"Luther Quotations": #17A
"...so that the truth of the gospel might remain with
you..."(Galatians 2;5)
Paul was confronting the false teachers of his day as was
Luther in his own day.
Here Luther paraphrases Paul describing how it can be
confusing sorting out which is the TRUE gospel. Then Luther defines for us in
his own words again (repetition!) the true gospel in contrast to the false
gospel:
"(Paul is saying) 'The false apostles preach a faith and a gospel
too, but they are false....The things that the false apostles teach-however much
they boast that they teach the truth-are nothing but lies.' All heretics claim
the name of God, Christ, and the church. They also claim they will not teach
errors or lies but certain truth and the pure gospel of Christ. But they do
not....
'The truth of the gospel' (2;5) is that our righteousness comes by
faiths ALONE, WITHOUT THE WORKS OF THE LAW. The corruption or false gospel says
that we are not justified by faith (CHRIST) alone but also by the works of the
law (OUR EFFORTS)....Paul reproves the false apostles for teaching a false
gospel, requiring circumcision and the observance of the law as necessary to
salvation."
Your efforts, however noble and religiously pure they may be,
can never, ever bring you to a justified status before God. Christ alone
accomplishes this freely on behalf of his people.
This is the gospel!
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