人無功德可言，唯獨上帝的恩典
人沒有功德（好行為）這回事！所有被稱為義人的人都是白白地稱義的。他們稱義唯獨因為上帝的恩典。
因為世人都犯了罪，虧缺了上帝的榮耀；如今卻蒙上帝的恩典，因基督耶穌的救贖，就白白地稱義。
保羅在這裡回答說：人沒有功德（好行為）這回事！所有被稱為義人的人都是白白地稱義的。他們稱義唯獨因為上帝的恩典。並且，因為他們接受了賜給他們的義，所以，得到了天國和永恆的生命。——馬丁路德（《論自由意志的捆綁》，取自《路德文集》第二卷，p. 542，1525年）
沒有甚麼瘟疫比「信靠自己的功德」更具破壞力。它是「信靠上帝憐憫的信心」的敵人。所以，摩西在《申命記》第九章中用許多文字展現出來：要麼歸榮耀給上帝的憐憫，要麼因為我們的義和善功，歸榮耀給我們自己。人的功德搶奪上帝的榮耀，所以，這兩樣事物不能並肩站在一起。——馬丁路德（《申命記》講義，1525年）
所有人都有必要至少知道一點恩典和功德的區別，因為這兩樣是互相排斥的。當宣講恩典時，就不能宣講功德。是恩典時，就不可能是功德，否則，恩典就不再是恩典了。正如保羅說的（羅11:6）「既是出於恩典，就不在乎行為；不然，恩典就不是恩典了。」毫無疑問，任何人混淆這兩點，就使得人走偏，誤導了說這話的自己和聽著話的人。——馬丁路德（《登山寶訓》講道，1532年）
請聽：這唯獨是基督的工作：唯獨基督用自己的功德和工作，幫助並拯救他人。人的功勞不能幫助任何人，即使他自己的功勞也不得幫助自己，因為經文是這樣說的：「義人必因信得生。（羅1:17）」
信心把我們建立在基督的功勞這基石之上，不靠我們自己的功勞，並把我們從罪的流放中，遷入基督義的王國。
這就是信心！這就是福音！這就是基督！——馬丁路德（《馬丁路德對隱修誓言的審判》, 1522年）
當然，我聽到基督說：「虛心的人有福了！因為天國是他們的。（太5:3）」和「人若因我辱罵你們，逼迫你們，捏造各樣壞話毀謗你們，你們就有福了！應當歡喜快樂，因為你們在天上的賞賜是大的。（太5:11-12）」
這些經文不是說：我可以把某些東西當作功德，就不再需要基督和洗禮了。
不是教導我說：去哪裡建築我得救贖的根基，而是給我應許，給我基督徒的生活注入安慰。
你不能把這兩回事混淆了，把救贖根基與安慰放在同一個罐子裡。
不要把上帝在基督裏，藉著洗禮和福音，賜給我的禮物，當作功德。——馬丁路德（《馬太福音》講義，1532年）
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Paul here replies that there is no such thing as merit, but all who are justified are justified freely (gratis), and this is to be ascribed to nothing but the grace of God. With the gift of righteousness, moreover, there are given also the Kingdom and eternal life. (AE 33:267)
This is trust in one’s own works, and no plague and opponent of faith or trust in the mercy of God is more destructive. Therefore Moses demolishes it here with many words throughout the whole chapter. It robs God of His glory, for these two cannot stand side by side: to glory in God and His mercy, and to glory in ourselves because of our righteousness and works. He disproves this righteousness with three strong arguments. (AE 9:102)
It is necessary that everyone should know at least a little about the distinction between grace and merit, for the two are mutually exclusive. When grace is being preached, certainly merit cannot be preached; and what is grace cannot be merit, for 「otherwise grace would no longer be grace,」 says St. Paul (Rom. 11:6). Since that is beyond every doubt, anyone who confuses these two causes the people to go astray and misleads both himself and those who listen to him. (AE 21:285)
Well, just listen! It is Christ’s work alone to help and save others by his merits and works. The works of others help no one, not even those who do them, for the text still stands, 「The just shall live by his faith」 [Rom. 1:17].
Now faith establishes us on the foundation of the works of Christ without our own works, and transfers us from the exile of our own sins into the kingdom of his righteousness. This is faith, this is the gospel, this is Christ.(AE 44:287)
Of course I hear Christ saying (Matt. 5:3): ‘Blessed are the poor, for they shall have the kingdom of heaven’; and (Matt. 5:11, 12): ‘Blessed are you when you suffer persecution for My sake, for your reward is great in heaven.’ But by these statements He is not teaching me where to build the foundation of my salvation, but giving me a promise that is to console me in my sufferings and in my Christian life. You must not confuse this and throw the two into the same pot, nor make my merit out of what God gives me in Christ through Baptism and the Gospel. (AE 21:293)
