3. The Means Through Which God Effects Conversion.
conversio a Deo efficitur). If conversion consists in a person believing in the forgiveness of sins offered in the Gospel, the means of conversion is the Gospel. The same Gospel, which according to its content is a scandal to the Jews and a folly to the Greeks, has the wonderful quality of giving itself recognition, that is, faith. This has already been explained (p. 477 ff.).
oculos. Haec naturaliter miratur humana ratio, et quia tantum opera cernit, fidem non intelligit neque considerat, ideo somniat haec opera mereri remissionem peccatorum. Haec opinio legis haeret naturaliter in animis hominum neque excuti potest, nisi quum divinitus docemur. [Google
Where conversions are to take place, the gospel must be heard or read,'? and all those who want to remain in the state of conversion must continue to use the gospel. But since no one accepts the grace offered in the gospel unless he first gives up eternally for his sins, the preaching of the gospel must be preceded and followed by the preaching of the law. Rom. 3:20: 614 yap VOLOV voLLOV éxtyv@ots apaptias. The sermon of the law is also served by external ways of life (need, Luke 15:14-18; Acts 16:26. ff.; Ps. 119:71, and well-being, Rom. 2:4), which God lets come upon men, and which one has appropriately called concio legis realis. '!*’ In short, if there is to be conversion to God, the Law and the Gospel must be preached in proper connection and in proper distinction. It is a gross misuse of the Scriptural teaching of God's sole efficacy in conversion if people therefore want to put off hearing the Word of God and expect an immediate conversion. The Lutheran Confessions warns most emphatically against this abuse.!?)