WELS Topical Q&A: Luther - Bible, "It is true that in his earlier years as a theological professor Martin Luther was critical of these books and expressed doubt as to whether they were truly apostolic (part of the inspired Scripture). He later changed his mind. At the same time he held the position that only Scripture has the authority to estabish doctrine in the church, and about this he did not change his mind."
WELS Topical Q&A: Justification/Salvation (21), "James says that Abraham's action (the obedient sacrifice of Isaac, Genesis 22:9,12) demonstrated his faith. God had declared Abraham righteous (justified him) by faith when Abraham believed his promises: "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness" (Genesis 15:5). That saying (Genesis 15:5) was "fulfilled" (James 2:23) at the time of Isaac's sacrifice (Genesis 22) when God said , "Now I know that you fear God" (Genesis 22:12)."
Stavropoulos, Christophoros, Partakers of the Divine Nature, in Eastern Orthodox Theology: A Contemporary Reader, p188, "The work of our theosis, our union with God, is not transmitted to us in some kind of mechanical fashion. Our weakened human nature will not be transformed magically. The change will happen in conjunction with our own efforts. It will be realized with the cooperation of man and God. This subjective aspect of our union with God provides the way of theosis which we must follow."
Thornbury, J.F., Martin Luther’s Struggle for Peace with God, The Banner of Truth, 2008, "Luther...entered the religious life of a monk, and his primary motive in doing this was to get a handle on the raging sins that tormented his soul, and to secure a settled comfort within. He felt (as a loyal Catholic) that through obedience to the church he could firmly obtain the favour of God. He took the vows, fasted, prayed, and mortified his flesh with all the power he could muster. He even took a pilgrimage to Rome and there, to demonstrate his total dedication to the church, climbed on his knees the mediaeval staircase known as Pilate's stairs, which were said to have been the stone steps leading up to Pilate's house at Jerusalem. Martin Luther eventually emerged from his night of darkness and despair, but not in the way he had supposed."
Luther, Martin, An Open Letter on Translating （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆）, "So much for translating and the nature of language. However, I was not depending upon or following the nature of language when I inserted the word solum (alone) in Rom. 3 as the text itself, and St. Paul's meaning, urgently necessitated and demanded it. He is dealing with the main point of Christian doctrine in this passage - namely that we are justified by faith in Christ without any works of the Law. In fact, he rejects all works so completely as to say that the works of the Law, though it is God's law and word, do not aid us in justification. Using Abraham as an example, he argues that Abraham was so justified without works that even the highest work, which had been commanded by God, over and above all others, namely circumcision, did not aid him in justification. Instead, Abraham was justified without circumcision and without any works, but by faith, as he says in Chapter 4: If Abraham is justified by works, he may boast, but not before God. However, when all works are so completely rejected - which must mean faith alone justifies - whoever would speak plainly and clearly about this rejection of works would have to say Faith alone justifies and not works. The matter itself and the nature of language necessitates it."
Luther, Martin, An Open Letter on Translating （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆）, "Furthermore, I am not the only one, nor the first, to say that faith alone makes one righteous. There was Ambrose, Augustine and many others who said it before me."
Luther, Martin, An Open Letter on Translating （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆）, "So much for translating and the nature of language. However, I was not depending upon or following the nature of language when I inserted the word solum (alone) in Rom. 3 as the text itself, and St. Paul's meaning, urgently necessitated and demanded it. He is dealing with the main point of Christian doctrine in this passage - namely that we are justified by faith in Christ without any works of the Law. In fact, he rejects all works so completely as to say that the works of the Law, though it is God's law and word, do not aid us in justification. Using Abraham as an example, he argues that Abraham was so justified without works that even the highest work, which had been commanded by God, over and above all others, namely circumcision, did not aid him in justification. Instead, Abraham was justified without circumcision and without any works, but by faith, as he says in Chapter 4: If Abraham is justified by works, he may boast, but not before God. However, when all works are so completely rejected - which must mean faith alone justifies - whoever would speak plainly and clearly about this rejection of works would have to say Faith alone justifies and not works. The matter itself and the nature of language necessitates it."
Luther, Martin, An Open Letter on Translating （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆）, "Furthermore, I am not the only one, nor the first, to say that faith alone makes one righteous. There was Ambrose, Augustine and many others who said it before me."
Meier, Edward P., The Nature of True Faith: An Exegesis of James 2 （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆）, "[W]orks proved that his faith was active. But can the objector show faith without works? James knew what Matthew had said in the seventh chapter, 'Ye shall know them by their fruits.'"
Meier, Edward P., The Nature of True Faith: An Exegesis of James 2 （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆）, "James here also shoots down the false doctrine of work-righteousness. The only way to be free of sin is to keep the law perfectly and in its entirety. If we offend it in the slightest, tiniest little way, we are guilty of all."
WELS Q&A - Doctrine - Law/Gospel "Paul is writing to people who said that faith in Jesus alone does not save a person, but one has to also obey God's law in order to be justified (Gal 3:3, 5:4). To counter the false idea that what we do in keeping the law must be added to faith in what Christ did for us. Paul often emphasizes in his letters (esp. Galatians, Romans, Colossians) that we are saved by grace through faith alone. James is writing to people who felt that believing in Jesus saved a person, but that having faith did not mean that a person necessarily would keep God's commandments out of love for God (James 2:14, 17). To show that faith is not really faith unless it leads a person to thank God for salvation in a life of glad and willing obedience to God's holy will. James emphasized that a faith which did not show that it was living faith was really not faith at all."
Meier, Edward P., The Nature of True Faith: An Exegesis of James 2 （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆）, "James uses Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac, which took place approximately twenty years later, as proof of the saving faith that was alive in Abraham's heart."
Meier, Edward P., The Nature of True Faith: An Exegesis of James 2 （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆）, "James uses Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac, which took place approximately twenty years later, as proof of the saving faith that was alive in Abraham's heart."
Justification （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆）, This We Believe, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, "We believe that God has justified all sinners, that is, he has declared them righteous for the sake of Christ. This is the central message of Scripture upon which the very existence of the church depends. It is a message relevant to people of all times and places, of all races and social levels, for 'the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men'（Romans 5:18）. All need forgiveness of sins before God, and Scripture proclaims that all have been justified, for 'the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men'（Romans 5:18）...We believe that individuals receive this free gift of forgiveness not on the basis of their own works, but only through faith（Ephesians 2:8,9）."
WELS Topical Q&A, Indulgence sales in the Middle Ages, "Roman Catholic sources...acknowledge Leo X's involvement in the abuse of indulgence sales. One such source is The Catholic Encyclopedia. ...'The immediate cause [of the Reformation] was bound up with the odious greed for money displayed by the Roman Curia, and shows how far short all efforts at reform had hitherto fallen. '"
Justification （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆）, This We Believe, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, "We believe that God has justified all sinners, that is, he has declared them righteous for the sake of Christ. This is the central message of Scripture upon which the very existence of the church depends. It is a message relevant to people of all times and places, of all races and social levels, for 'the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men'（Romans 5:18）. All need forgiveness of sins before God, and Scripture proclaims that all have been justified, for 'the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men'（Romans 5:18）...We believe that individuals receive this free gift of forgiveness not on the basis of their own works, but only through faith（Ephesians 2:8,9）."
WELS Topical Q&A: Lutherans and Presbyterians, "Historically, Presbyterians believed that it is impossible for a believer to fall from the faith. Confessional Lutherans believe that it is possible for believers to fall from faith. See 1 Corinthians 10:12."
WELS Topical Q&A: Does the Bible speak of losing faith?, "Some Bible verses that speak of losing faith are: Luke 8:13; 1 Corinthians 10:12; Galatians 5:4; 1 Timothy 1:19-20; and, 2 Peter 3:17. The Greek of Hebrews 6:4-6 can be translated to describe a person who has committed the sin against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32) or a person who has fallen from faith but can still be brought back to faith. ...it is obvious from that section of Scripture—and elsewhere—that "once saved, always saved" has no scriptural basis."
Book by Book: Galatians, What about Jesus?, "Paul's letter evidently accomplished its purpose. The Galatian churches joined in gathering the offering for the poor at Jerusalem. They must have expelled the Judaizers and clung to Paul's Gospel. Galatians greatly affected Martin Luther 1,500 years later. Luther called Galatians 'my own little epistle' and said that he was 'married' to this epistle. Galatians gave Luther the strength to fight against the legalism of the Church of Rome and to hold high the Gospel of pure grace in Christ. Anyone who is weak concerning the doctrine of justification and the place of the law will find real 'meat' and strength in the Letter to the Galatians."
Meier, Edward P., The Nature of True Faith: An Exegesis of James 2 （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆）, "[W]orks proved that his faith was active. But can the objector show faith without works? James knew what Matthew had said in the seventh chapter, 'Ye shall know them by their fruits.'"
Meier, Edward P., The Nature of True Faith: An Exegesis of James 2 （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆）, "James here also shoots down the false doctrine of work-righteousness. The only way to be free of sin is to keep the law perfectly and in its entirety. If we offend it in the slightest, tiniest little way, we are guilty of all."
Meier, Edward P., The Nature of True Faith: An Exegesis of James 2 （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆）, "James uses Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac, which took place approximately twenty years later, as proof of the saving faith that was alive in Abraham's heart."
Meier, Edward P., The Nature of True Faith: An Exegesis of James 2 （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆）, "James uses Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac, which took place approximately twenty years later, as proof of the saving faith that was alive in Abraham's heart."
