AS a Lutheran, of the Missouri Synod persuasion, I can say that much has been said in my church about this. The issue is one of timing. We believe that we are saved by grace alone, through faith, FOR works.
The believer is not saved, by his works, but the works are rather the logical output of a person who has the assurance of salvation. The works demonstrate that we are saved; they don’t save us. The good works that Christ prepared for us to do are our fruits. Jesus said, “by their fruits, you will know them.” James says, “Show me your faith by what you say; I will show you mine by what I do.”
As Christians, we should seek to do good works out of gratitude to God for his grace, and therefore our faith. We will still mess up and sin and do wrong, but that is being human. That said , it’s not a loophole. We must acknowledge our sin and seek forgiveness by our repentance and prayer. Our assurance rests on the fact that Christ died for us and that we know, because God is no liar, that if we believe (and everything that comes with that), we will be saved.
Hope this helps.
Your answer and explanation simply makes entirely too much reasonable sense… Therefore in this day and age you must be entirely wrong!
By the way, good answer.