The Gospel Seminar

"Luther Quotations": #6C

"...evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ."     (1;7)

Listen to Luther (regarding the matter of our acceptability/"justification" with God) on the danger of combining Christ's obedient efforts along with your obedient efforts;

"But because they (FALSE TEACHERS) mix the law (YOUR EFFORTS) with the gospel (CHRIST'S EFFORTS), they are perverters of the gospel, for either Christ must remain and the law perish, or the law must remain and Christ perish. Christ (ALONE) and the law (YOUR EFFORTS) are incompatible and cannot reign together in the conscience. Where the righteousness of the law (YOUR EFFORTS) rules, there the righteousness of grace (CHRIST'S EFFORTS) cannot rule; and where the righteousness of grace (CHRIST'S EFFORTS) reigns , the righteousness of the law (YOUR EFFORTS) cannot reign. One must give way to the other...
So the doctrine of grace cannot coexist with the doctrine of the law. One must be simply be refused and abolished, and the other confirmed and established. As Paul says here, to mix the two (CHRIST'S EFFORTS AND YOUR EFFORTS) is to overthrow the gospel of Christ." (p. 51, 52)

The result of mixing Christ's efforts with your efforts?

Luther:
"...it is impossible for your conscience to find rest and quietness."