Apology (Part 5): That We Obtain Remission of Sins by Faith Alone in Christ

To attain the remission of sins is to be justified, according to Psalm 32, 1: "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven." By faith alone in Christ, not through love, not because of love or works, do we acquire the remission of sins, although love follows faith. Therefore by faith alone we are justified, understanding justification as the making of a righteous man out of an unrighteous, or that he be regenerated.

Melanchthon now seems to take off his gloves. The emperor and council had made their decision at Augsburg. Thus Melanchthon states the Lutheran position on the very pivotal point of contention-salvation by faith in Christ alone. Such is the positions and debates on this topic that recently the Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church announced agreement in the "Joint Declaration of the Doctrine of Justification." (Note: Many conservative Lutheran bodies, including the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, have NOT joined in this agreement. In essence, the debate goes on.)

Melanchthon refers back to the Psalms to begin his debate. As Paul would also point out in his epistles, the Old Testament believers were saved by faith in the Promise, not by keeping the Law.

It will thus become easy to declare the minor premise [that we obtain forgiveness of sin by faith, not by love] if we know how the remission of sins occurs. The adversaries with great indifference dispute whether the remission of sins and the infusion of grace are the same change [whether they are one change or two]. Being idle men, they did not know what to answer [cannot speak at all on this subject]. In the remission of sins, the terrors of sin and of eternal death, in the heart, must be overcome, as Paul testifies, 1 Corinthians 15, 56 sq.: The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the Law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. That is, sin terrifies consciences, this occurs through the Law, which shows the wrath of God against sin; but we gain the victory through Christ. How? By faith, when we comfort ourselves by confidence in the mercy promised for Christ's sake. Thus, therefore we prove the minor proposition. The wrath of God cannot be appeased if we set against it our own works, because Christ has been set forth as a Propitiator, so that, for His sake, the Father may become reconciled to us.