WHY GRACE THROUGH FAITH?
Historic Reformation teaching stresses that salvation is God's gracious gift through Christ, received by faith rather than earned by human merit. Protestant accounts of justification and sanctification differ.
Historical context
The Augsburg Confession is a Lutheran witness to justification; Reformed, Anglican, Methodist, and other Protestant accounts do not all use identical language. Article VI immediately connects faith with the new obedience of good works.
Avoid overclaiming
Do not contrast 'Protestant grace' with 'Catholic or Orthodox self-salvation'. Read Augsburg IV with VI: its rejection of reliance on works for justification is paired with the necessary fruit of faith.
Strongest alternative reading
Catholic and Orthodox teaching also rejects salvation earned independently of God's grace. The disagreements concern the meaning of justification, faith's relation to love and obedience, sacramental life, and grace-enabled cooperation. Lutheran, Reformed, and Wesleyan accounts also differ in important ways.
Key points
- Christ's saving work
- the Reformation's justification debates
- trust in Christ rather than human merit
Common questions
- Does 'justify' name acceptance, transformation, vindication, or connected aspects in the argument?
- How does this account explain both the gift of grace and the call to good works?
Scripture
- Ephesians 2:1-10
- Romans 3:21-31
- James 2:14-26
- Philippians 2:12-13
Primary sources
Article IV states that people:
The Lutheran Augsburg Confession says people are justified for Christ's sake through faith.
are freely justified for Christ’s sake, through faith
Passage context and translation
A Lutheran confession in a Reformation dispute; it is not the wording of every Protestant denomination.
Before the excerpt
by their own strength, merits, or works, but
After the excerpt
when they believe that they are received into favor