The Church is those who hear the voice of their Shepherd...

We do not agree with them that they are the Church.  They are not the Church.  Nor will we listen to those things that, under the name of Church, they command or forbid.  Thank God, today a seven-year-old child knows what the Church is, namely, the holy believers and lambs who hear the voice of their Shepherd.  For the children pray, "I believe in one holy Christian Church."  This holiness does not come from albs, tonsures, long gowns, and other ceremonies they made up without Holy Scripture, but from God's Word and true faith.
~BOC, SA, III, XII, 1-3

The cause of our sin is our own will...

Our churches teach that although God creates and preserves nature, the cause of sin is located in the will of the wicked, that is, the devil and ungodly people.  Without God's help, this will turns itself away from God, as Christ says, "When he lies, he speaks out of his own character" (John 8:44).
~BOC, AC, XIX

Repentance holds contrition and faith...

We have declared why we assigned these two parts, contrition and faith, to repentance.  We have done this willingly.  Many writings about repentance are published that cite the fathers in a butchered way,  The adversaries have distorted these to put faith out of sight.  Among these are, "Repentance is to lament past evils, and not to commit again deeds that ought to be lamented."  Again, "Repentance is a kind of vengeance of him who grieves, thus punishing in himself what he is sorry for having committed."  In these passages, no mention is made of faith.  Not even in the schools, when they interpret them, is anything added about faith.  Therefore, in order that the doctrine of faith might be clearer, we have named it among the parts of repentance. For experience shows that those passages are dangerous that require contrition or good works, and make no mention of justifying faith.  Caution can justly be desired in those who have collected these centos of the Sentences and decrees.  Since the Fathers speak in some places about one part of repentance, and in other places about another part, it would have been good to select and combine their judgement not only about one part but about both, that is, about contrition and faith.

...

Therefore, there are sentences written by the Fathers not only about contrition and works, but also about faith.  But the adversaries, since they understand neither the nature of repentance nor the language of the Fathers, select passages about a part of repentance, namely, about works.  They overlook the declarations made elsewhere about faith, since they do not understand them.
~BOC, AP, XII (V), 91-93, 97

That the works of God might be displayed in us...

Job is excused though he was not troubled by past evil deeds.  Therefore, troubles are not always punishments or signs of wrath.  Indeed, terrified consciences should be taught that there are more important purposed for afflictions, so that they do not think God is rejecting them when they see nothing but God's punishment and anger in troubles.  The other more important purposes are to be considered, that is, that God is doing His strange work so that He may be able to do His own work, as Isaiah 28 teaches in a long speech.  When the disciples asked about the blind man who sinned, Christ replies that the cause of his blindness is not sin, but that "the works of God might be displayed in him" (John 9:2-3).  In Jeremiah it is said, "If those who did not deserve to drink the cup must drink it..." (49:12).  So the prophets, John the Baptist, and other saints were killed.  Therefore, troubles are not always punishments for certain past deeds, but they are God's works, intended for our benefit, and that God's power might be made more apparent in our weakness.
~BOC, AP, XII (VI), 61-63

Absolution, a Sacrament of repentance...

Furthermore, the Power of the Keys administers and presents the Gospel through Absolution, which is the true voice of the Gospel.  We also include Absolution when we speak of faith, because "faith comes from hearing," as Paul says in Romans 10:17.  When the Gospel is heard and the Absolution is heard, the conscience is encouraged and receives comfort.  Because God truly brings a person to life through the Word, the Keys truly forgive sins before God.  According to Luke 10:16, "The one who hears you hears Me."  Therefore, the voice of the one absolving must be believed no differently than we would believe a voice from heaven.  Absolution can properly be called a Sacrament of repentance, as even the more learned scholastic theologians say.  Meanwhile, in temptations this faith is nourished in a variety of ways: through the declaration of the Gospel and the use of the Sacraments.  For these are signs of the New Testament, that is, signs of the forgiveness of sins.  They offer the forgiveness of sins as the words of the Lord's Supper clearly testify, "This is My body, which is given for you.  This is the cup of the New Testament," and so on.  So faith is conceived and strengthened through Absolution, through the hearing of the Gospel, through the use of the Sacraments, so that it may not give in to the terrors of sin and death while it struggles.  This method of repentance is plain and clear.  It increases the worth of the Power of the Keys and of the Sacraments. It illumines Christ's benefit and teaches us to make use of Christ as Mediator and the Atoning Sacrifice.

~BOC, AP, XII (V), 39-43

Our righteousness rests alone on Christ the Lord...

In our churches it is acknowledged among the theologians of the Augsburg Confession that all our righteousness is to be sought outside the merits, works, virtues, and worthiness of ourselves and all people.  Our righteousness rests alone on Christ the Lord.  Therefore, how Christ is called our Righteousness in this matter of justification must be carefully considered.  I mean, that our righteousness rest on one or the other nature in Christ, but on Christ's entire person, who as God and man is our Righteousness in His only, entire, and complete obedience.
~BOC, FSD, III, 55

Renewal and sanctification also do not belong in the article or matter of justification...

In the same way, renewal and sanctification also do not belong in the article or matter of justification before God, even though it is a benefit of the Mediator, Christ, and a work of the Holy Spirit.  Sanctification follows justification since, on account of our corrupt flesh, sanctification is not entirely perfect and complete in this life.  Dr. Luther write well about this in his beautiful and large commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians, in which he says the following:

We concede that good works and love must also be taught; but this must be in its proper time and place, that is, when the question has to do with works, apart from this chief doctrine.  But here the point at issue is how we are justified and attain eternal life.  To this we answer with Paul:  We are pronounced righteous solely by faith in Christ, not by the works of the Law or by love.  This is not because we reject works or love, as our adversaries accuses us of doing, but because we refuse to let ourselves be distracted from the principal point at issue here, as Satan is trying to do so.  So since we are now dealing with the topic of justification, we reject and condemn works; for this topic will not allow of any discussion of good works.  On this issue, therefore, we simply cut off all laws and all works of the Law. (LW 26:137)
~BOC, FSD, III, 28-29

Not every thing that belongs in conversion also belongs in the article of justification...

If the article of justification is to remain pure, the greatest attention must be given with special diligence.  Otherwise, what comes before faith, and what follows after it, will be mixed together or inserted into the article of justification as necessary and belonging to it.  For it is not one and the same thing to talk about conversion and to talk about justification.

Not every thing that belongs in conversion also belongs in the article of justification.  Only God's grace, Christ's merit, and faith belong and are necessary to the article of justification.  Faith receives these blessings in the promise of the Gospel, by which Christ's righteousness is credited to us.  From this we receive and have forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, sonship, and are made heirs of eternal life.
~BOC, FSD, III, 24-25

The Holy Spirit brings to us the treasures of forgiveness, sonship, and inheritance of eternal life...

We unanimously believe, teach, and confess the following about the righteousness of faith before God, in accordance with the comprehensive summary of our faith and confession presented above.  A poor sinful person is justified before God, that is, absolved and declared free and exempt from all his sins and from the sentence of well-deserved condemnation, and is adopted into sonship and inheritance of eternal life, without any preceding, present, or subsequent works, out of pure grace, because of the sole merit, complete obedience, bitter suffering, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ alone. His obedience is credited to us for righteousness.

These treasures are brought to us by the Holy Spirit in the promise of the Holy Gospel.  Faith alone is the only means through which we lay hold on, accept, apply, and take them for ourselves.  This faith is God's gift, by which we truly learn to know Christ, our Redeemer, in the Word of the Gospel and trust in Him.  We trust that for the sake of His obedience alone we have the forgiveness of sins by grace, are regarded as godly and righteousness by God the Father, and are eternally saved.
~BOC, FSD, III, 9-11

The Gospel promise gives troubled hearts sure consolation...

Troubled hearts should have a firm, sure consolation.  Also, due honor should be given to Christ's merit and God's grace.  Therefore, the Scriptures teach that the righteousness of faith before God stands only in the gracious reconciliation or the forgiveness of sins, which is presented to us out of pure grace, only for the sake of the merit of Mediator, Christ.  This is received through faith alone in the Gospel promise.
~BOC, FSD, III, 30