Epitome, Article III: Of the Righteousness of Faith before God

p. 500 Statement of the Controversy

Since it is unanimously confessed in our churches, upon the authority of God’s Word and according to the sense of the Augsburg Confession, that we poor sinners are justified before God, and saved alone by faith in Christ, and thus Christ alone is our righteousness, who is true God and man, because in him the divine and human natures are personally united with one another (Jer. 23:; 1 Cor. 1:; 2 Cor. 5:21), the question has arisen: “According to which nature is Christ our righteousness?” and thus two contrary errors have arisen in some churches.

For the one side² has held that Christ alone, according to his divinity, is our righteousness, if he dwell in us by faith; contrasted with which divinity, dwelling in men by faith, all the ins of men should be regarded as a drop of water to the great ocean. On the contrary, others³ have held that Christ is our righteousness before God, alone according to the human nature.

² Andrew Osiander († 1554) and his followers.

³ Francis Stancar († 1574) and his followers.

Parallel passages: Augsburg Confession, iv., vi., xii., xx.; Apology Chap. ii.; Smalcald Articles, Part II., Art. i.; Part III., Art. xiii.; Formula of Concord, Sol. Dec., iii.

p. 501 Affirmative

Pure Doctrine of the Christian Churches against both errors just mentioned

1. Against both the errors just recounted, we unanimously believe, teach and confess that Christ is our righteousness, neither according to the divine nature alone, nor according to the human nature alone, but the entire Christ according to both natures, alone in his obedience, which as God and man he rendered the Father even to death, and thereby merited for us the forgiveness of sins and eternal life, as it is written: “As by one man’s disobedience, many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one, shall many be made righteous” (Rom. 5:19).

2. Therefore we believe, teach and confess that our righteousness before God is, that God forgives us our sins out of pure grace, without any work, merit or worthiness of ours preceding, attending or following, for he presents and imputes to us the righteousness of Christ’s obedience, on account of which righteousness we are received into grace by God, and regarded righteous.

3. We believe, teach and confess that faith alone is the means and instrument whereby we lay hold of Christ, and thus in Christ of that righteousness which avails before God, for the sake of which this faith is imputed to us for righteousness (Rom. 4:5).

4. We believe, teach and confess that this faith is not a bare knowledge of the history of Christ, but such a great gift of God that thereby we come to the right knowledge of Christ as our Redeemer in the Word of the Gospel, and trust in him that alone for the sake of his obedience, out of grace, we have the forgiveness of sins, and are regarded holy and righteous before God the Father, and eternally saved.

5. We believe, teach and confess that, according to the usage of Holy Scripture, the word justify means in this article, “to absolve,” that is, to declare free from sins. Prov. 17:15: “He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, even they both are abomination to the Lord.” Also (Rom. 8:33): “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.”

And when in place of this, the words regeneration and vivification are employed, as in the Apology,¹ this is done in the same sense; for by these terms, in other places, the renewal of man is understood, and [which] is distinguished from justification by faith.

¹ Art. iv.: 65 sq.; xii.: 46.

6. We believe, teach and confess also that although many p. 502 weaknesses and defects cling to the rightly believing and truly regenerate, even to the grave, yet they have reason to doubt neither of the righteousness which is imputed to them by faith, nor of the salvation of their souls, but should regard it certain that for Christ’s sake, according to the promise and [immovable] Word of the holy Gospel, they have a gracious God.

7. We believe, teach and confess that, for the maintenance of the pure doctrine concerning the righteousness of faith before God, it is necessary that the exclusive particles, i. e., the following words of the holy apostle Paul, whereby the merit of Christ is entirely separated from our works, and the honor given to Christ alone, be retained with especial care, as when the holy apostle Paul writes: “Of grace,” “without merit,” “without law,” “without works,” “not of works.” All these words, taken together, mean that “we are justified and saved alone by faith in Christ” (Eph. 2:8; Rom. 1:17; 3:24; 4:3 sqq.; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 11).

8. We believe, teach and confess that although the contrition that precedes, and the good works that follow, do not belong to the article of justification before God, yet such a faith should not be imagined as can coexist with a wicked intention to sin and to act against conscience. But after man is justified by faith, then a true living faith worketh by love (Gal. 5:6). Thus good works always follow justifying faith, and are surely found with it, if it be true and living; for it never is alone, but always has with it love and hope.

p. 502 Antithesis, or Negative

Contrary Doctrine Rejected

Therefore we reject and condemn all the following errors:

1. That Christ is our righteousness alone according to his divine nature.¹

¹ Error of Osiander.

2. That Christ is our righteousness alone according to his human nature.²

² Error of Stancar, following Peter Lombard.

3. That in the expressions of the prophets and apostles, when the righteousness of faith is spoken of, the words “justify” and “be justified” do not signify to declare or be declared free from sins, and obtain the forgiveness of sins, but actually to be made righteous before God, because of love infused by the Holy Ghost, virtues and the works following them.³

³ Error of Osiander; also of the Papists. Cf. Council of Trent, Sess vi., Cap. 10.

p. 503 4. That faith looks not only to the obedience of Christ, but to his divine nature, as it dwells and works in us, and that by this indwelling our sins are covered.¹

¹ Error of Osiander.

5. That faith is such a trust in the obedience of Christ as can exist and remain in a man who has no genuine repentance, in whom also no love follows, but he persists in sins against conscience.²

² Osiander charged the Lutherans with this error. It is that of the Antinomians. Cf. Smalcald Articles, Part III., Art. iii., § 42 sqq.

6. That not God himself, but only the gifts of God, dwell in the believer.³

³ Perhaps taught by Stancar, who, according to Planck, iv.: 467 sq., taught that the Holy Ghost is sent not according to his essence, but according to his effect, operation and manifestation.

7. That faith saves, on this account, viz. because by faith the renewal, which consists in love to God and one’s neighbor, is begun in us.⁴

⁴ Errors 6-11 were taught by George Major († 1574).

8. That faith has the first place in justification, although also renewal and love belong to our righteousness before God, in such a manner that they [renewal and love] are not the chief cause of our righteousness, but, nevertheless, our righteousness before God is, without this love and renewal, not entire or complete.

9. That believers are justified before God, and saved partly by the imputed righteousness of Christ, and by the beginning of new obedience, or in part by the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, but in part also by the beginning of new obedience.

10. That the promise of grace is imputed to us by faith in the heart, and by the confession which is made with the mouth, and by other virtues.

11. That faith without good works does not justify, and therefore that good works are necessarily required for righteousness, and without their presence man cannot be justified.