 |
| The Apology of the Augsburg Confession includes a beautiful essay on justification by faith. The Faith of Jesus: Against the Faithless Lutherans |
I would appreciate comments on this list of quotations about justification by faith. You may find typos or repeated quotations. You may wish to have something included that is not there. Control-f is a good way to find individual words.
Send them to bethanylutheranworship@gmail.com. Thanks.
Contributed by a Lutheran Pastor - From Lenker's Edition of Luther's Sermons
As I have frequently stated, the
suffering and work of Christ is to be viewed in two lights: First, as grace
bestowed on us, as a blessing conferred, requiring the exercise of faith on our
part and our acceptance of the salvation offered.
First
Sunday after Epiphany. Romans 12:1-6.
Paul teaches that, however varied the
gifts and the outward works, none should, because of these, esteem himself
good, nor regard himself better than others. Rather, every man should estimate
his own goodness by his faith. Faith is something all Christians have, though
not in equal measure, some possessing more and others less. However, in faith
all have the same possession—Christ. The murderer upon the cross, through
faith, had Christ in himself as truly as had Peter, Paul, Abraham, the mother
of the Lord, and all saints; though his faith may not have been so strong.
Therefore, though gifts be unequal, the precious faith is the same. Now, if we
are to glory in the treasures of faith only, not in the gifts, every man should
esteem another's gifts as highly as his own, and with his own gifts serve that
other who in faith possesses equal treasure with him. Then will continue loving
harmony and simple faith, and none will fall back upon his own works or merits.
Of this "mind," or belief, you may read further in the preceding
postils, especially in the epistle selection for the third Sunday in Advent.
Further comment on this text will be left for the next epistle lesson, the two
being closely connected.
First
Sunday after Epiphany. Romans 12:1-6
Similarly, no Christian can boast that
his own efforts have made him a member of Christ, with other Christians, in the
common faith. Nor can he by any work constitute himself a Christian. He
performs good works by virtue of having become a Christian, in the new birth,
through faith, regardless of any merit of his own. Clearly, then, good works do
not make Christians, but Christians bring forth good works. The fruit does not
make the tree, but the tree produces the fruit. Seeing does not make the eye,
but the eye produces vision. In short, cause ever precedes effect; effect does
not produce cause, but cause produces effect. Now, if good works do not make a
Christian, do not secure the grace of God and blot out our sins, they do not merit
heaven. No one but a Christian can enjoy heaven. One cannot secure it by his
works, but by being a member of Christ; an experience effected through faith in
the Word of God.
Second
Sunday after Epiphany Romans 12:6-16
See, then, that you become a member of
Christ. This is to be accomplished through faith alone, regardless of works.
And having become a member, if God has appointed you a duty according to your
capacity, abide in it. Let no one allure you away from it. Esteem not yourself
better than others, but serve them, rejoicing in their works and their offices
as you do in your own, even if they are less important. Faith renders you equal
with others, and others equal with you, and so on.
Second
Sunday after Epiphany Romans 12:6-16
Every doctrine, every explanation of the
Scriptures, then, which leads us to rely upon our own works, and produces false
Christians and self-righteous individuals, in the name of faith, is
emphatically condemned. Any doctrine that teaches we are to exterminate our sins,
to become happy and righteous and to obtain peace of conscience before God, in
any other way than through faith alone—without works—is not in harmony with the
Christian faith. For instance, all monastic life, and the doctrine of racketing
spirits from purgatory, are in conflict with faith.
Second Sunday after Epiphany Romans 12:6-16
Second Sunday after Epiphany Romans 12:6-16
It is of much significance that Paul
recognizes faith as the controlling judge and rule in all matters of doctrine
and prophecy. To faith everything must bow. By faith must all doctrine be
judged and held. You see whom Paul would constitute doctors of the holy
Scriptures—men of faith and no others. These should be the judges and deciders
of all doctrines. Their decision should prevail, even though it conflict with
that of the Pope, of the councils, of the whole world. Faith is and must be
lord and God over all teachers. Note, then, the conduct of the Church orders
who failed to recognize faith's right to judge, and assumed that prerogative
themselves, accepting only power, numbers and temporal rank. But you know Pope,
councils and all the world, with their doctrines, must yield authority to the
most insignificant Christian with faith, even though it be but a seven-year-old
child, and his decision of their doctrines and laws is to be accepted. Christ
commands us to take heed that we despise not one of these little ones that
believe in him. See Mt 18: 6, 10. Again, he says (Jn 6, 45), "They shall
all be taught of God." Now, it is inconsistent to reject the judgment of
him whom God himself teaches.
Second
Sunday after Epiphany Romans 12:6-16
But the question arises: How can love fulfill
the Law when love is but one of the fruits of faith and we have frequently said
that only faith in Christ removes our sins, justifies us and satisfies all the
demands of the Law? How can we make the two claims harmonize? Christ says, too
(Mt 7, 12): "All things, therefore, whatsoever ye would that men should do
unto you, even so do ye also unto them: for this is the law and the prophets."
Thus he shows that love for one's neighbor fulfils both the Law and the
prophets. Again, he says (Mt 22, 37-40): "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
... thy neighbor as thyself. On these two the whole law hangeth, and the
prophets." Where, then, does Paul stand, who says (Rom 3, 31): "Do we
then make the law of none effect through faith? God forbid: nay, we establish
the law." Again (Rom 3:28): "We reckon therefore that a man is
justified by faith apart from the works of the law." And again (Rom 1:17),
"The righteous shall live by faith."
I reply: As we have frequently said, we
must properly distinguish between faith and love. Faith deals with the heart,
and love with the works. Faith removes our sins, renders us acceptable,
justifies us. And being accepted and justified as to our person, love is given
us in the Holy Spirit and we delight in doing good. Now, it is the nature of
the Law to attack our person and demand good works; and it will not cease to
demand until it gains its point. We cannot do good works without the Spirit and
love. The Law constrains us to know ourselves with our imperfections, and to
recognize the necessity of our becoming altogether different individuals that
we may satisfy the Law. The Law does not exact so much of the heart as of works;
in fact, it demands nothing but works and ignores the heart. It leaves the
individual to discover, from the works required, that he must become an
altogether different person. But faith, when it comes, creates a nature capable
of accomplishing the works the Law demands. Thus is the Law fulfilled.
Fourth Sunday after
Epiphany. Romans 13:8-10.
The true defense and resistance, in
which we are to be sober and watchful, is to be well grounded in God's Word and
cling firmly thereto when the devil seeks, with his cunningly devised fables,
born of human understanding and reason, to overthrow our faith. Reason is the
devil's bride, and always vaunts itself wise and skilful in divine things, and
thinks what it holds to be right and good must be accounted so before God. But
faith holds to God's Word alone. It knows that before God, human wisdom, skill
and power, and whatever gifts and virtues man may have, count for nothing. Only
his grace and the forgiveness of sins in Christ has value. Therefore, faith can
repel and defeat all these fine pretensions and cunning fables
Third
Sunday after Trinity. 1 Peter 5:5-1
The one important thing, then, is to see
to it that we have God's Word, and that we regulate all the teachings and
claims of men in accordance therewith. We will thus distinguish between the
true and the false. We must remember, also, that human reason holds a far
inferior position to faith and is not to be acknowledged as trustworthy, save
as it is authorized by God for temporal authority. He who has faith can easily
perceive when reason conflicts with God's Word or seeks, in its wisdom, to rise
superior thereto; just as, in worldly things, each one in his station, office,
or calling, knows full well, when another attempts the same work, whether he
does it right or not. So every householder well understands that in his home
wantonness and wrong-doing on the part of the servants are not to be tolerated.
However, in divine things, reason can so attire and adorn itself as not to be
recognized except by one who, guided by faith, has a right knowledge of God's
Word.
Third
Sunday after Trinity. 1 Peter 5:5-1
Therefore, no other counsel can be
offered for resisting the devil and escaping destruction by him, than this,
that we remain firm in faith, says Saint Peter. One must have a heart which
holds fast to God's Word and fully understands the same and holds it to be
true. For faith cannot exist or endure without the Word, nor can it hear or
understand aught else. One must separate the Word far from all reason and
wisdom, placing it above these. He must hold reason as nothing—yea, as dead—in
matters pertaining to God's government and to how man is to escape sin and
eternal death. Reason must keep silent and give to God's Word alone the honor
which belongs to the truth, "bringing every thought into captivity to the
obedience of Christ," as Saint Paul says, 2 Cor 10, 5. If reason is to be
my teacher in these things, what need is there of faith? And why should I not
throw away all the Scriptures? We Christians, says Paul (1 Cor 1, 20-21),
preach something else and higher than reason comprehends, for the wisdom of the
world is mere folly. If reason taught me that the mother of Christ is a virgin,
the angel Gabriel might have remained in heaven and kept silent concerning the
matter. Your faith, says Paul again (1 Cor 2, 4), should not stand in the
wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Now you have seen the tricks and wiles
of the devil with which he seeks to devour you, which he bases on reason as
opposed to God's Word.
Third
Sunday after Trinity 1. Peter 5: 5-1
Peter would, with his admonitions, make
Christians bold and confident for resisting the temptations of the devil and
defending themselves. He would not have us feel terrified nor despair before
Satan, even though that wicked one press us hard through the instrumentality of
the world and of our own flesh, as well as by his direct onslaughts. We are not
to fear though he seem too strong for us, and though surrender to his prowess
seems inevitable. We are to have a manly heart and fight valiantly through faith.
We must be assured that, if we remain firm in the faith, we shall have strength
and final victory. The devil shall not defeat us; we shall prove superior to
him. We have been called of God and made Christians to the end that we renounce
the devil and contend against him, and thus maintain God's name, Word, and
kingdom against him. Christ, our head, has already, in himself, smitten and
destroyed for us the devil and his power. In addition, he gives us faith and
the Holy Spirit, whereby we can wholly defeat Satan's further wickedness and
his attempts to overthrow us. A Christian should bear all this in mind, I say,
and learn to experience the strength and power of faith. So will he not yield
to temptation and enticement. Nor will he, from love of the devil or the world,
to his own eternal hurt, and for the sake of small temporal advantage,
pleasure, or honor, cast from him God's grace and the Holy Spirit, and put
himself again under God's eternal anger and condemnation.
Third
Sunday after Trinity. 1 Peter 5: 5-1
But the poor, tempted Christians have
need of the comfort and the strength furnished by God's Word. They must
anxiously contend lest they lose, in their hours of severe temptation, God,
Christ, faith, and Our Father. Therefore, the mission intrusted to Peter, to
strengthen his brethren, is most needful. So the same comfort was necessary in
his own temptations, and he was even given it beforehand by Christ, who
declared that he had prayed for him that his faith might not be extinguished
nor fail, which faith, however, from the time of his denial on to the third day
did almost die, and scarcely the smallest spark remained.
Third
Sunday after Trinity. 1 Peter 5:5-1
Paul here points to himself as exemplar and
hints at the cause of failure, viz., lapse from love and the use of the divine
word in a wilful, ambitious and covetous spirit, whereas the faith which
worketh by love is lacking. Under such conditions, false and indolent
Christians run indeed a merry race; yet God's Word and ways in which they are so
alert and speedy are merely a show, because they make them subserve their own
interests and glory. They fail, however, to see that they race uncertainly and
beat the air. They never make a serious attempt, nor do they ever hit the mark.
While it is theirs to mortify ambition, to restrain their self-will and to
enlist in the service of their neighbors, they do none of these things. On the
contrary, they even do many things to strengthen their ambition and self-will,
and then they swear by a thousand oaths that they are seeking not their own
honor but the honor of God, their neighbor's welfare and not their own.
Third
Sunday before Lent. First Corinthians 9:24-27; 10:1-5
Peter says (2 Pet 1, 9-10) this class
are blind and cannot see afar and have forgotten they were purged from their
old sins, because they fail to make their calling sure by good works.
Therefore, it comes about that, as Paul says, they run uncertainly, beating the
air. Their hearts are unstable and wavering before God, and they are changeable
and fickle in all their ways, James 1, 8. Since they are aimless and inconstant
at heart, this will appear likewise as inconstancy in regard to works and
doctrines. They undertake now this and now that; they cannot be quiet nor
refrain from factional strife. Thus they miss their aim or else remove the
goal, and cannot but deviate from the true and common path.
Third
Sunday before Lent. First Corinthians 9:24-27;
10:1-5
"But I buffet [keep under] my body,
and bring it into bondage [subjection]."The apostle's thought is the same
as in his statement above, "Every man that striveth in the games
exerciseth self-control in all things." By "keeping under the
body" Paul means, not only subduing the carnal lusts, but every temporal
object as well, in so far as it appeals to bodily desire—love of honor, fame,
wealth and the like. He who gives license to these things instead of subduing
them will preach to his own condemnation, however correct his preaching be.
Such do not permit the truth to be presented; this is true particularly of
temporal honor. These words of the apostle, then, are a fine thrust at
ambitious and self-centered preachers and Christians. Not only do they run in
vain and fight to no purpose; they become actual castaways with only the semblance—the
color—of Christianity.
Third
Sunday before Lent. First Corinthians 9:24-27; 10:1-5
Well, the example of Israel is one
readily understood. God grant we may heed it! Let us examine the apostle's text
yet further—his mention of baptism and spiritual food, using Christian terms
and placing the fathers upon the same plane with us Christians, as if they also
had had Baptism and the Holy Supper.
He would have us know, first, the
oft-repeated fact that God from the beginning led, redeemed and saved his saints
by two instrumentalities—by his own word and external signs. Adam was saved by
the word of promise (Gen 3, 15): The seed of the woman shall bruise the
serpent's head; that is, Christ shall come to conquer sin, death and Satan for
us. To this promise God added the sign of sacrifice, sacrifice kindled with
fire from heaven, as in Abel's case (Gen 4, 4), and in other cases mentioned in
the Scriptures. The word of promise was Adam's Gospel until the time of Noah
and of Abraham. In this promise all the saints down to Abraham believed, and
were redeemed; as we are redeemed by the word of the Gospel which we believe.
The fire from heaven served them as a sign, as baptism does us, which is added
to the word of God.
Third
Sunday before Lent. First Corinthians 9:24-27; 10:1-5
10. Such signs were repeated again and
again at various times, the last sign being given by Christ in his own
person—the Gospel with baptism, granted to all nations. For instance, God gave
Noah the promise that he should survive the flood, and granted him a sign in
the ship, or ark, he built. And by faith in the promise and sign Noah was
justified and saved, with his family. Afterward God gave him another promise,
and for a sign the rainbow. Again, he gave Abraham a promise, with the sign of
circumcision. Circumcision was Abraham's baptism, just as the ark and the flood
were that of Noah. So also our baptism is to us circumcision, ark and flood,
according to Peter's explanation. 1 Pet 3, 21. Everywhere we meet the Word and
the Sign of God, in which we must believe in order to be saved through faith
from sin and death.
Third
Sunday before Lent. First Corinthians 9:24-27; 10:1-5
Thus the children of Israel had God's
word that they should inherit the Promised Land. In addition to that word they
were given many signs, in particular those Paul here names—the sea, the cloud,
the bread from heaven, the water from the rock. These he calls their baptism;
just as our baptism might be called our sea and cloud. Faith and the Spirit are
the same everywhere, though the signs and the words vary. Signs and words
indeed change from time to time, but faith in the one and same God continues.
Through various signs and revelations, God at different times bestows the same
faith and the same Spirit, effecting through these in all saints remission of
sins, redemption from death, and salvation, whether they lived in the beginning
or at the end of time, or while time progressed.
Third
Sunday before Lent. First Corinthians 9:24-27; 10:1-5
We hold, and unquestionably it is true,
that it is faith which justifies and cleanses. Rom 1:17; 10:10; Acts 15:9. But
if it justifies and purifies, love must be present. The Spirit cannot but
impart love together with faith. In fact, where true faith is, the Holy Spirit
dwells; and where the Holy Spirit is, there must be love and every excellence.
How is it, then, Paul speaks as if faith without love were possible? We reply,
this one text cannot be understood as subverting and militating against all
those texts which ascribe justification to faith alone. Even the sophists have
not attributed justification to love, nor is this possible, for love is an
effect, or fruit, of the Spirit, who is received through faith.
Sunday
before Lent. First Corinthians 13
The false reasoning of the sophists will
not stand when they maliciously deduct from this text the theory that the
Christian faith is not effectual to blot out sin and to justify. They say that
before faith can justify it must be garnished with love; but justification and its
distinctive qualities as well are beyond their ken. Justification of necessity
precedes love. One does not love until he has become godly and righteous. Love
does not make us godly, but when one has become godly love is the result.
Faith, the Spirit and justification have love as effect and fruitage, and not
as mere ornament and supplement. We maintain that faith alone justifies and
saves. But that we may not deceive ourselves and put our trust in a false
faith, God requires love from us as the evidence of our faith, so that we may
be sure of our faith being real faith.
Sunday
before Lent. First Corinthians 13
Second, Paul declares that it is a day
of blessing, "a day of salvation." It is a day of help, wherein we
are not only acceptable and assured of God's favor and good will toward us, but
we experience even as we have been assured—that God really does help us. He
verifies his assurance, for his beneficence gives testimony that our prayers
are heard. We call it a happy day, a blessed day, a day of abundance; for these
two truths are inseparably related—that God is favorable toward us, and that
his kindness is the proof of his favor. God's favor toward us is revealed in
the first clause, which speaks of an acceptable time; that he extends help to us
is revealed in the second clause, telling of a blessed day of succor. Both
these facts are to be apprehended by faith and in good conscience; for a
superficial judgment would lead to the view that this period of blessing is
rather an accursed period of wrath and disfavor. Words like these, of spiritual
meaning, must be understood in the light of the Holy Spirit; thus shall we find
that these two glorious, beautiful expressions refer to the Gospel dispensation
and are intended to magnify all the treasures and the riches of the kingdom of
Christ.
First Sunday in
Lent. Second Corinthians 6:1-10
According to Leviticus 16, the high
priest must once a year enter into the holy place with the blood of rams and
other offerings, and with these make formal reconciliation for the people. This
ceremony typified that Christ, the true Priest, should once die for us, to
obtain for us the true atonement. But the former sacrifice, having to be
repeated every year, was but a temporary and imperfect atonement; it did not eternally
suffice, as does the atonement of Christ. For though we fall and sin
repeatedly, we have confidence that the blood of Christ does not fall, or sin;
it remains steadfast before God, and the expiation is perpetual and eternal.
Under its sway grace is perpetually renewed, without work or merit on our part,
provided we do not stand aloof in unbelief.
Fifth Sunday in
Lent. Hebrews 9: 11-15.
J-502
"This
article concerning justification by faith (as the Apology says) is the chief
article in the entire Christian doctrine,201 without which no poor conscience
can have any firm consolation, or can truly know the riches of the grace of
Christ, as Dr. Luther also has written: If this only article remains pure on
the battlefield, the Christian Church also remains pure, and in goodly harmony
and without any sects; but if it does not remain pure, it is not possible that
any error or fanatical spirit can be resisted. (Tom. 5, Jena, p. 159.) And
concerning this article especially Paul says that a little leaven leaveneth the
whole lump."
Formula
of Concord, Thorough Declaration, III. #6, Righteous of Faith before God, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis:
Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 917. Tappert, p. 540. Heiser, p. 250.
J-509
"Nowhere
in the Bible is any man constituted or declared righteous ‘without faith,
before faith.’”
R.
C. H. Lenski, Romans, Augsburg
Publishing House: Minneapolis, 1963, p. 382. Romans 5:19-20.
J-514
"They
[the false teachers] fared like a man who looks through a colored glass. Put
before such a man whatever color you please, he sees no other color than that
of the glass. The fault is not that the right color is not put before him but
that his glass is colored differently, as the word of Is. 6:9 puts it: You will
see, he says, and yet you will not see it."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed.,
Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, II, p. 644. Isaiah
6:9.
J-516
"The
apostle says 'our,' 'our sins;' not his own sin, not the sins of unbelievers.
Purification is not for, and cannot profit, him who does not believe. Nor did
Christ effect the cleansing by our free-will, our reason or power, our works,
our contrition or repentance, these all being worthless in the sight of God; he
effects it by himself. And how? By taking our sins upon himself on the holy
cross, as Isaiah 53:6 tells us."
Sermons of Martin Luther, ed., John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VI, p. 180. Hebrews
1:1-12; Hebrews 1:3.
J-517
"Christ is speaking
here not of the word of the law, but of the Gospel, which is a discourse about
Christ, who died for our sins, etc. For God did not wish to impart Christ to
the world in any other way; He had to embody Him in the Word and thus
distributed Him, and present Him to everybody; otherwise Christ would have
existed for Himself alone and remained unknown to us; he would have thus died
for himself. But since the Word places before us Christ, it thus places us
before Him who has triumphed over death, sin, and Satan. Therefore, he who
grasps and retains Christ, has thus also eternal deliverance from death.
Consequently it is a Word of life, and it is true, that whoever keeps the Word
shall never see death."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 177. John 8:46-59.
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 177. John 8:46-59.
J-518
"To this incline your ears, and be
persuaded that God speaks through men and forgives you your sins; this, of
course, requires faith."
Sermons
of Martin Luther, 8
vols., ed. John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p.
200.
J-519
"If I do not believe it, I will not
receive its benefits; but that neither renders it false nor proves that
anything is lacking in Christ."
Sermons
of Martin Luther, 8
vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p.
258. Easter, Third Sermon. Mark 16:1- 8.
J-520
"It is a faithful saying that
Christ has accomplished everything, has removed sin and overcome every enemy,
so that through Him we are lords over all things. But the treasure lies yet in
one pile; it is not yet distributed nor invested. Consequently, if we are to
possess it, the Holy Spirit must come and teach our hearts to believe and say:
I, too, am one of those who are to have this treasure. When we feel that God
has thus helped us and given the treasure to us, everything goes well, and it
cannot be otherwise than that man's heart rejoices in God and lifts itself up,
saying: Dear Father, if it is Thy will to show toward me such great love and
faithfulness, which I cannot fully fathom, then will I also love Thee with all
my heart and be joyful, and cheerfully do what pleases Thee. Thus, the heart
does not now look at God with evil eyes, does not imagine He will cast us into
hell, as it did before the HS came..."
Sermons
of Martin Luther, 8
vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p.
279. Pentecost Sunday. John 14:23-31.
J-521
"All who are born into the world of
man and woman are sinful under God's anger and curse, condemned to death. For
all are conceived and born in sin as Scripture testifies (Psalm 51:5): 'Behold,
I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.'"
Sermons
of Martin Luther, The
House Postils, 3 vols., ed., Eugene Klug, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1996,
II, p. 26. Easter Tuesday. Luke 24:13- 35; Psalm 51:5.
J-522
"The 'rod of His mouth' signifies
the spoken Word or the Gospel, which proceeds from the mouth of all whose
teaching is pure. It is not inefficacious; it bears fruit; it justifies the
godly and destroys the ungodly."
What
Luther Says, An Anthology,
3 vols., ed. Ewald M. Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, III,
p. 1469. Brief comment. Isaiah 11:4.
J-523
"Christ did indeed suffer for the
whole world; but how many are there who believe and cherish this fact?
Therefore, although the work of redemption itself has been accomplished, it
still cannot help and benefit a man unless he believes it and experiences its
saving power in his heart."
What
Luther Says, An Anthology,
3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, II, p.
705f. Smalcald, 1537.
Part
Three: Justification in the Book of Concord Augsburg Confession
J-525
"Also they teach that the Word,
that is, the Son of God, did assume the human nature in the womb of the blessed
Virgin Mary, so that there are two natures, the divine and the human,
inseparably conjoined in one Person, one Christ, true God and true man, who was
born of the Virgin Mary, truly suffered, was crucified, dead, and buried, that
He might reconcile the Father unto us, and be a sacrifice, not only for original
guilt, but also for all actual sins of men."
Augsburg Confession, III.
#1. Of the Son of God. Concordia
Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 45. Tappert, p.
29. Heiser, p. 12.
J-526
“Also they teach that men
cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works, but are
freely justified for Christ’s sake, through faith, when they believe that they
are received into favor, and that their sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake,
who, by His death, has made satisfaction for our sins. This faith God imputes
for righteousness in His sight. Romans 3 and 4.”
Augsburg Confession, IV. #1.
Of Justification. Concordia Triglotta,
St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 45. Tappert, p. 30. Heiser, p.
12f. Apology of the Augsburg Confession
J-527
"The Third Article the adversaries
approve, in which we confess that there are in Christ two natures, namely, a
human nature, assumed by the Word into the unity of His person; and that the
same Christ suffered and died to reconcile the Father to us; and that He was
raised again to reign, and to justify and sanctify believers, etc., according
to the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed."
Apology of the Augsburg
Confession, III. #52. Of Christ,
Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 119.
Romans 4:25; 2 Corinthians 5:19ff. Tapper, p. 107. Heiser, p. 32.
J-528
"Faith is that my whole heart takes
to itself this treasure. It is not my doing, not my presenting or giving, not
my work or preparation, but that a heart comforts itself, and is perfectly
confident with respect to this, namely, that God makes a present and gift to
us, and not we to Him, that He sheds upon us every treasure of grace in
Christ."
Apology of the Augsburg
Confession, IV. #48. Of Justification. Concordia
Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 135. Heiser, p.
36.
J-529
"Now, that faith
signifies, not only a knowledge of the history, but such faith as assents to
the promise, Paul plainly testifies when he says, Romans 4:16: 'Therefore it is
of faith, to the end the promise might be sure.' For he judges that the promise
cannot be received unless by faith. Wherefore he puts them together as things
that belong to one another, and connects promise and faith."
Apology of the Augsburg
Confession, Article IV. #51. Of Justification, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921,
p. 135. Romans 4:16. Tappert, p. 114. Heiser, p. 36.
J-530
"This faith,
encouraging and consoling in these fears, receives remission of sins, justifies
and quickens. For this consolation is a new and spiritual life [a new birth and
a new life]. These things are plain and clear, and can be understood by the
pious, and have testimonies of the Church [as is to be seen in the conversion
of Paul and Augustine]. The adversaries nowhere can say how the Holy Ghost is
given. They imagine that the Sacraments confer the Holy Ghost ex opere operato,
without a good emotion in the recipient, as though, indeed, the gift of the
Holy Ghost were an idle matter." Apology of the Augsburg Confession,
Article IV. #63. Of Justification,, Concordia
Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 139. Tappert, p.
115. Heiser, p. 37.
J-531
"Now we will show that faith [and
nothing else] justifies."
Apology of the Augsburg
Confession, IV. #69. Of Justification. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis:
Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 141. Tappert, p. 116. Heiser, p. 37.
J-532
"But to believe is to trust in the
merits of Christ, that for His sake God certainly wishes to be reconciled with
us. Likewise, just as we ought to maintain that, apart from the Law, the
promise of Christ is necessary, so also is it needful to maintain that faith
justifies. [For the Law does not preach the forgiveness of sin by grace.] For
the Law cannot be performed unless the Holy Ghost be first received. It is,
therefore, needful to maintain that the promise of Christ is necessary. But
this cannot be received except by faith. Therefore, those who deny that faith
justifies, teach nothing but the Law, both Christ and the Gospel being set
aside.”
Apology of the Augsburg
Confession, IV. #69. Of Justification. Concordia
Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. p. 141. Tappert,
p. 116. Heiser, p. 37.
J-533
"We do not believe thus
[that faith is just a beginning of justification] concerning faith, but we
maintain this, that properly and truly, by faith itself, we are for Christ's
sake accounted righteous, or are acceptable to God. And because 'to be
justified' means that out of unjust men just men are made, or born again, it
means also that they are pronounced or accounted just. For Scripture speaks in
both ways. [The term to be justified is used in two ways: to denote, being
converted or regenerated; again, being accounted righteous.] Accordingly we
wish first to show this, that faith alone makes of an unjust, a just man, i.
e., receives remission of sins."
Apology of the Augsburg
Confession, IV. #71-2. Of Justification. Concordia
Triglotta. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 141. Tappert, p.
116f. Heiser, p. 38.
J-534
"But since we receive
remission of sins and the Holy Ghost by faith alone, faith alone justifies,
because those reconciled are accounted righteous and children of God, not on
account of their own purity, but through mercy for Christ's sake, provided only
they by faith apprehend this mercy." Apology of the Augsburg Confession,
IV. #86. Of Justification. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing
House, 1921, p. 147. Tappert, p. 119. Heiser, p. 39.
J-535
"In the Epistle to the Romans, Paul
discusses this topic especially, and declares that, when we believe that God,
for Christ's sake, is reconciled to us, we are justified freely by faith."
Apology of the Augsburg
Confession, IV. #87. Of Justification. Concordia
Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 147. 2
Corinthians 5:19ff. Tappert, p. 119f. Heiser, p. 39.
J-536
"These things are so plain and so
manifest that we wonder that the madness of the adversaries is so great as to
call them into doubt. The proof is manifest that, since we are justified before
God not from the Law, but from the promise, it is necessary to ascribe
justification to faith." Apology of the Augsburg Confession, III. #177. Of
Love and the Fulfilling of the Law. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia
Publishing House, 1921, p. 205. Tappert, p. 153. Heiser, p. 60.
J-537
"Scripture thus uses the term
faith, as the following sentence of Paul testifies, Romans 5:1: Being justified
by faith, we have peace with God. Moreover, in this passage, to justify
signifies, according to forensic usage, to acquit a guilty one and declare him
righteous, but on account of the righteousness of another, namely, of Christ,
which righteousness of another is communicated to us by faith... 1 Corinthians
1:30. Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and
righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. And 2 Corinthians 5:21 For
he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness
of God in him. But because the righteousness of Christ is given us by faith,
faith is for this reason righteousness in us imputatively, i. e., it is that by
which we are made acceptable to God on account of the imputation and ordinance
of God, as Paul says, Romans 4:3, 5: Faith is reckoned for righteousness."
Apology of the Augsburg
Confession, III. #184. Of Love and the Fulfilling of the Law. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis:
Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 205f. Romans 5:1; 2 Corinthians 5:21.
Tappert, p. 154. Heiser, p. 60.
J-538
"But as the Confutation condemns us
for having assigned these two parts to repentance, we must show that [not we,
but] Scripture expresses these as the chief parts in repentance and conversion.
For Christ says, Matthew 11:28: Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest. Here there are two members. The labor and the
burden signify the contrition, anxiety, and terrors of sin and of death. To
come to Christ is to believe that sins are remitted for Christ's sake; when we
believe, our hearts are quickened by the Holy Ghost through the Word of Christ.
Here, therefore, there are these two chief parts, contrition and faith."
Apology of the Augsburg
Confession, Article XII (V). #44. Concordia
Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 263. Matthew
11:28. Tappert, p. 187. Heiser, p. 81.
J-539
“That absolution, however, is not
received except by faith can be proved from Paul, who teaches, Romans 4:16,
that the promise cannot be received except by faith. But absolution is the
promise of the remission of sins [nothing else than the Gospel, the divine
promise of God’s grace and favor]. Therefore, it necessarily requires faith.
Neither do we see how he who does not assent to it may be said to receive
absolution.” Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XII. #61-62. Of Repentance.
Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 269.
Romans 4:16. Tappert, p. 190. Heiser, p. 83. J-540 "The Gospel teaches
that by faith we receive freely, for Christ's sake, the remission of sins and
are reconciled to God."
Apology of the Augsburg
Confession, XV. #5. Human Traditions. Concordia
Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 317. Tappert, p.
215. Heiser, p. 96. The Smalcald Articles
J-541
“Likewise: All have sinned
and are justified without merit [freely, and without their own works or merits]
by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, in His blood,
Romans 3:23f. Now, since it is necessary to believe this, and it cannot be
otherwise acquired or apprehended by any work, law, or merit, it is clear and
certain that this faith alone justifies us, as St. Paul says, Romans 3:28: For
we conclude that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the Law.
Likewise, v. 26: That He might be just, and the Justifier of him which
believeth in Christ.”
Smalcald Articles, The
Second Part, Article I. #4. Concordia
Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 461. Tappert, p.
292. Heiser, p. 137.
J-542
“What I have hitherto and constantly
taught concerning this I know not how to change in the least, namely, that by
faith, as St. Peter says, we acquire a new and clean heart, and God will and
does account us entirely righteous and holy for the sake of Christ, our
Mediator. And although sin in the flesh has not yet been altogether removed or
become dead, yet He will not punish or remember it. And such faith, renewal,
and forgiveness of sins is followed by good works.”
Smalcald Articles, The Third
Part, Article XIII. #1-2. Concordia
Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 499. Tappert, p.
315. Heiser, p. 148.
Martin Luther, on Justification by
Faith, Book of Concord
J-590
"For neither you nor I could ever know anything of
Christ, or believe on Him, and obtain Him for our Lord, unless it were offered
to us and granted to our hearts by the Holy Ghost through the preaching of the
Gospel. The work is done and accomplished; for Christ has acquired and gained
the treasure for us by His suffering, death, resurrection, etc. But if the work
remained concealed so that no one knew of it, then it would be in vain and
lost. That this treasure, therefore, might not lie buried, but be appropriated
and enjoyed, God has caused the Word to go forth and be proclaimed, in which He
gives the Holy Ghost to bring this treasure home and appropriate it to us.
Therefore sanctifying is nothing else than bringing us to Christ to receive
this good, to which we could not attain ourselves."
The Large Catechism, The Creed, Article III, #38, Concordia Triglotta, St.
Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 689. Tappert, p. 415. Heiser, p.
194.
A similar expression of justification by faith, comparing
the Gospel to treasure being distributed by the Holy Spirit, can be found in
one of Luther’s sermons. We can see from many different examples in Luther and
the Book of Concord that justification by faith is based upon the objective
truth of the universal atonement of Christ, with an emphasis upon both
elements, never with one emphasized at the expense of the other.
J-591
"It is a faithful
saying that Christ has accomplished everything, has removed sin and
overcome every enemy, so
that through Him we are lords over all things. But the treasure lies yet in one
pile; it is not yet distributed nor invested. Consequently, if we are to
possess it, the Holy Spirit must come and teach our hearts to believe and say:
I, too, am one of those who are to have this treasure. When we feel that God
has thus helped us and given the treasure to us, everything goes well, and it
cannot be otherwise than that man's heart rejoices in God and lifts itself up,
saying: Dear Father, if it is Thy will to show toward me such great love and
faithfulness, which I cannot fully fathom, then will I also love Thee with all
my heart and be joyful, and cheerfully do what pleases Thee. Thus, the heart
does not now look at God with evil eyes, does not imagine He will cast us into
hell, as it did before the Holy Spirit came..."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker,
Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 279. Pentecost Sunday. John
14:23-31.
J-592
"But outside of this Christian Church, where the
Gospel is not, there is no forgiveness, as also there can be no holiness
[sanctification]. Therefore all who seek and wish to merit holiness [sanctification],
not through the Gospel and forgiveness of sin, but by their works, have
expelled and severed themselves [from this Church]."
The Large Catechism, The Creed, Article III, #56, Concordia Triglotta, St.
Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 693. Tappert, p. 418. Heiser, p.
195.
The Large Catechism
J-543
"Therefore there is here again
great need to call upon God and pray: Dear Father, forgive us our trespasses.
Not as though He did not forgive sin without and even before our prayer (for He
has given us the Gospel, in which is pure forgiveness before we prayed or ever
thought about it). But this is to the intent that we may recognize and accept
[erkennen und annehmen; agnoscamus et accipiamus] such forgiveness. For since
the flesh in which we daily live is of such a nature that it neither trusts nor
believes God, and is ever active in evil lusts and devices, so that we sin
daily in word and deed, by commission and omission, by which the conscience is
thrown into unrest, so that it is afraid of the wrath and displeasure of God,
and thus loses the comfort and confidence derived from the Gospel; therefore it
is ceaselessly necessary that we run hither and obtain consolation to comfort
the conscience again."220
The Large Catechism, The Lord's Prayer,
Fifth Petition, #88-89, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia
Publishing House, 1921, p. 723. Matthew 6:12. Tappert, p. 432. Heiser, p. 202f.
Formula of Concord
J-544
"The third controversy which has
arisen among some theologians of the Augsburg Confession is concerning the
righteousness of Christ or of faith, which God imputes by grace, through faith,
to poor sinners for righteousness."
Formula of Concord, Thorough
Declaration, III. #1. Of the Righteousness of Faith before God. Concordia
Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 917. Tappert, p.
539. Heiser, p. 250.
J-545
"These treasures are offered us by
the Holy Ghost in the promise of the holy Gospel; and faith alone is the only
means by which we lay hold upon, accept, and apply, and appropriate them to
ourselves. This faith is a gift of God, by which we truly learn to know Christ,
our Redeemer, in the Word of the Gospel, and trust in Him, that for the sake of
His obedience alone we have the forgiveness of sins by grace, are regarded as
godly and righteous by God the Father, and are eternally saved."
Formula of Concord, Thorough
Declaration, III. #10. Of the Righteousness of Faith before God. Concordia
Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 919. Tappert, p.
541. Heiser, p. 250.
J-546
"Accordingly, the word justify
here means to declare righteous and free from sins, and to absolve one from
eternal punishment for the sake of Christ's righteousness, which is imputed by
God to faith, Philippians 3:9. For this use and understanding of this word is
common in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament. Proverbs 17:15:
He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both
are abomination to the Lord. Isaiah 5:23: Woe unto them which justify the
wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
Romans 8:33: Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God
that justifieth, that is, absolves from sins and acquits."
Formula of Concord, Thorough
Declaration, III. #17. Of the Righteousness of Faith before God. Concordia
Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 921. Philippians
3:9; Proverbs 17:15; Isaiah 5:23; Romans 8:33. Tappert, p. 541f. Heiser, p.
251.
J-547
"For when man is justified through
faith [which the Holy Ghost alone works], this is truly a regeneration, because
from a child of wrath he becomes a child of God, and thus is transferred from
death to life, as it is written; When we were dead in sins, He hath quickened
us together with Christ, Ephesians 2:5. Likewise: The just shall live by faith,
Romans 1:17; Habakkuk 2:4."
Formula of Concord, Thorough
Declaration, III. #20. Of the Righteousness of Faith before God. Concordia
Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 921. Tappert, p.
542. Heiser, p. 251.
J-548
“But here very good attention must be
given with especial diligence, if the article of justification is to remain
pure, lest that which precedes faith, and that which follows after it, be
mingled together or inserted into the article of justification as necessary and
belonging to it, because it is not one or the same thing to speak of conversion
and of justification. For not everything that belongs to conversion belongs
likewise to the article of justification, in and to which belong and are
necessary only the grace of God, the merit of Christ, and faith, which receives
this in the promise of the Gospel, whereby the righteousness of Christ is
imputed to us, whence we receive and have forgiveness of sins, reconciliation
with God, sonship, and heirship of eternal life. Therefore true, saving faith
is not in those who are without contrition and sorrow, and have a wicked
purpose to remain and persevere in sins; but true contrition precedes, and
genuine faith is in or with true repentance [justifying faith is in those who
repent truly, not feignedly].”
Formula of Concord, Thorough
Declaration, III. #24-26. Of the Righteousness of Faith Before God. Concordia
Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 921. Tappert, p.
543. Heiser, p. 251.
J-549
"Moreover, neither contrition nor
love or any other virtue, but faith alone is the sole means and instrument by which
and through which we can receive and accept the grace of God, the merit of
Christ, and the forgiveness of sins, which are offered us in the promise of the
Gospel."
Formula of Concord, Thorough
Declaration, III. #31. Of the Righteous of Faith before God. Concordia
Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 925. Tappert, p.
544. Heiser, p. 252.
J-550
"Here belongs also what St. Paul
writes Romans 4:3, that Abraham was justified before God by faith alone, for
the sake of the Mediator, without the cooperation of his works, not only when
he was first converted from idolatry and had no good works, but also
afterwards, when he had been renewed by the Holy Ghost, and adorned with many
excellent good works, Genesis 15:6; Hebrews 11:8. And Paul puts the following
questions, Romans 4:1ff.: On what did Abraham's righteousness before God for
everlasting life, by which he had a gracious God, and was pleasing and
acceptable to Him, rest at that time?
Formula of Concord, Thorough
Declaration, III. #33. Of the Righteousness of Faith before God. Concordia
Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 927. Romans 4:3;
Romans 4:1ff; Genesis 15:6; Hebrews 11:8. Tappert, p. 545. Heiser, p. 252.
J-551
"For good works do not precede
faith, neither does sanctification precede justification. But first faith is
kindled in us in conversion by the Holy Ghost from the hearing of the Gospel.
This lays hold of God's grace in Christ, by which the person is justified.
Then, when the person is justified, he is also renewed and sanctified by the
Holy Ghost, from which renewal and sanctification the fruits of good works then
follow."
Formula of Concord, Thorough
Declaration, III. #41, Of the Righteousness of Faith before God. Concordia
Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 929. Tappert, p.
546. Heiser, p. 253.
J-552
“...God in His purpose and counsel
ordained [decreed]: 1. That the human race is truly redeemed and reconciled
with God through Christ, who, by His faultless [innocency] obedience,
suffering, and death, has merited for us the righteousness which avails before
God, and eternal life. 2. That such merit and benefits of Christ shall be
presented, offered, and distributed to us through His Word and Sacraments. 3.
That by His Holy Ghost, through the Word, when it is preached, heard, and
pondered, He will be efficacious and active in us, convert hearts to true
repentance, and preserve them in the true faith. 4. That He will justify all
those who in true repentance receive Christ by a true faith, and will receive
them into grace, the adoption of sons, and the inheritance of eternal
life."
Formula of Concord, Thorough
Declaration, XI. #15. Of God's Eternal Election. Concordia Triglotta, St.
Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 1069. 2 Corinthians 5:19ff.
Tappert, p. 619. Heiser, p. 288. [emphasis added]
J-553
"On this account, as the Augsburg
Confession in Article XI says, we also retain private absolution, and teach
that it is God's command that we believe such absolution, and should regard it
as sure that, when we believe the word of absolution, we are as truly
reconciled to God as though we had heard a voice from heaven, as the Apology
explains this article. This consolation would be entirely taken from us if we
were not to infer the will of God towards us from the call which is made
through the Word and through the Sacraments."
Formula of Concord, Thorough
Declaration, XI. #38. Of God's Eternal Election. Concordia Triglotta,
St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 1075. Tappert, p. 622. Heiser,
p. 289.
Martin Chemnitz, Senior Editor of the
Book of Concord and the Formula of Concord
J-555
"But
when we are speaking of the subject itself, it is certain that the doctrine of
gracious reconciliation, of the remission of sins, of righteousness, salvation,
and eternal life through faith for the sake of the Mediator is one and the same
in the Old and in the New Testament. This is a useful rule which we must retain
at all costs: The doctrine, wherever we read it, in either the Old or New
Testament, which deals with the gracious reconciliation and the remission of
sins through faith for the sake of God's mercy in Christ, is the Gospel."
Martin
Chemnitz, Loci Theologici, 2 vols.,
trans. J. A. O. Preus, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1989, II, p. 459.
"Therefore
God, 'who is rich in mercy' [Ephesians 2:4], has had mercy upon us and has set
forth a propitiation through faith in the blood of Christ, and those who flee
as suppliants to this throne of grace He absolves from the comprehensive
sentence of condemnation, and by the imputation of the righteousness of His
Son, which they grasp in faith, He pronounces them righteous, receives them
into grace, and adjudges them to be heirs of eternal life. This is certainly
the judicial meaning of the word 'justification,' in almost the same way that a
guilty man who has been sentenced before the bar of justice is acquitted."
Martin
Chemnitz, Loci Theologici, 2 vols.,
trans. J. A. O. Preus, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1989, II, p. 482.
Ephesians 2:4
"Yet
these exercises of faith always presuppose, as their foundation, that God is
reconciled by faith, and to this they are always led back, so that faith may be
certain and the promise sure in regard to these other objects. This explanation
is confirmed by the brilliant statement of Paul in 2 Corinthians 1:20: 'All the
promises of God in Christ are yea and amen, to the glory of God through us,'
that is, the promises concerning other objects of faith have only then been
ratified for us when by faith in Christ we are reconciled with God. The
promises have been made valid on the condition that they must give glory to God
through us."
Martin
Chemnitz, Loci Theologici, 2 vols.,
trans. J. A. O. Preus, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1989, II, p. 495.
2 Corinthians 1:20
"Therefore
this apprehension or acceptance or application of the promise of grace is the
formal cause or principle of justifying faith, according to the language of
Scripture."
Martin
Chemnitz, Loci Theologici, 2 vols.,
trans. J. A. O. Preus, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1989, II, p. 502.
"We
must note the foundations. For we are justified by faith, not because it is so
firm, robust, and perfect a virtue, but because of the object on which it lays
hold, namely Christ, who is the Mediator in the promise of grace. Therefore
when faith does not err in its object, but lays hold on that true object,
although with a weak faith, or at least tries and wants to lay hold on Christ,
then there is true faith, and it justifies. The reason for this is demonstrated
in those lovely statements in Philippians 3:12: 'I apprehend, or rather I am
apprehended by Christ' and Galatians 4:9: 'You have known God, or rather have
been known by God.' Scripture shows a beautiful example of this in Mark 9:24:
'I believe; help my unbelief.'"
Martin
Chemnitz, Loci Theologici, 2 vols.,
trans. J. A. O. Preus, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1989, II, p. 503.
Philippians 3:12; Galatians 4:9; Mark 9:24.
"For
we are not justified because of our faith (propter fidem), in the sense of
faith being a virtue or good work on our part. Thus we pray, as did the man in
Mark 9:24: 'I believe, Lord; help my unbelief'; and with the apostles: 'Lord,
increase our faith,' Luke 17:5."
Martin
Chemnitz, Loci Theologici, 2 vols.,
trans. J. A. O. Preus, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1989, II, p. 506
Mark 9:24; Luke 17:5.
"But
because not doubt but faith justifies, and not he who doubts but he who
believes has eternal life, therefore faith teaches the free promise, which
relies on the mercy of God for the sake of the sacrifice of the Son, the
Mediator, and not on our works, as Paul says in Romans 4:16: 'Therefore it is
of faith, that the promise might be sure according to grace.'"
Martin
Chemnitz, Loci Theologici, 2 vols.,
trans. J. A. O. Preus, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1989, II, p. 507.
Romans 4:16
"Thus
when we say that we are justified by faith, we are saying nothing else than
that for the sake of the Son of God we receive remission of sins and are
accounted as righteous. And because it is necessary that this benefit be taken
hold of, this is said to be done 'by faith,' that is, by trust in the mercy
promised us for the sake of Christ. Thus we must also understand the
correlative expression, 'We are righteous by faith,' that is, through the mercy
of God for the sake of His Son we are righteous or accepted."
Melanchthon,
Loci Communes, “The Word Faith.” Cited in Martin Chemnitz, Loci Theologici, 2 vols., trans. J. A. O. Preus, St. Louis:
Concordia Publishing House, 1989, II, p. p. 489.
Jacob Andreae Began the Effort to Create
the Book of Concord
"Concerning
the article on the justification of the poor sinner in God's sight, we believe,
teach, and confess on the basis of God’s Word and the position of our Christian
Augsburg Confession that the poor, sinful person is justified in God's
sight—that is, he is pronounced free and absolved of his sins and receives
forgiveness for them—only through faith, because of the innocent, complete, and
unique obedience and the bitter sufferings and death of our Lord Jesus Christ,
not because of the indwelling, essential righteousness of God or because of his
own good works, which either precede or result from faith. We reject all
doctrines contrary to this belief and confession."
Jacob
Andreae, Confession and Brief Explanation of Certain Disputed Articles. Cited
in Robert Kolb, Andreae and the Formula
of Concord, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1977, p. 58.
"Indeed,
it has been proved more than sufficiently from the Scriptures of the prophets
and apostles in the Old and New Testaments that the righteousness which avails
in God's sight, which poor sinners have for comfort in their worst temptations,
cannot and should not be sought in our own virtues or good works; nor will it
be found there, as was proved above against the papists. Instead, it should be
sought only in Christ the Lord, whom God has made our righteousness and who
saves all believing Christians and makes them righteous through knowledge of
Him."
Jacob
Andreae, The First Sermon, On the Righteousness of Faith in God's Sight. Cited
in Robert Kolb, Andreae and the Formula
of Concord, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1977, p. 67.
"That is enough on the first article
concerning which the theologians of the Augsburg Confession have quarreled with
each other. Although it was a very scandalous controversy, nonetheless God, who
lets nothing evil happen if He cannot make something good out of it, has
produced this benefit for His church through the controversy: The chief article
of our Christian faith, on which our salvation depends, has been made clear, so
that there is not a passage in the Old or New Testament which has not been considered
and discussed."
Jacob
Andreae, The First Sermon, On the Righteousness of Faith in God's Sight. Cited
in Robert Kolb, Andreae and the Formula
of Concord, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1977, p. 76
David Chytraeus, Often Overlooked as a
Formula of Concord Editor
J-593
"How is a person justified before God? This occurs
solely by faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ; that is, freely, not because
of any works or merits of one's own but only because of the one Mediator, Jesus
Christ, who became the sacrificial victim and propitiation on our behalf. By
this sacrifice, man obtained forgiveness of sins and became righteous; that is,
God-pleasing and acceptable. His righteousness was imputed to man for Christ's
sake, and man becomes an heir of eternal life when he believes with certainty
that God gives him these blessings for the sake of His Son."
David Chytraeus, A Summary of the Christian Faith
(1568), trans., Richard Dinda, Decatur: Repristination Press, 1994. p. 105.
"Christian righteousness is the forgiveness of sin,
the imputation of the righteousness of Christ and acceptance to eternal life.
It is free, not the result of any virtues or works but is given solely because
of Christ, the Mediator, and apprehended by faith alone."
David Chytraeus, A Summary of the Christian Faith
(1568), trans., Richard Dinda, Decatur: Repristination Press, 1994. p. 106.
"Scripture therefore uses these words, 'We are justified by faith,' to teach both: 1) What the reason (or merit) for justification is, or what the blessings of Christ are; to wit, that through and for the sake of Christ alone we are granted forgiveness of sins, righteousness and eternal life; and 2. How these should be applied or transferred to us; namely, by embracing the promise and relying on Christ by faith alone."
David Chytraeus, A Summary of the Christian Faith (1568),
trans., Richard Dinda, Decatur: Repristination Press, 1994. p. 107.
