But when Christ declares, Luke 7:47: “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven: for she loved much,” he himself explains his words by saying verse 50: “Thy faith hath saved thee.” Christ did not wish to leave the impression, that the women merited the forgiveness of sins by her work of love; hence, he expressly declared that her faith had saved her. Now it is faith which relies on the mercy of God and his Word, and not upon works. If we believe that faith can rely both upon God and the works of men at the same time, we certainly do not understand what faith is. The alarmed conscience cannot be appeased by its own works, but must cry for mercy; and there are no other means by which it can be consoled and relieved, but the Word of God. The narrative itself shows plainly in this place, what Christ calls love. The woman comes to Christ, confident of obtaining the remission of her sins from him. Truly this is acknowledging and honoring Christ; for greater honor than this no one can confer upon him. It is really confessing Christ, or the Messiah, to seek remission of sin from him; and to recognize Christ in this manner, to confess and receive him thus, is to believe on him sincerely.

But Christ did not use the words, “she loved much,” while speaking with the woman, but when he spoke to the Pharisee. For Christ, the Lord, compared the whole honor, conferred on him by the Pharisee, with the offerings and works of the woman. He reproves the Pharisee for not recognizing him as Christ, although he was honored as a guest, and a pious and holy man. But he commends the worship of the woman, the confession of her sins, and her effort to obtain their remission from him. This noble example justly moved Christ to reprove the Pharisee, who, although a wise and honorable man, still did not believe on him. He reproached him with his unbelief, and admonished him by the example of the woman, as though he would say to the Pharisee: shame upon thee! That though art so blind as not to recognize me as Christ and the Messiah, although thou art a teacher of the law; while this woman, poor and without learning, recognizes me. (Henkel Translation, p. 185).

Some one of them may ask; “Since we acknowledge that love is the offspring of the Spirit, and since it is called a holy work and the fulfillment of the law, why we do not also teach that it justifies us before God?”

Reply,—First, most assuredly we do not receive the forgiveness of sins either through love or on account of it, but through faith alone for Christ’s sake. Faith alone in the heart looks upon the promises of God; faith alone is the assurance, upon which the heart rests with certainty, that God is merciful— that Christ died not in vain, &c. This faith alone overcomes the terrors of sin and death. He that still wavers, or doubts that his sins are remitted, does not confide in God, but he despairs of Christ; because he believes his sins to be greater and stronger than the death and blood of Christ; and yet Paul says, Rom. 5:20, that, “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound,” that is, it was stronger, richer, and more powerful.

Now if any one expects to obtain the remission of his sins, on account of his love, he reviles and dishonors Christ, and will discover, in his last moments, when he must appear before the judgment seat of God, the vanity of such confidence. It is therefore certain, that we are justified by faith alone. And as we do not obtain the remission of sin by good works and virtues; such as patience, chastity, obedience to government, and yet these virtues follow faith; so we do not obtain remission of sin on account of love to God, although it must follow faith. (Henkel Translation, p. 184).

From among these fruits and effects of faith our opponents select but one,—namely, love,—and teach that love justifies us in the sight of God; consequently they are nothing but preachers of works, and teachers of the law. They do not, in the first place, teach that we obtain the remission of sin through faith. They do not preach Christ, the Mediator, that through him we receive the mercy of God, but speak of our love and our works; and yet they do not tell us what kind of love it is, nor are they able to define it.

They boast of their ability to fulfil or keep the law, although the honor belongs to Christ alone. Thus they oppose their own works to the judgment of God, and maintain that they merit, de condigno, grace and eternal life. This is, indeed, a perfectly vain and impious confidence in their own works. For it is impossible in this life even for Christians and saints themselves, to keep the law of God perfectly; for evil inclinations and desires always remain in us, although the Holy Ghost resists them. (Henkel Translation, p. 184).