BWC3h: Justification through the Word; Faith Alone

      This continues from Part BWC3g in a series (Table of Contents in Part BWC1) presenting Walther's edition of Baier's Compendium of Positive Theology. — This segment continues Chapter V, Justification. It is practically the pinnacle of Walther's quotes on the "article on which the Church stands or falls".— From pages 258-278: 

Notable Quotes: (Italics follow the original. All quotes not from Baier are from Walther's additions of quotes from third parties. Authors are indicated in bold text. Red text indicates my comments.)

260: Chemnitz: "There is a twofold instrumental cause: 1. teaching, revealing, offering…this is the voice of the gospel and the use of the sacraments or, as the ancients speak, the vocal and visible Word. 2. Receiving or apprehending, by which we apply to ourselves those good things which are offered in the gospel"

261: Apology of the A. C.: "One cannot deal with God, one cannot apprehend God, except through the Word. Therefore justification takes place through the Word, as Paul says in Romans 1:16: 'The Gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.'"

 261: Luther: "The Jews also believe that there is one God, but they deny the way to come to God, namely, through the humanity of Christ. The Turk [Muslims] also acknowledges God, but denies the way, the means, the bridge by which one comes to God, that is, the grace of God. They do not want Christ, nor any sacraments"

262: Luther on the Enthusiasts: "God has so ordained that this treasure is given and administered to us through Baptism, the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and the outward Word. For these are the means and instruments by which we come to God's grace. They deny this."

263: Luther: "for the entire papacy rests on this doctrine: that grace is poured into a person through a secret effect, and whoever wishes to receive it must repent, confess, and make satisfaction.…they do not base the forgiveness of sins on the Word and faith, where it ought to be placed, but on our repentance, confession, and satisfaction"

 264: Luther: "You should repent (that is true), but to think that this alone makes the forgiveness of sins certain and confirms the work of the key is to abandon faith and deny Christ."

[Luther's great analogy of the King and a castle:]

265: Luther: "A king gives you a castle: if you do not accept it, the king has not therefore lied or failed, but you have deceived yourself, and it is your fault, for the king certainly gave it."

267: Quenstedt: "The causal reason or the justifying power belongs to faith, not in itself and by its own nature…as if God valued faith so highly that He would attribute to it the dignity and worth of justification"

268: Gerhard: "Faith is not to be compared to the hand that takes hold of the cup in which the salutary drink is contained, but is the spiritual mouth by which we drink from the fountain of salvation"

268: S. Schmid: "For when I say: If you believe, you will be saved, I do not mean the moral condition under which you are to be saved, but the necessity of the instrument by which you are to be saved. We also perceive the same thing in the natural world. If you have wings, you will fly…"

269: Osiander: "Faith does not justify, as does obedience and being under the law…but insofar as it receives"

271: Gerhard: "How is it that in Rom. 5:18 the righteousness of Christ has overflowed upon all men to justification, when not all are justified? Answer: The Apostle is speaking not of the application, but of the acquisition of the benefit."

272: Ad. Osiander: "For it is understood either of the acquisition or of the application; if the former, then certainly all men were actually saved, since Christ died for them, paying the price for all; but since [in the latter,] application involves faith and men are distinguished into believers and unbelievers"

273: Ph. D. Burk: "2 Cor. 5:19: 'God reconciled the world to Himself and did not impute their sins to them.' And a witness of the truth must at all times preach the Gospel in such a way that he makes God's universal offer of grace to all people his chief work." [Walther would have loved Burk.]

275-277: Luther’s great treatise on “Faith Alone”. StL 19:968 ff., 978 ff.; AE 35:182, 188-189, 195 f.

277: Quenstedt: "justification is attributed to faith alone, but not to faith torn away from the other exercises of piety." [Answers Papist arguments against faith alone.]

278: C. Loescher: "but it is not necessary that those works should simultaneously with faith influence the justification"

In the next Part BWC3i…

BWC3g: Justification: "on this article stands everything that we teach"

      This continues from Part BWC3f in a series (Table of Contents in Part BWC1) presenting Walther's edition of Baier's Compendium of Positive Theology. — This segment introduces Chapter V, Justification. While Synoptic Text Information Services and Dr. Jack Kilcrease focus on the the doctrine of the "Atonement", the Lutheran Confessions place "Justification" at the top. While these are closely related, there are differences. But the differences won't be found by asking the AI machines, which can be rather confusing, one must listen to truly Lutheran theologians. (Though Cambridge helps.) — From pages 240-258: 

Notable Quotes: (Italics follow the original. All quotes not from Baier are from Walther's additions of quotes from third parties. Authors are indicated in bold text. Red text indicates my comments.)

[Chapter V. Of Justification]

240-241: Smalcald Articles (Luther): "From this article one cannot deviate or give way, even if heaven and earth should fall or whatever does not want to remain. …on this article stands everything that we teach and live against the Pope, the devil, and the world. [Trig. p. 461 & 463]

241: Apology of the Augsburg Confession: The Doctrine of Justification "which also principally serves for a clear and correct understanding of the entire Holy Scripture, and shows the way to the unspeakable treasure and the true knowledge of Christ alone, and also opens the door to the entire Bible alone"

243: Luther "For where this knowledge is gone, it takes everything with it, and you may thereafter profess and confess all the articles (as the Papists do), but there is no earnestness nor true understanding, but rather like one groping in the dark, and a blind man hearing talk of a color he has never seen.…Where this doctrine remains in the pulpit, there is no danger, one is safe from all heretics and errors; this article admits of no error in itself…But if they are led astray, it is a certain sign that they have not understood the article.…All the other articles may shine among false Christians and hypocrites as well: but if this one does not remain, it is impossible to resist any error or heretical spirit."

245: Meisner: "So true is that proverb of Luther's, which he used more than once: 'Justification is the article by which the church stands or falls.'" (…[Gospel Coalition (Reformed), Piepkorn; it was Walther before Piepkorn!])"

246: J. A. Osiander: "if he [man] has no righteousness, then he is not justified physically, but in a forensic sense, because he is acquitted, however guilty he may be."

248: Quenstedt: "the manifestation of accepted justification by good works, as Jas. 2:12: 'Abraham was justified by works.' Where the apostle is not speaking of that justification by which we are judged righteous by God, but of the showing and demonstration of faith by works, by which a man proves and declares to another that he is truly righteous and faithful."

251: B. Meisner: "The third kind is imputed or evangelical righteousness, which is not to be sought in us because of the depravity of nature…but outside of us." [I.e. "extra nos".]

252: Kromayer: "…justification will not admit of more or less, but will be equal for all believers, nor will it be acquired by degrees, but will be accomplished in an instant."

253: Quenstedt: "the Papists, who contend that the thing by which…man is justified…cannot be and is not called the imputed righteousness of Christ, but the infused habit of righteousness and love"

255-6: Dannhauer: "Imputed righteousness is by reckoning [λογισμῷ]… 2. a gracious λογισμός, according to grace; 3. a satisfactory λογισμός, whose foundation is the payment of a ransom [λύτρον] for us"

257: Kromayer: "however much the act of redemption was finally accomplished in the fullness of time, its fruit was nevertheless extended both forward [New Testament times] and backward [Old Testament times]."

258: A. Osiander: "I answer [the Papists]: The works of the law and of nature are not given, for they are mere sins, since they proceed from a bad tree and are therefore bad fruit (Matt. 7)"

258: Quenstedt: The Papists "make the justifying grace a gift and benefit of God, or a permanent quality and an infused supernatural habit. . . The Council of Trent, Session 6, Canon 11, pronounces anathema on those who hold that the grace by which we are justified is only the favor of God.

258: Quenstedt: "Bellarmine [Catholic (Jesuit) theologian]…: ‘The common opinion of theologians is…that grace is a supernatural habit infused into us by God, by which the soul is adorned and perfected, and thus made just and pleasing and acceptable to God."

In the next Part BWC3h…

BWC3f: Regeneration/Conversion: against synergism, even of Lutherans

      This continues from Part BWC3e in a series (Table of Contents in Part BWC1) presenting Walther's edition of Baier's Compendium of Positive Theology. — This segment concludes Chapter III, then introduces Chapter IV, Regeneration and Conversion. — Also we begin to see the importance of Walther's added quotes, as he uses these to correct Baier's and his father-in-law Museaus's synergistic tendencies. — From pages 168-240: 

Notable Quotes: (Italics follow the original. All quotes not from Baier are from Walther's additions of quotes from third parties. Authors are indicated in bold text. Red text indicates my comments.)

168: Gerhard: "our theologians on this question is that faith alone justifies, yet it is not alone, that is, it is not separated from charity and other good works"

168: Luther: "For they [Sophists/Papists] say that faith…does not justify unless it is informed by charity,"

170: Luther: "Therefore, when they [Papists] attribute justification to faith only because of charity, they attribute nothing at all to faith.…Let the sophists therefore go to hell with their impious and pestilent gloss." [See this blog post.]

172: Smalcald Articles: "For the Holy Spirit does not let sin reign and gain the upper hand…but rather restrains and prevents it from doing what it wants. But if it does what it wants, then the Holy Spirit and faith are not present"

173: Gerhard: "they [Papists] also say faith can exist alone without good works…Hence, they decree fornicating believers, adulterous believers, stealing believers, avaricious believers, drunkards, blasphemers, etc., as the Council of Trent, Session 6, chapter 15, decrees" [Notwithstanding "Catholic Answers", on James 2:24, tries to negate Trent which stated that faith isn't lost with "every mortal sin".]

176: Gerhard: "These are the words of the blessed Luther, which are drawn from the theological rule: 'Faith alone justifies,' although it is never alone, that is, separated from good works."

[Chapter IV. Of Regeneration and Conversion]

179: Huelsemann: "vivification and regeneration are nowhere said to happen day by day…but in an instant there is a translation from death to life, namely, a spiritual one"

180: "Regeneration, strictly speaking, signifies nothing other than conversion or the very gift of faith."

184: Brenz: "The Gentiles (Acts 10) are manifestly proven to have been regenerated by faith and renewed by the Holy Spirit even before baptism… it was nevertheless necessary to obey the ordinance [Baptism].

185: Dannhauer quoting Ae. Hunnius: "For although they were first converted and regenerated through the hearing of the Word, nevertheless that gift of regeneration was wonderfully increased and enriched in them through baptism."

186: "But concerning these [those who have lost their faith], it should be noted that if they are to be regenerated again, baptism is not to be repeated on that account, but they are to be brought to repentance through the word of the law and the gospel" [This was my situation.]

188: "it must by no means be held that natural powers, and the acts depending on them, contribute anything effectively to the production or acquisition of faith."

189: Luther: "…one should therefore say first, that they are all dead…it helps nothing to obtain forgiveness of sins, until they are born again and become new men"

189: Quenstedt: "because the Galatians had been regenerated through Paul, but having been seduced by the pseudo-apostles, they had lost the grace of regeneration…Adam, Lot, David, Peter, who all lost the grace of regeneration by sinning, yet recovered … through the Word of God"

190: Quenstedt: "Calvinists, who oppose the loss of the grace of regeneration and νίοθεσίας (adoption), and hold that the repetition of regeneration is absurd"

192: Huelsemann: "the Formula of Concord…teaches that the conversion of a man to God is the work of the Holy Spirit alone, to which the will of the man being converted contributes nothing"

198: "since Scripture teaches no satisfaction to God acceptable or valid in itself other than that of Christ, … by which one is first brought to Christ the Mediator, and through Him further to God, being reconciled by the merit of Christ"

199: "the flesh, even in the converted, still lusts against the Spirit, Galatians 5:17, which would not happen if the evil concupiscence had been or could be entirely expelled."

 202: Quenstedt against Johann Musaeus's synergism [see Pieper I, II]: "rightly responds Dr. Calov…Certainly, where such motions [good motions, holy thought, pious desire] are present, man is raised from death, and already lives a spiritual life, and consequently is converted." [Walther keeps Baier's synergism in check.]

203: Quenstedt: "The preparation has its own degrees and occurs successively; the translation itself from the state of wrath to the state of grace, however, happens in an instant and in a moment"

209: Kromayer: "a distinction must be made between ecclesiastical and spiritual actions. Ecclesiastical actions are, for example: reading the word of God, going to church, hearing sacred sermons, and indeed with attention; spiritual ones are, for example: believing the divine word, believing that Christ died for one, etc. The former are still in our own hands; the latter, however, are not."

211: Dannhauer: "‘If,’ says Gerhard, ‘new obedience is established as an essential part of conversion, there will be no firm promise of reconciliation with God and of the remission of sins, because our reconciliation with God and the remission of sins will be judged by the quality and quantity of the new obedience. [Compare with Dr. Scott Keith, Concordia-Irvine.]

213: Apology of the Augsburg Confession: "they [Papists] teach that one can merit grace through repentance…for faith distinguishes the repentance of Peter and Judas. But the adversaries do not think at all of the Gospel and faith"

216: Quenstedt: "Arminians…ascribe the cause of faith partly to the grace of God in Christ, and partly to man and his free will"

218: Kromayer: "For one unregenerate person is not more disposed to grace than another, but one is less indisposed than the other, . . . because sin, to which one allows more rein than the other, does not dispose to grace, but rather hinders it"

223: "And so it is rightly said: Grace precedes, the will accompanies."

223: Calov: "However, it is not…asserted that before conversion man is a fellow-worker and cooperates in his own conversion. Such a thing is nowhere taught by the Formula of Concord, as the new synergists contend." ["New synergists" to which Baier and his father-in-law Museaus tended.]

225: Strasbourg: "The determination of our will in the first act of conversion has always been by the orthodox ascribed, not to the power and cooperation of man, but to the Holy Spirit, working through the Word upon a will that is passively inclined."

228: B. Meisner: "Augustine…: ‘Grace…is not grace in any way, unless it is given freely in every way.'"

229-230: Luthardt, a synergist: "repentance and faith are demanded of man as his performance"; Kahnis, synergist: "Melanchthon had, through the doctrine of the cooperation of the human will in appropriating salvation (Synergism), entered upon the right, evangelical, and at the same time truly traditional path"

231: J. Olearius: "A man can…in no way oppose the infinite power or omnipotence itself, but rather [can resist] grace and its order"

In the next Part BWC3g…

BWC3e1: Some "Baieriana" that Walther disapproved (Excursus)

      This continues from Part BWC3e in a series (Table of Contents in Part BWC1) presenting Walther's edition of Baier's Compendium of Positive Theology. — After completing all 3 of the main volumes of Walther's edition, I realized that a later "Index" volume was published in 1899. This was produced after Walther's passing by Theodore Buenger, Director of the Concordia College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and his Index received a glowing review by Franz Pieper. — I will present the entire book after the 3 volumes are finished, but because of the importance of some points that Walther disapproved of in Baier and others, especially in this Volume 3, these will provide a guide, and warnings, concerning some of Baier's "blemishes", that the dear Buenger called "Baieriana":

1. That there is such a thing as a practical science. I, 6 (see Hunnius's words, ibid.).

2. That the genus of theology is a practical science. I, 32. 33f. (see Calov's words, I, 34f.; Lehre und Wehre 34, 97 f.).

3. That the Word is "elevated." I, 159f. (see Lehre und Wehre 27, 49f.).

4. That the sacraments are "elevated." III, 405. (Dr. Walther, in his academic lectures of 1881–1882, according to the compiler of this index: "I don't like this expression at all; if God gives his Word, it already has the power. No elevatio is needed at all. One should not speak this way. The sacraments are nothing other than the Word.")

5. That the devils will be tormentors in hell. II, 141. 215 (see the words of Scherzer and Rambach, II, 141. — Academic lectures, 1880–1881: "I don't believe that either — that the devils are the tormentors.") 

6. That one should refrain from the phrase that original sin is not the adequate cause of damnation. II, 217 (see Scherzer's words, II, 218).

7. That he does not reject the opinion of a notable conversion of the Jews before the last judgment. II, 257 (see the words of Luther and Quenstedt, II, 257f.).

8. Various points on faith: that faith is the lesser principal impulsive cause of justification and of salvation, I, 41, II, 200, III, 162. 265. 299; that faith is the lesser principal impulsive cause of the decree of election, III, 559ff. 568. 602; that God predestined with a view to faith (intuitu fidei), I, 62, III, 550 (see I, 42, III, 266ff. 564ff.; Lehre und Wehre 27, 142f. 26, 42ff.).

9. On habitual faith and the habit of faith. III, 177. 187. 202. 265. (Academic lectures, 1881–1882: "It is not very advisable to make this distinction. Faith is a continual activity, a perpetual laying hold. We simply do not know how this happens, for instance, in sleep, and so theologians help themselves by positing a habitus fidei. It is not exactly wrong, but it easily leads to false notions.")

10. That regeneration occurs successively. III, 187 (see III, 179; Lehre und Wehre 18, 293ff.).

11. That he distinguishes less than well between conversion taken broadly and taken strictly, so called. III, 202. 203. 204f. — That men are more and more joined and reconciled with God. III, 202. 203.

12. That in conversion man does something together with operating grace. III, 220. 221. 222. 240. 307. (Academic lectures, 1881–1882: "Already twenty years ago a professor at Rostock wrote against me and laughed that I had introduced Baier. Already in Leipzig, when I was still a student, I knew that Baier was not sound on this point." On §38: "Only in the case where Baier understands by progressus the daily repentance is it correct. Whoever distinguishes in such a way that the progressus belongs to conversion proper is a false teacher." On §37, note d: "I cannot readily reconcile this with his explanation elsewhere. It has often seemed to me as though our dear Baier himself was not clear [on this point]." On §47, "further assisted": "This is false and rejected by everyone else; Calov and Quenstedt decisively opposed this in Musaeus." Lehre und Wehre 18, 293ff., and elsewhere.)

13. That men can, by the powers of free will, abstain from malicious resistance. III, 233 (see Hollaz's words, III, 15f.; Lehre und Wehre 26, 301. 27, 333ff. 28, 293ff. 315ff. 348. 393. 444. 513f.; First Southern District [Synodical] Report, 1882, p. 27f.).

14. That the law is the instrumental cause of renewal. III, 308 (see Carpzov, III, 308f.; academic lectures, 1881–1882: "It is at least questionable to call the law a causa instrumentalis; one would then also have to call, say, the cross, etc., by that name. No — only the gospel is a causa instrumentalis. I can only advise you not to adopt Baier's mode of teaching on this point.")

15. That the Law dictates to the regenerate. Ibid. ("Never to the regenerate as such," loc. cit.)

16. That Ps. 1:2 and Ps. 119 treat of the law. Ibid. ("This is entirely wrong; 'law' here always means the gospel," loc. cit.)

17. That the end of renewal, on man's part, is eternal life. III, 312. ("One must not entertain the thought that blessedness is attained through renovatio; the terminus would have been enough. In that way one would arrive at eudaemonism. — I cannot renew myself before I already possess blessedness," loc. cit.; see Carpzov and others, III, 312f.).

18. On the norm of renewal. III, 318. (On the word "ecclesiastical": "If by this he means the Mosaic ceremonial laws, I will allow it. But we are now bound by no law at all. It comes from the state churches that our doctors are so exceedingly unclear here" [loc. cit.]. On the phrase "tending toward the public good": "This too is imprudent, for how many laws are given that are not useful, and yet we must obey them and thereby do good works," loc. cit.)

19. That the third commandment involves the designation of a fixed time and day. III, 351 (see the sayings, III, 351ff.; Lehre und Wehre 10, 321ff. 345ff. 11, 4ff. 83ff.).

20. That love of self is included in the love of neighbor. III, 344, cf. on the seventh and eighth commandments, 357. 366 (Lehre und Wehre 12, 333ff.; Theses on Usury, St. Louis 1876, p. 9f.; Lehre und Wehre 28, 132).

21. That Article XI of the Formula of Concord treats of predestination taken broadly. III, 537. 539 (Lehre und Wehre 27, 144).

22. On the definition of predestination. III, 550. 602. 608. — That predestination and reprobation stand in the relation of opposites. III, 550. — On Rom. 8:29, III, 568. 612. — That foreknowledge [πρόγνωσις] is an act of the intellect alone, II, 161 (Lehre und Wehre 26, 129ff. 135ff. 73ff. 197ff.).

23. That the economy and the polity are within the church. II, 126, III, 724. 745 (see Luther and Brenz, II, 126, III, 725; Lehre und Wehre 2, 290ff. 361ff.).

24. That the magistracy has authority over sacred matters. III, 731. 733 (26th Western District [Synodical] Report, 1885, p. 35ff.; Lehre und Wehre 21, 231ff.).

25. That the priestly blessing pertains to the cause [validity] of marriage. III, 751 (American Lutheran Pastoral Theology, p. 238ff.).

26. That heaven is to be distinguished from the physical elements. II, 77 (see Reusch, II, 77f.).

27. On the administration of the Holy Supper by a layman. III, 494 (see Grapius, III, 494; 4th Iowa Synod Report, 1883, p. 58f.).

28. That man behaves indifferently. III, 317. (On note c: "Man does not, after all, behave in so entirely indifferent a manner.... The regenerate does indeed have a desire to do good, but doing evil comes more easily to him," loc. cit.)

29. That the material principles of reason are also employed in theology. I, 180. (On note e: "I believe that too much is already conceded here, for I think that when, e.g., the Holy Spirit uses the word 'man,' he is simply presupposing our [ordinary] understanding of the Word," 1880–1881, loc. cit.)

There is much more to be said about Volume 4 and its author Buenger, beginning with Part BWC4a.

BWC3e: Of Faith in Christ; sola scriptura! "true inward testimony"

      This continues from Part BWC3d in a series (Table of Contents in Part BWC1) presenting Walther's edition of Baier's Compendium of Positive Theology. — This segment introduces Chapter III, Faith in Christ. Readers are reminded that, because most of these excerpts are from Walther's additions of quotes, the italics are mostly Walther's. — From pages 134-166: 

Notable Quotes: (Italics follow the original. All quotes not from Baier are from Walther's additions of quotes from third parties. Authors are indicated in bold text. Red text indicates my comments.)

[Chapter III. Of Faith in Christ]

134: "God nevertheless willed that sinners should acknowledge that satisfaction, provided for them by the Son of God, and, having grasped it by faith, make it their own"

134: Luther: "There is, of course, no doubt or lack in these words: 'Whoever believes will be saved,' etc., so that hell is already shut, heaven is open, eternal life and joy are there."

136: Gerhard: "Augustine…: 'The things which are believed are one thing, and the faith by which they are believed is another; and yet by the name of faith both are understood.'"

137: Kromayer: "it is called implicit faith when spiritual things are known not distinctly, but by their common principle, which is the Holy Scripture. For he who believes the Holy Scripture to be true, implicitly believes all that is contained in it"

137-138: Kromayer: "In a heretical sense, implicit faith is said to be: 1. by reason of a false common principle, which the Papists make to be the tradition of the church, and say that this or that is to be believed because the church believes it. For the Holy Scripture alone is the object of faith. [sola scriptura!] Acts 24:14: ‘I worship the God of my fathers,’ says the apostle, ‘believing all that is written in the law and the prophets.’"

138: Luther: The charcoal-burner's faith = blind faith - see this blog post.

138: Quenstedt: "the Papists, who assert that faith is to be defined not so much by knowledge as by ignorance"

139: Selneccer: "He who does not believe Christ, much less believes in Christ."

140: "sinners, anxious and troubled about their sins, may lift up their hearts in the universality of the satisfaction for all sins provided by Christ…Without this universality, the sinner would have no ground from which to lift himself up in the terrors of conscience"

141: Chemnitz: "For when that general foundation, establishing that whatever has been divinely revealed in the Word of God is true and certain, is not present or wavers, neither can the confidence in the promise of divine mercy forgiving sins for Christ's sake be conceived, nor can it be maintained in the struggle." [This explicitly refutes LC–MS Prof. Joel Biermann, a strong contender for the next president of the Synod!]

143: Hollaz: "For the demons are said to believe Christ, and also to believe that Christ exists; yet they are not said to believe in Christ."

145: Quenstedt: "Council of Trent. Session 6, Canon 12, reads as follows: 'If anyone says that the justifying faith is nothing other than confidence in the divine mercy, which remits sins for Christ's sake, or that this confidence alone is by which we are justified, let him be anathema.'" [This the Roman Catholic Church has not renounced.]

147: Gerhard: "the theological rule: ‘Scripture, when it speaks of faith, sometimes refers more to knowledge, sometimes more to trust.’"

148: Kromayer: "When we perceive no sense of faith, we should not immediately despair, for even the desire for faith is already faith itself, though weak. Phil. 2:13."

149: Quenstedt: "the Papists, who decree that the proper and adequate object of justifying faith is not the special mercy of God proposed in Christ, but the entire Word of God"

151: Luther: "Oh, faith is a living, busy, active, powerful thing, so that it is impossible for it not to be working good without ceasing"

152: Kahnis (modernist theologian): "the strict Lutherans always focused only on the goal of cutting off all human merit, they destroyed the psychological and moral foundation in the work of appropriating salvation."

 153: M. Chemnitz: "How then does it come that Judas is not taken up, that he does not receive forgiveness of sin, when he was yet sorry for what he had done? And what is lacking in his repentance and penance, that he cannot obtain grace? He had no faith in Christ"

156: Augsburg Confession: "the sacraments are to be used in such a way that faith comes along, which believes the promises that are presented and shown through the sacraments. Therefore, they condemn those who teach that the sacraments justify ex opere operato"

156: Luther: "that infants, being without faith, are justified through baptism, we strongly deny."

159: Gerhard: "seeds and shoots of trees: although they do not bear fruit, yet they have within them the power and nature to produce fruit in their own time: so the faith of infants"

162: "The proximate end and effect of faith is justification; then renewal; finally, eternal salvation of believers."

164: L. Hartmann: "When a person has a serious desire for the faith and the grace of God, that very desire is certainly to be regarded as the beginning of true faith, however weak it may seem"

164: Hoepfner: "the father of the demoniac acknowledged with infallible certainty, and indeed with divine faith, that his faith was true; and yet, with respect to his own adhering weakness, he calls that faith, of which he was certain, απιστίαν, unbelief, Mark 9:24" [This is my verse.]

165: Luther: "That we are children of God…this we have not from ourselves, nor from the law; but it is the testimony of the Holy Spirit, who, against the law and the feeling of our unworthiness, testifies such things in our weakness and makes us certain of it.…This is the true inward testimony, by which you recognize that the Holy Spirit is working in you" [Prof. David Scaer and Dr. Martin Noland fight against this, calling it Calvinism!]

166: Quenstedt: "very testimony of the Holy Spirit is divine…Although it is not an external revelation, it is nevertheless an internal one, proper to believers alone; namely, the internal operation of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, which does not exclude, but presupposes the external revelation made in the Word. This internal testimony of the Holy Spirit…" [See above.]

In the next Part BWC3f, Regeneration and Conversion. But before that, I present Part BWC3e1, a list compiled at a later time of points that Walther disagreed on of Baier and others.