_That Faith in Christ Justifies._
In the first place, lest any one may think that we speak concerning
an idle knowledge of the history, we must declare how faith is
obtained [how the heart begins to believe]. Afterward we will show
both that it justifies, and how this ought to be understood, and we
will explain the objections of the adversaries. Christ, in the last
chapter of Luke 24, 47, commands that repentance and remission of
sins should be preached in His name. For the Gospel convicts all men
that they are under sin, that they all are subject to eternal wrath
and death, and offers for Christ's sake remission of sin and
justification, which is received by faith. The preaching of
repentance, which accuses us, terrifies consciences with true and
grave terrors. [For the preaching of repentance, or this declaration
of the Gospel: Amend your lives! Repent! When it truly penetrates
the heart, terrifies the conscience, and is no jest, but a great
terror, in which the conscience feels its misery and sin and the
wrath of God.] In these, hearts ought again to receive consolation.
This happens if they believe the promise of Christ, that for His sake
we have remission of sins. 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.
But since we speak of such faith as is not an idle thought, but of
that which liberates from death and produces a new life in hearts
[which is such a new light, life, and force in the heart as to renew
our heart, mind, and spirit, makes new men of us and new creatures,]
and is the work of the Holy Ghost; this does not coexist with mortal
sin [for how can light and darkness coexist?], but as long as it is
present, produces good fruits as we will say after a while. For
concerning the conversion of the wicked, or concerning the mode of
regeneration, what can be said that is more simple and more clear?
Let them, from so great an array of writers, adduce a single
commentary upon the Sententiae that speaks of the mode of
regeneration. When they speak of the habit of love, they imagine
that men merit it through works and they do not teach that it is
received through the Word, precisely as also the Anabaptists teach at
this time. But God cannot be treated with, God cannot be apprehended,
except through the Word. Accordingly, justification occurs through
the Word, just as Paul says, Rom. 1, 16: The Gospel is the power of
God unto salvation to every one that believeth. Likewise 10, 17:
Faith cometh by hearing. And proof can be derived even from this
that faith justifies, because, if justification occurs only through
the Word, and the Word is apprehended only by faith, it follows that
faith justifies. But there are other and more important reasons. We
have said these things thus far in order that we might show the mode
of regeneration, and that the nature of faith [what is, or is not,
faith], concerning which we speak, might be understood.
Now we will show that faith [and nothing else] justifies. Here, in
the first place readers must be admonished of this, that just as it
is necessary to maintain this sentence: Christ is Mediator, so is it
necessary to defend that faith justifies, [without works]. For how
will Christ be Mediator if in justification we do not use Him as
Mediator; if we do not hold that for His sake we are accounted
righteous? 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.
But when it is said that faith justifies, some perhaps understand it
of the beginning, namely, that faith is the beginning of
justification or preparation for justification, so that not faith
itself is that through which we are accepted by God, but the works
which follow; and they dream, accordingly, that faith is highly
praised, because it is the beginning. For great is the importance of
the beginning, as they commonly say, _Archae aemioy pantos_, The
beginning is half of everything; just as if one would say that
grammar makes the teachers of all arts, because it prepares for other
arts, although in fact it is his own art that renders every one an
artist. We do not believe thus 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.
The particle alone offends some, although even Paul says, Rom. 3, 28:
We conclude that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of
the Law. Again, Eph. 2, 8: It is the gift of God; not of works, lest
any man should boast. Again, Rom. 3, 24: Being justified freely. If
the exclusive alone displeases, let them remove from Paul also the
exclusives freely, not of works, it is the gift, etc. For these also
are [very strong] exclusives. It is, however, the opinion of merit
that we exclude. We do not exclude the Word or Sacraments, as the
adversaries falsely charge us. For we have said above that faith is
conceived from the Word, and we honor the ministry of the Word in the
highest degree. Love also and works must follow faith. Wherefore,
they are not excluded so as not to follow, but confidence in the
merit of love or of works is excluded in justification. And this we
will clearly show.