The Augsburg Confession, one of the Lutheran confessions that mark what we believe, teach, and confess speak of grace as a state into which men are received because of Christ’s merits. Article V:4: ” . . . that God, not for our own
merits, but for Christ’s sake, justifies those who believe that they are received into grace for Christ’s sake.” Article XX: 9: “First, that our works cannot reconcile God or merit forgiveness of sins, grace, and justification, but that we obtain this only by faith, when we believc that we are received into favor for Christ’s sake, who alone has been set forth the Mediator and Propitiation . . . .” The Augsburg Confession speaks of “grace” as something obtained for Christ’s sake. Article XXVIII : 5 2 : “It is necessary that the chief article of thc Gospel be preserved, to wit, that we obtain grace freely by faith in Christ. and not for certain observances or acts of worship devised by men.”
