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The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology - Saint Mary ...

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operato (A. C. xiii. 3), but in those only who rightly use it, i. e. who believe<br />

from the heart the promises which are offered <strong>and</strong> shown (A. C. xiii. 2; L.<br />

C. 49, 33), is one of the instruments by which the Holy Ghost is given (A.<br />

C. v. 2), who excites <strong>and</strong> confirms faith, whereby we are justified before<br />

God (A. C. iv.; ib. v. 3), so that they who thus receive or use it, are in God's<br />

favor (A. C. ix. 2), have remission of their sins (Nicene Creed, 9), are born<br />

again (A. C. ii. 2), <strong>and</strong> are released from condemnation <strong>and</strong> eternal death<br />

(A. C. ii. 2; Sm. C. 361, 6) so long as they are in a state of faith, <strong>and</strong> bring<br />

forth holy works (A. C. xiii. 1-6; Sm. C. 362, 11-14); while, on the other<br />

h<strong>and</strong>, where there is no faith, a bare <strong>and</strong> fruitless sign, so far as blessing is<br />

concerned, alone remains (L. C. 496, 73), <strong>and</strong> they who do not use their<br />

Baptism aright, <strong>and</strong> are acting against conscience, <strong>and</strong> letting sin reign in<br />

them, <strong>and</strong> thus lose the Holy Spirit, are in condemnation, from which they<br />

cannot escape, except by true conversion (A. C. xiii.), a renewal of the<br />

underst<strong>and</strong>ing, will, <strong>and</strong> heart (L. C. 496, 68, 69; F. C. 605, 70).<br />

This is the doctrine of our Church, <strong>and</strong> not one letter of it is destitute<br />

of the sure warrant of God's Word. <strong>The</strong> intelligent examiner will soon<br />

discover that, while the whole sum <strong>and</strong> tendency of the Romish <strong>and</strong><br />

Romanizing doctrine of the Sacraments is to make them a substitute for<br />

faith in the justification of man, the doctrine of the Lutheran Church, in<br />

consonance with the Holy Scriptures, makes them a guard <strong>and</strong> bulwark of<br />

the great central truth that "by grace we are saved, through faith, <strong>and</strong> that<br />

not of ourselves,--it is the gift of God." Her view of the nature of the<br />

efficacy of the Word <strong>and</strong> Sacraments, is the only one which solves the<br />

mysterious question how God can be sovereign, <strong>and</strong> yet man be<br />

accountable; <strong>and</strong> how the Church can at once avoid the perilous extreme<br />

of Pelagianism on the one h<strong>and</strong>, <strong>and</strong> of unconditional Election <strong>and</strong><br />

Reprobation on the other.

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