# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1851 08 19_S201
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Der Lutheraner.
"God's Word and Luther's doctrine pass away now and nevermore." (Rev. John, ch. 14, v. 6. 7.)
Published by the German Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio and other States.
Edited by C. F. W. Walther.
Year 7.  St. Louis, Mo., the 19th of August 1851.  No. 26.
Terms: Der Lutheraner appears once every two weeks, at the yearly subscription price of One Dollar for out-of-town subscribers, who are to pay in advance and to bear the postage. — In St. Louis each single number is sold for 5 Cents. Only those letters which contain communications for the paper are to be addressed to the editor; all others, which contain business matters, orders, cancellations, moneys, etc., are to be sent hither under the address Mr. F. W. Barthel, care of C. F. W. Walther, St. Louis, Mo.

On the Justification of the Sinner before God through Faith in Jesus Christ.

From Chemnitz, Examen Concilii Tridentini. — Translated from the Latin by J. G.

Continuation.

Contents: The true state of the question in dispute in this doctrine between the Lutherans and the Papists. — It is shown that it is not merely an empty strife over words, but that the very essence and nature of justification itself is at issue.

But, someone may say here, if that is so, what is it, then, about which you contend so vehemently, with the agitation of almost the whole world, in this article of justification? For truly, just as you do not deny renewal, nor altogether reject love, so the Papists also do not deny the forgiveness of sins, but confess it. And if both parties are agreed about the matters themselves, then it will surely be only disputes about words, or, as they say, a grammatical war. For the Papists understand the word to justify (justificare), after the manner and usage of the Latin compound, as to make righteous (justum facere), namely, by the bestowal and infusion of a quality, capacity and habit then inwardly cleaving and indwelling, from which works of righteousness then proceed: but the Lutherans take the word to justify according to Hebrew usage and meaning; therefore they explain justification as acquittal and absolution from sins, or as forgiveness of sins, as the imputation of the righteousness of Christ, adoption as children and inheritance of eternal life; and all this solely for Christ's sake, whom faith lays hold of; yet they teach at the same time that renewal follows thereupon, together with a beginning of love and of good works. Thus it would seem that the strife is not about the matters themselves, but only about the word justification, arising from this, that one man understands and expounds the word in one way, another in another. And in the Church it surely does not become us, when the matters themselves are not endangered, to quarrel about words and to stir up unrest. For Paul says very earnestly, 1 Tim. 6, that it is a pernicious sickness of the Church when men are doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings; perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth. I have brought forward this objection for this reason, that it might the more conveniently and clearly be explained and shown what the point in dispute really is, about which the matter turns here in the article of justification.

To this our simple and open answer is this: By no means are we such restless heads and disturbers of the peace, so hostile to a true, lasting and wholesome concord, nor so eager for strife, contention and quarrelling, that, even if a true, Christian and wholesome agreement and unity had been reached and established concerning the matters themselves, we should nevertheless seek cause and occasion for contention and wordy combats. For with the Fathers (although they often take the word to justify for renewal, in which works of righteousness are wrought in us by the Holy Ghost) — we do not begin to contend, where they otherwise set forth the doctrine rightly and fittingly according to the Scripture, how and whereby man is reconciled with God, receives forgiveness of sins and sonship, and is accepted unto eternal life. Often, also, has that distinction of the meanings been shown and recalled by our people, how according to the analogy of faith and the constant doctrine of Scripture that meaning also, if it be taken with the Fathers according to the usage and sense of the Latin compound and word-formation, may be understood and received in a Christian and right manner. But by this the Papists have become not a whit milder or more favorably disposed toward us and our doctrine, for they themselves do not contend about words, but chiefly about the matters of justifi-