"Luther Quotations": #1B
"Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ..." (Galatians 1;3)
Question: Christian, what must you do to be transferred postionally to be under God's "grace and peace"?
Answer: NOTHING!!
Hear from Ephesians 2;13 what Paul says about what enables that locational transfer to take place:
"But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ Jesus."
It is the "blood" and sacrifice of Christ alone and not our effort, "blood", or sacrifices that accomplishes the Christians locational transfer from "under the law" to"under grace"! (Romans 6; 14, 15)
Hear Luther's explanation regarding the place of the Christians efforts to make them acceptable to God:
"(THIS POSITION AND STATUS OF 'GRACE AND PEACE' IS NOT GIVEN)...for fulfilling the law (ON THE BASIS OF OUR WORKS), for no one is able to fulfill the law. Rather the law shows (YOU YOUR) sin, accuses and terrifies the conscience, declares God's wrath, and drives people to desperation. Much less is sin taken away by human deeds (YOUR EFFORTS) and human ideas, such as...(YOUR RELIGIOUS) vows and pilgrimages. Finally, there is no work (EFFORT) that can take (YOUR) sin away; rather, sin is increased by (YOUR) works. The more merit-mongers labor and sweat to bring themselves out of sin, the deeper they are plunged into it. There is no means to take (YOUR) sin away but by grace (THROUGH CHRIST'S EFFORTS) alone."
Christian, there is NOTHING you can do to merit God's love, grace and peace! It was accomplished by Christ completely and alone:
That is why all the Christians in heaven join with us in worship saying,
"You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory, honor and power."
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