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.

All Scripture, including the doctrine of election, is written for us, not to be driven to despair, but to have hope...

This eternal election or ordination of God to eternal life must not be considered in God's secret, mysterious counsel in a simple-minded way.  It is not as though election included nothing further, or nothing more belonged to it, or nothing more were to be considered in it, that that God foresaw who and how many were to be saved and who and how many were to be damned.  Nor should we think that He only held a sort of military muster, such as, "This one shall be saved, that one shall be damned; this one shall remain steadfast in faith to the end, that one shall not remain steadfast."

From this notion many get and imagine strange, dangerous, and deadly thoughts.  These cause and strengthen either self-confidence and lack of repentance or hopelessness and despair.  So people fall into troublesome thoughts, and say, "Before the foundation of the world was laid" (Ephesians 1:4), God has foreknown His elect to salvation.  And God's foreknowledge cannot fail or be hindered or changed by anyone.  In view of this, if I am elected to salvation, nothing can hurt me, even if I perform all sorts of shameful sins without repentance, have no regard for the Word and Sacraments, concern myself neither with repentance, faith, prayer, or godliness.  I will and must still be saved, because God's foreknowledge must come to pass. If, however, I am not foreknown, nothing helps me anyway, even though I busy myself with the Word, repent, believe, and so on.  For I cannot hinder or change God's foreknowledge."

In fact, even when godly hearts have repentance, faith, and good intentions to live by God's grace in a godly way, thoughts like these arise:  "If you are not foreknown from eternity to salvation, your every effort and entire labor is no help."  This happens especially when they see their weakness and the examples of those who have not persevered, but have fallen away again.

Against this false delusion and thought we should set up the following clear argument, which is sure and cannot fail:  All Scripture is inspired by God.  It is not for self-confidence and lack of repentance, but "for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16).  Also, everything in God's Word has been written for us, not so that we should be driven to despair by it, but so that "through the encouragement of Scriptures we might have hope" (Romans 15:4).  Therefore, there is no question that lack of repentance or despair should not in any way be caused or strengthened by the sound sense or right use of this teaching about God's eternal foreknowledge.  The Scriptures teach this doctrine only to direct us to the Word to encourage repentance and godliness, and to strengthen faith and assure us of our salvation.
~BOC, FSD, XI, 9-12

The doctrine of election provides glorious consolation under the cross and amid temptations...

Furthermore, this doctrine provides glorious consolation under the cross and amid temptations.  In other words, God in His counsel, before the time of the world, determined and decreed that He would assist us in all distresses.  He determined to grant patience, give consolation, nourish and encourage hope, and produce an outcome for us that would contribute to our salvation.  Also, Paul teaches this in a very consoling way.  He explains that God in His purpose has ordained before the time of the world by what crosses and sufferings He would conform every one of His elect to the image of His Son.  His cross shall and must work together for good for everyone, because they are called according to God's purpose.  Therefore, Paul has concluded that it is certain and beyond doubt that neither "tribulation, or distress" neither "death nor life," or other such things "will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (See Romans 8:28, 29, 35, 38, 39.)
~BOC, FSD, XI, 48-49