Bible Class – “Grace in the Reformation” led by Pastor Todd Peperkorn on October 25, 2020.
GRACE IN THE REFORMATION
Gratia infusa (infused grace) as a quality in human beings, given to them by God. Grace as a substance?
Gratuitus favor Dei (gracious favor of God) means that this is God’s disposition or attitude toward us in Christ.
FROM THE LUTHERAN CONFESSIONS
[IV. Concerning Justification] (Augsburg Confession, 1530)
[1] Furthermore, it is taught that we cannot obtain forgiveness of sin and righteousness before God through our merit, work, or satisfactions, but that we receive forgiveness of sin and become righteous before God out of grace for Christ’s sake through faith [2] when we believe that Christ has suffered for us and that for his sake our sin is forgiven and righteousness and eternal life are given to us. [3] For God will regard and reckon this faith as righteousness in his sight, as St. Paul says in Romans 3:21-26* and 4:5*
APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION, ARTICLE XIII: (1531)
Therefore, the sacraments are actually baptism, the Lord’s supper, and absolution (the sacrament of repentance). For these rites have the command of God and the promise of grace, which is the essence of the New Testament.
Kolb, R. Wengert, T. J., & Arand, C. P. (2000). The Book of Concord: the confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (p. 219). Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.
FORMULA OF CONCORD, EPITOME, ARTICLE III: (1577)
[4] 2. Accordingly, we believe, teach, and confess that our righteousness before God consists in this, that God forgives us our sins by sheer grace, without any works, merit, or worthiness of our own, in the past, at present, or in the future, that he gives us and reckons to us the righteousness of Christ’s obedience and that, because of this righteousness, we are accepted by God into grace and regarded as righteous.
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1.Kolb, R., Wengert, T. J.. & Arand, C. P. (2000) The Book of Concord: the confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (pp.38-40). Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press. Also Chemnitz, Examen, 629, “The term ‘grace,’ as used in Scripture, often signifies favor, benevolence, and mercy, but sometimes is signifies the gifts which are conferred by benevolence.”
FROM THE COUNCIL OF TRENT:
“If anyone says that men are justified, either by the sole imputation of the jCstice of Christ, or by the sole remission of sins, to the exclusion of the grace and the charity which is poured forth in their hearts by the Holy Spirit and is inherent in the; or even that the grace whereby we are justified is only the favor of God: let him be anathema.”2
2 Tridentinum, Sess. VI, Canon 11:
WHY IT MATTERS TODAY
Todd A. Peperkorn, STM
October 25, 2020
Holy Cross Lutheran Church