The excerpt represents the core issue or deciding factor on which you must meditate, and is drawn from The Augsburg Confession by Philip Melanchthon: exact these works as a service necessary to merit grace, and
did greatly terrify men's consciences, if they should omit any
of these things. From this persuasion concerning traditions
much detriment has resulted in the Church.
First, the doctrine of grace and of the righteousness of faith
has been obscured by it, which is the chief part of the
Gospel, and ought to stand out as the most prominent in the
Church, in order that the merit of Christ may be well known,
and faith, which believes that sins are forgiven for Christ's
sake be exalted far above works. Wherefore Paul also lays the
greatest stress on this article, putting aside the Law and
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