To reject the promise that sins are freely forgiven for Christ's sake is to abolish the Gospel...

In order for the subject to be made quite clear, we have shown well enough so far, both from testimonies of Scripture and arguments derived from Scripture, that we receive forgiveness of sins for Christ's sake through faith alone.  We have shown that through faith alone we are justified, that is, unrighteous people are made righteous, or regenerated.  How necessary the knowledge of this faith is can be easily judged.  Because Christ's office is recognized in this alone, we receive Christ's benefits by this alone.  Only this teaching brings sure and firm consolation to pious minds.  In the Church there must be teaching by which the pious may receive the sure hope of salvation.  For the adversaries give people bad advice when they tell them to doubt whether they receive forgiveness of sins.  How will such persons sustain themselves in death who have heard nothing of this faith and think that they ought to doubt whether they receive forgiveness of sins?  Besides, it is necessary that the Gospel be kept in Christ's Church, namely, the promise that sins are freely forgiven for Christ's sake.  Those who teach nothing of this faith we speak about, completely abolish the Gospel.  But the Scholastics mention not even a word about this faith. Our adversaries follow them and reject this faith.  Nor do they see that by rejecting this faith they abolish the entire promise about the free forgiveness of sins and the righteousness of Christ.
~BOC, AP, IV (II), 117-121.

Faith is a work of the Holy Spirit, by which we are freed from death and terrified minds are encouraged and brought to life...

Truly it is amazing that the adversaries are in no way moved by so many passages of Scripture, which clearly credit justification to faith.  Indeed, Scripture denies this ability to works.  Do they think that the same point is repeated so often for no purpose?  Do they think that these words fell thoughtlessly from the Holy Spirit?  But they have also come up with sophisticated tricks by which they escape these passages.  They say that these passages of Scripture (that speak of faith) ought to be received as referring to faith that has been formed (fides formata).  This means they do not credit justification to faith in any way, but only to love, because they dream that faith can coexist with mortal sin.  Where does this go?  They again abolish the promise and return to the Law.  If faith receives forgiveness of sins because of love, forgiveness of sins will always be uncertain, because we never love as much as we ought to.  Indeed, we do not love unless our hearts are firmly convinced that forgiveness of sins has been granted to us.  So the adversaries, in forgiveness of sins and justification, require confidence in one's love.  In this way, they completely abolish the Gospel about the free forgiveness of sins; although, at the same time, they do not offer this love or understand it, unless they believe that forgiveness of sins is freely received.

We also say that love ought to follow faith, as Paul says in Galatians 5:6: "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love."

Yet, we must not think that by confidence in this love, or because of this love, we receive forgiveness of sins and reconciliation, just as we do not receive forgiveness of sins because of the works that follow.  But forgiveness of sins is received by faith alone.  Indeed, this is properly called faith because the promise cannot be received except by faith.  Faith, properly called, is what believes this promise.  Scripture speaks of this faith.  Because faith receives forgiveness of sins and reconciles us to God, we are (like Abraham) counted as righteous for Christ's sake before we love and before we do the works of the Law, although love necessarily follows.

Nor, indeed, is this faith an idle knowledge, neither can it coexist with mortal sin.  It is a work of the Holy Spirit, by which we are freed from death and terrified minds are encouraged and brought to life.  Because this faith alone receives forgiveness of sins, makes us acceptable to God, and brings the Holy Spirit, it could be more correctly called "grace making one pleasing to God" (gratia gratum faciens).  It could not be called an effect following faith (i.e., love).
~BOC, AP, IV (II), 107-116

To deny that faith justifies teaches nothing but the Law, setting aside both Christ and the Gospel...

... Just as it is necessary to keep this statement—Christ as Mediator—so it is necessary to defend that faith justifies.  For how will Christ be Mediator if we do not use Him as Mediator in justification, if we do not hold that we are counted righteous for His sake?  To believe is to trust in Christ's merits, that for His sake God certainly wishes to be reconciled with us.  Here is a similar point:  Just as we should defend that the promise of Christ is necessary apart from the Law, so also should we defend that faith justifies.  For the Law cannot be performed unless the Holy Spirit is received first.  It is, therefore, necessary to defend that the promise of Christ is necessary.  But this cannot be received except through faith.  Therefore those who deny that faith justifies teach nothing but the Law, both Christ and the Gospel being set aside.
~BOC, Apology, IV (II), 69-70

Virginity is a more excellent gift than marriage, but for Christ's sake each person receives the forgiveness of sins and through faith is regarded righteous before God...

We are justified neither because of virginity nor because of marriage, but freely for Christ's sake, when we believe that for His sake God is merciful to us.  Here perhaps they will cry out that, like Jovinian, marriage is made equal to virginity.  But, because of such racket, we will not reject the truth about the righteousness of faith, which we explained before.  Yet we do not make virginity and marriage equal. For just as one gift excels another, as prophecy surpasses power of speech, the science of military affairs excels agriculture, and power of speech excels architecture, so virginity is a more excellent gift than marriage. Just as a public speaker is no more righteous before God because of his ability to speak than an architect because of his skill in architecture, so a virgin does not merit justification by virginity more than a married person merits it by conjugal duties.  Each person should faithfully serve in his own gift and believe that for Christ's sake he receives the forgiveness of sins and through faith is regarded righteous before God.

Neither does Christ or Paul praise virginity because it justifies, but because it is freer and less distracted with domestic occupations, in praying, teaching, and serving.  For this reason Paul says, "The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord" (I Corinthians 7:32).  Virginity, therefore, is praised because of mediation and study.

~BOC, AP, XXIII (XI), 36-40

We receive justification by faith in Jesus Christ, through the Word of God and as a Work of the Holy Spirit...

Christ, in the last chapter of Luke, commands "that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name" (24:27).  The Gospel convicts all people that they are under sin, that they are subject to eternal wrath and death.  It offers, for Christ's sake, forgiveness of sin and justification, which is received through faith.  The preaching of repentance (which accuses us) terrifies consciences with true and grave terrors.  In these matters, hearts ought to receive consolation again.  This happens if they believe Christ's promise, that for His sake we have forgiveness of sins.  This faith, encouraging and consoling in these fears, receives forgiveness of sins, justifies, and gives life.  For this consolation is a new birth and spiritual life.  These things are plain and clear and can be understood by the pious.  They also have testimonies of the Church.  The adversaries cannot say how the Holy Spirit is given.  They imagine that the Sacraments give the Holy Spirit by the outward act (ex opere operato), without a good emotion in the one receiving them, as though, indeed, the gift of the Holy Spirit were a useless manner.

We speak of the kind of faith that is not an idle thought, but that liberates from death and produces a new life in hearts.  This is the work of the Holy Spirit.  This does not coexist with mortal sin.  As long as faith is present, it produces good fruits, as we will explain later.  About the conversion of the wicked, or about the way of regeneration, what can be said that is simpler or clearer?  Let the Scholastics, from so great a host of writers, produce a single commentary upon the Sentences that speaks about the way of regeneration.  When they speak of the habit of love, they imagine that people merit it through works.  They do not teach that it is received through the Word.  They teach just like the Anabaptists teach at this time.  But God cannot be interacted with, God cannot be grasped, except through the Word.  So justification happens through the Word, just as Paul says in Romans 1:16. "[The Gospel] is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes."  Likewise, he says in 10:17, "Faith comes from hearing."  Proof can be derived even from this:  faith justifies because, if justification happens only through the Word, and the Word is understood only by faith, it follows that faith justifies.
~BOC, AP, IV (II), 61-68

We must always run back to the promise...

Paul knows that through faith he is counted righteous for Christ's sake, according to the passage "Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven" (Psalm 32:1).  But this forgiveness is always received through faith.  Likewise, the credit for the righteousness of the Gospel comes from the promise.  Therefore, it is always received through faith.  It must always be regarded as certain that we are counted righteous through faith for Christ's sake.  If the regenerate afterward think that they will be accepted because of the the fulfilling of the Law, when would a conscience be certain that it pleased God?  We never satisfy the Law!  So we must always run back to the promise.  Our infirmity must be recognized in this manner.
~BOC, AP, V (III), 42-44

Faith means not merely knowledge of, but also belief in the purpose of history...

Faith means not only a knowledge of the history, but the kind of faith that believes in the promise.  Paul plainly testifies about this when he says in Romans 4:16, "That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed."  He judges that the promise cannot be received unless it come through faith. Therefore, he puts them together as things that belong to one another.  He connects the promise and faith.  It will be easy to decide what faith is if we consider the Creed, where this article certainly stands: the forgiveness of sins.  It is not enough to believe that Christ was born, suffered, was raised again, unless we add also this article, which is the purpose of the history: the forgiveness of sins. I mean that because of Christ, and not become of our merits, forgiveness of sins is given to us. For what need was there that Christ was given for our sins if our merits can make satisfaction for our sins?
~BOC, AP, IV (II), 50-52

The outward act of the Lord's Supper does not give grace...

We showed in our Confession our belief that the Lord's Supper does not give grace by the outward act (ex opera operato) and that, when applied on behalf of others, alive or dead, it does not merit for them the forgiveness of sins, guilt, or punishment by the outward act.  This position is supported by a clear and firm proof.  It is impossible to receive the forgiveness of our sins because of our own work by the outward act.  The terrors of sin and death must be overcome through faith when we comfort our hearts with the knowledge of Christ and believe that for His sake we are forgiven and that His merits and righteousness are granted to us, "since we have been justified by faith, we have peace" (Romans 5:1). These things are so sure and so firm that they can stand against the gates of hell.
~BOC, AP, XXIV (XII)11-12

Even the Prophets and the Psalms teach free mercy and forgiveness of sins by faith...

Throughout the Prophets and the Psalms this worship (this latreia) is highly praised, even though the Law does not teach the free forgiveness of sins.  The Old Testament Fathers knew the promise about Christ, that God for Christ's sake wanted to forgive sins.  They understood that Christ would be the price for our sins.  They knew that our works are not a price for so great a matter.  So they received free mercy and forgiveness of sins by faith, just as the saints in the New Testament.  To this point belong those frequent repetitions about free mercy and forgiveness of sins by faith that appear in the Psalms and the Prophets.  For example, Psalm 130:3 says, "If You, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?"  Here David confesses his sins and does not list his merits.  He adds, "But with You there is forgiveness" (v.4). Here he comforts himself by his trust in God's mercy, and he refers to the promise, "I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I hope" (v. 5).  This means, "Because You have promised the forgiveness of sins, I am sustained by Your promise."  Therefore, the Fathers also were justified, not by the Law, but by the promise and faith.  It is amazing that the adversaries diminish faith to such a degree, even though they see that it is everywhere praised as a great service.  For example, Psalm 50:15 says, "Call upon Me in the day of troubles; I will deliver you."  God wants Himself to be known.  He wants Himself to be worshipped, so that we receive benefits from Him and receive them because of His mercy, not because of our merits.  This is the richest consolation in all afflictions.  The adversaries band such consolation when they diminish and disparage faith and teach only that by means of works and merits people interact with God.
~BOC, AP, IV (II), 57-60

Preaching and faith are our daily sacrifice...

They also cite the daily sacrifice.  Just as there was a daily sacrifice in the Law,  so the Mass should be a daily sacrifice of the New Testament.  The adversaries have made out well if we allow ourselves to be overcome by allegories.  Clearly allegories do not produce firm proof.  We readily allow the Mass to be understood as a daily sacrifice, as long as that includes the entire Mass:  the ceremony with the preaching of the Gospel, faith, invocation, and thanksgiving.  Joined together, these are a daily sacrifice of the New Testament because the ceremony of the Mass, or the Lord's Supper, was set up because of these things.  The Mass is not to be separated from them.  So Paul says, "For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes" (I Corinthians 11:26).  But it cannot be shown from this Levitical type that a ceremony justifying by the outward work (ex opere operato) is necessary, or should be applied on behalf of others, that it may merit the forgiveness of sins for them.

The type represents appropriately not only the ceremony, but also the preaching of the Gospel.  In Numbers 28:4-8, three parts of that daily sacrifice are represented:  the burning of the lamb, the drink offering, and the offering of wheat flour.  The Law had pictures or shadows of future things.  So Christ and the entire worship of the New Testament are shown in this picture.  The burning of the lamb illustrates Christ's death.  The drink offering illustrates that everywhere in the entire world, by the preaching of the Gospel, believers are sprinkled with the blood of that Lamb, that is, sanctified.  Peter says, "In the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with His blood" (I Peter 1:2).  The offering of wheat flour means faith, prayer, and thanksgiving in hearts.  Therefore, in the Old Testament, the shadow is discerned.  In the New, the thing illustrated should be sought, and not another type, as sufficient for a sacrifice.

Although a ceremony is a memorial of Christ's death, it alone is not the daily sacrifice.  The memory itself is the daily sacrifice, that is, preaching and faith.  Faith truly believes that, by Christ's death, God has been reconciled.  A drink offering is required, that is, the effect of preaching, in order that, being sprinkled by the Gospel with the blood of Christ, we may be sanctified, as those put to death and made alive.  Offerings are also required, that is, thanksgiving, confession, and troubles.
~BOC, AP, XXIV (XII), 35-38

Human wisdom gazes at the Law and seeks justification in it rather than the foolishness of Christ crucified for us...

The adversaries base justification on love because they everywhere teach and require the righteousness of the Law.  We cannot deny that love is the Law's highest work.  Human wisdom gazes at the Law and seeks justification in it.  So the scholastic doctors, great and talented men, proclaim love as the Law's highest work and base justification on this work.  Deceived by human wisdom, they did not look upon the uncovered, but upon the veiled face of Moses, just like the Pharisees, philosophers, and followers of Muhammad.  But we preach the foolishness of the Gospel, in which another righteousness is revealed: for Christ's sake as the Atonement, we are counted righteous when we believe that God has been reconciled to us for Christ's sake.  Neither are we ignorant about how far distant this teaching is from the judgement of reason and the Law.  Nor are we ignorant that the Law's teaching about love makes a much greater show.  For it is wisdom.  But we are not ashamed of the Gospel's foolishness.  We defend this truth for the sake of Christ's glory and ask Christ, by His Holy Spirit, to help up so that we may be able to make this clear and obvious.
~BOC, AP, V (III), 108-109

Faith, not love, justifies...

From these statements we hope that it is clear both what faith is and that we are justified,  reconciled, and regenerated through faith.  We are compelled to hold on to these teachings because we want to teach the righteousness of the Gospel, not the righteousness of the Law.  For those who teach that we are justified by love teach the righteousness of the Law.  They do not teach us in justification to trust in Christ as Mediator.  These things are also clear.  We overcome the terrors of sin and death not through love, but through faith.  For we cannot set up our love and fulfilling of the Law against God's wrath, because Paul says, "Through [Christ] we have also obtained access [to God] by faith" (Romans 5:2).  We often emphasize this sentence so that we are understood. The sentence shows most clearly our whole argument and, when carefully considered, can teach abundantly about the whole matter.  It can console good minds.  So, it is helpful to have it at hand and in sight, that we may be able to set it against the doctrine of our adversaries.  They teach that we come to God not through faith, but through love and merits, without Christ as Mediator.  This sentence also helps us when we fear, so that we may cheer ourselves and exercise faith.  This is also clear.  We cannot keep the Law without Christ's aid.  He Himself says, "Apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).  So, before we keep the Law, our hearts must be born again through faith.
~BOC, AP, V (III), 192-194

We must not enact traditions, in addition to the Gospel, as if they are acts of forgiveness or righteousness...

We must keep in the Church the doctrine that we receive the forgiveness of sins freely for Christ's sake, through faith.  We must also keep the doctrine that human traditions are useless services and, therefore, neither sin nor righteousness should be placed in meat, drink, clothing, and like things.  Christ wished the use of such things to be left free, since He says, "It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person" (Matthew 15:11); and Paul says, "The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking" (Romans 14:17).  Therefore, the bishops have no right to enact traditions in addition to the Gospel, so that people must merit the forgiveness of sins, or that they think are services that God approves as righteousness. They must not burden consciences (as though it were a sin to leave such observances undone).  All this is taught by that one passage in Acts 15:9, where the apostles (Peter) say that hearts are cleansed through faith.  Then they prohibit the imposing of a yoke and show how great a danger this is, and multiply the sin of those who burden the Church.  "Why do you tempt God?" they say.  Our adversaries are not terrified even by this thunderbolt.  They defend traditions and godless opinions with violence.
~BOC, AP, XXVIII (XIV), 7-8

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

Justifying faith is the promise, grace, and Christ's merits as the price and atonement...

Whenever we speak of justifying faith, we must keep in mind that these three objects belong together:  the promise, grace, and Christ's merits as the price and atonement.  The promise is received through faith.  Grace excludes our merits and means that the benefit is offered only through mercy.  Christ's merits are the price, because there must be a certain atonement for our sins.  Scripture freely cries out for mercy; the Holy Fathers often say that we are saved by mercy.  Therefore, whenever mercy is mentioned, we must keep in mind that faith, which receives the promise of mercy, is required there.  Again, whenever we speak about faith, we want an object of faith to be understood, namely the promised mercy.  For faith justifies and saves, not because it is a worthy work in itself, but only because it receives the promised mercy.
~BOC, AP, IV (II), 53-56

The worship and divine service of the Gospel is to receive gifts from God...

But because Christ's righteousness is given to us through faith, faith is righteousness credited to us.  In other words, it is that by which we are made acceptable to God on account of the credit and ordinance of God, as Paul says, "Faith is counted as righteousness" (Romans 4:3,5).  Although, because certain hard-to-please people, we must say technically:  Faith is truly righteousness, because it is obedience to the Gospel.  For it is clear that obedience to the command of a superior is truly a kind of distributive justice.  This obedience to the Gospel is credited for righteousness. So, only become of this--because we grasp Christ as the Atoning Sacrifice--are good works, or obedience to the Law, pleasing.  We do not satisfy the Law, but for Christ's sake this is forgiven us, as Paul says, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). This faith gives God the honor, give God that which is His own.  By receiving the promises of God, it obeys Him.  Just as Paul also says, "No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God" (Romans 4:20).  So the worship and divine service of the Gospel is to receive gifts from God.  On the contrary, the worship of the Law is to offer and present our gifts to God.  However, we can offer nothing to God unless we have first been reconciled and born again. This passage, too, brings the greatest comfort, as the chief worship of the Gospel is to desire to receive the forgiveness of sins, grace, and righteousness.
~BOC, AP, V (III), 186-189

All confidence is empty, except confidence in mercy...

In the Lord's Prayer the saints ask for the forgiveness of sins.  Therefore, even the saints have sins.  The innocent shall not be innocent.

"For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a Jealous God." (Deuteronomy 4:24)

"Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord." (Zechariah 2:13)

"All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.  The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it." (Isaiah 40:6-7)

Namely, flesh and righteousness of the flesh cannot endure God's judgment.  Jonah 2:8 also says, "Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hopes of steadfast love," that is, all confidence is empty, except confidence in mercy.  Mercy delivers us; our own merits, our own efforts, do not.  So Daniel also prays:

"For we do not present our pleas before You because of our righteousness, but because of Your great mercy.  O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive.  O Lord, pay attention and act.  Delay not, for Your own sake, O my God, because Your city and Your people are called by Your name." (Daniel 9:18-19)

So Daniel teaches us in praying to seize mercy, that is, to trust in God's mercy not our own merits before God.
~BOC, AP, V (III), 208-210

Works pursued for righteousness obscure Christ's glory, bring terror, and obscure knowledge of God...

In this way good works ought to follow faith.  Yet people who cannot believe and be sure that they are freely forgiven for Christ's sake, and that freely they have a reconciled God for Christ's sake, use works in a far different way.  When they see the works of saints, they judge in a human way that saints have merited forgiveness of sins and grace through these works.  So they imitate them, thinking that through similar works they merit forgiveness of sins and grace.  They think that through these works they appease God's wrath and are counted righteous for the sake of these works.  We condemn this godless opinion about works.  In the first place, it hides Christ glory when people offer to God these works as a price and atonement.  This honor, due to Christ alone, is credited to our works.  Second, they do not find peace of conscience in these works.  in true terrors, heaping up works upon works, they eventually despair because they find no work important and precious enough.  The Law always accuses and produces wrath.  Third, such persons never attain the knowledge of God, who judges and afflicts them. They never believe that they are heard.  But faith shows God's presence, since it is certain that God freely forgives and hears us.
~BOC, AP, V (III), 82-84