Here it is to be noted, that these three things, faith, Christ, acceptation, or imputation, must be joined together. Faith taketh hold of Christ, and hath Him present, and holdeth Him enclosed, as the ring doth the precious stone. And whosever shall be found having this confidence in Christ apprehended in the heart, him will God accept for righteous. This is the mean and this is the merit whereby we attain the remission of sins and righteousness.
Because thou believest in Me, saith the Lord, and thy faith layeth hold upon Christ, whom I have freely given unto thee, that He might be thy Mediator and High Priest, therefore be thou justified and righteous. Wherefore God doth accept or account us as righteous only for our faith in Christ.
Martin Luther, Krebel, Galatians 2:15-16, p. 71
These and like errors, one and all, we unanimously reject as contrary to the clear Word of God, and by God's grace abide firmly and constantly in the doctrine of the righteousness of faith before God, as it is embodied, expounded, and proved from God's Word in the Augsburg Confession, and the Apology issued after it. Formula of Concord, SD, III, 66.
