
an attempt has !een made to mas0uerade the perfect, imputed ri%hteousness of
Christ as inherent ri%hteousness. What was truly !i!lical in Luther1s understandin%
A# )!id., p. "A$.
AB -salm "B=B, H#=#E-#M, #"@="G )saiah AE=BA-BE, EA=#H, M#=#@G 'eremiah B"=M, ""=#M, E#=#@G Daniel $=BAG Luke #D=#AG Romans #=#H, "=B#-BB, A=M,
##, E=#D-#$G ) Corinthians #="@G )) Corinthians E=B#G 3phesians #=MG Colossians B=#@, "="G )) -eter #=#, and elsewhere.
A" Colossians B=#@
AA &Christ is !ecome of no effect unto you, whosoe+er of you are 5ustified !y the lawG ye are fallen from %race.( 2alatians E=A.
10
of imputed ri%hteousness is now su!sumed under Rome1s idea of &inner(
ri%hteousness, the source of her power o+er the minds and hearts of men, which
power she co+ets. What is most serious, the +ery truth of the 2ospel is thus made
+oid. The &inner process system( is a hopeless practice !orn of a !lasphemous idea.
Rather, &It is %od that justifieth.(
AE
The 2rath of !od is #eealed
The Lord forewarned of stum!lin% at the Rock of offence, &unto you
therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the
stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner.(
AM
)n
pu!liciCin% their apostasy in the 'oint Declaration, the Catholic Church and Lutheran
World Federation ha+e to fear a re+elation of somethin% much more seriousG
namely, the +ery wrath of 2od. &0or the wrath of %od is revealed from heaven
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in
unrighteousness.(
AH
Furthermore, &)t is a fearful thin% to fall into the hands of the
li+in% 2od.(
AD
The intent to continue dialo%ue &to reach full church community( is a
conclusion mentioned in para%raph " of the fficial Common Statement. The actual
words are as follows,
&The two partners in dialo%ue are committed to continued and deepened study of
the !i!lical foundations of the doctrine of 5ustification. They will also seek
further common understandin% of the doctrine of 5ustification, also !eyond what
is dealt with in the 'oint Declaration and the anne:ed su!stantiatin% statement.
*ased on the consensus reached, continued dialo%ue is re0uired specifically on
the issues mentioned especially in the 'oint Declaration itself 4'D A"6 as
re0uirin% further clarification, in order to reach full church communion, a unity
in di+ersity, in which remainin% differences would !e <reconciled1 and no lon%er
ha+e a di+isi+e force.(
)t is 0uite re+ealin% that the stated conclusion here is one of the primary
%oals as defined in the Church of Rome1s conditions for dialo%ue.
The Dart through the Lier3 #ome4s 5irst )asis
For the Catholic Church the first !asis on which ecumenical dialo%ue works
is not Sola Scriptura,
A$
&the 9cripture cannot be broken( 4'ohn #@="E6G rather it is a
&community of spiritual %oods.( This !asis is e:actly the same as the premise on
which the Catholic Church !uilds her doctrine and which is spelled out in her latest
official 7atechism,
-ara. D@, &Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture, then, are !ound closely
AE Romans D=""
AM # -eter B=H
AH Romans #=#D
AD

.e!rews #@="#

A$ The principle of &sola Scriptura( is consistent with the +ery way in which the word of truth that comes from 2od, is to !e interpreted, as -salm
"M=$ e:plains, &For with thee is the fountain of lifeG in thy li%ht we see li%ht.( 2odOs truth is seen in the li%ht of 2od1s truth. This is e:actly the
same as the ,postle -aul says, &Which thin%s also we speak, not in the words which man1s wisdom teacheth !ut which the .oly 2host teacheth,
comparin% spiritual thin%s with spiritual( 4) Corinthians B=#"6. )t is precisely in the li%ht which 2od1s truth sheds, that .is truth is seen.
11
to%ether and communicate one with the other. For !oth of them, flowin% out
from the same di+ine wellsprin%, come to%ether in some fashion to form one
thin% and mo+e towards the same %oal.(
Thus the first !asis for all the dialo%ue with the Lutheran World Federation
was the Catholic Church1s own measure of &truth.( The rules esta!lished on this
first !asis were also her own rules of en%a%ement. Some of the rules are these=
&3ach partner should seek to e:pound the doctrine of his own community in a
constructi+e manner, puttin% aside the tendency to define !y opposition....
8)nterestin%ly, the *i!le teaches much !y means of contrast.9 The partners will
work to%ether towards a constructi+e synthesis, in such a way that e+ery
le%itimate contri!ution is made use of, in a 5oint research aimed at the complete
assimilation of the re+ealed datum.(
E@

The words, &re+ealed datum,( were carefully chosen. For a *i!le !elie+er,
the term would simply mean the Written WordG for the Catholic Church, howe+er,
the term &re+ealed datum( consistently refers to Scripture plus Tradition as her first
!asis. -roceedin% from this impure !ase, the &constructi+e synthesis( rules are
simply the old line of e+olution, &truth( !y synthesis, or relati+e &truth.( 3:cluded
from start to finish is the principle of Sola Scriptura. To the Catholic Church who,
!y so e:0uisite an application of her rules of en%a%ement, has &thrust throu%h( the
Lutherans, the words of the Lord speak directly, &8Lou are9 making the word of %od
of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered.(
E#
,ccordin% to 7atican Council )) Document Jo. AB, the final %oal of the
dialo%ue !etween the Lutherans and the Roman Catholic Church is that the
Lutherans !e !rou%ht &into that unity of the one and only Church... This unity, we
!elie+e, dwells in the Catholic Church as somethin% she can ne+er lose.( For the
Catholic Church, the final conclusion has not yet !een attained until her stated
o!5ecti+e is secured. Fntil then, &continued dialo%ue is re0uiredKin order to reach
full church communion.( ,nd to this, the Lutherans apparently ha+e a%reed fullyR
snared !y thirty years of hearin% her &much fair speech... till a dart strike throu%h his
li+er,( as indeed it has. The Catholic Church has !een clear in layin% out her a%enda
toward all Christians who are not part of her or%aniCation. She has applied her
method skillfully and relentlessly since 7atican Council )). u%ht one to !e
surprised !y the conclusions to which she and the Lutheran World Federation ha+e
comeI
For those within the Lutheran churches who are the Lord1s own, the warnin%
of the Lord is clearly %i+en &<earken unto me now therefore, " ye children, and
attend to the words of my mouth. !et not thine heart decline to her ways, go not
astray in her paths. 0or she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men
have been slain by her. <er house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of
death.(
EB
The 'oint Declaration as ratified in the fficial Common Statement is indeed
outwardly stunnin%, !ut the messa%e is as dead men1s !ones, in that it attempts to
E@ 7at. Council )) Doc., Jo. AB, p. EAD.
E# /ark H=#"
EB -ro+er!s H=BA-BH
12
cle+erly esta!lish man1s own ri%hteousness. The words of the Lord are indeed
appropriate, &I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the
righteousness of the scribes and =harisees, ye shall in no case enter into the
kingdom of heaven.(
E"

E" /atthew E=B@
13