Lange - Esquema Del Libro de La Concordia

OUTLINE
OF
THE BOOK OF CONCORD
by
Lyle W. Lange
NORTHWESTERN PUBLISH ING HOUSE

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Based on THE BOOK OF CONCORD, edited by Theodore G. Tappert, copyright
© 1959 Fortress Press. Used by permission of Augsburg Fortress.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a re-
trieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means-electronic, mechani-
cal, photocopy, recording, or otherwise-except for brief quotations in reviews,
without prior permission from the publisher.
Library of Congress Card 94-67906

Northwestern Publishing House
1250 N. 113th St., Milwaukee, WI 53226-3284
© 1994 by Northwestern Publishing House.
Published 1994
Printed in the United States of America
ISBN 0-8100-0538-7
TABLE OF CONTENTS
» » » » • <««<«
AUTHOR'S PREFACE .......•......... ..........•... 9
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION ...•............• ..... 11
I. Of God ................. ................ . 13
II. Original Sin ................. ............. . 13
III. The Son of God ................. .......... . 13
IV. Justification .... , , .. ,
c •• , •••••••••••••••••• 14
V. The Office of the Ministry ................. . . 14
VI. The New Obedience ................. ...... . 14
VII. The Church ............ " ................. . 14
VIII. What the Church Is ...... " ................. . 14
IX. Baptism ................. . , .............. . 14
X. The Holy Supper ofour Lord . , .............. . 15
XI. Confession ............... , .............. . 15
XII. Repentance ................. ............. . 15
XIII. The Use of the Sacraments ................. . . 15
XIV. Order in the Church ................. ...... . 16
XV. Church Usages ............ , .............. . 16
XVI. Civil Government ............. , ........... . 16
XVII. The Return of Christ to Judgment . , ........... . 16
XVIII. Freedom of the Will ................. ...... . 17
XIX. The Cause of Sin ................. ......... . 17
XX. Faith and Good Works ................. .... . 17
XXL The Cult of Saints ................. ........ . 18
XXII. Both Kinds in the Sacrament ................ . 18
XXIII. The Marriage of Priests ................. .... . 18
XXIV. The Mass ................. ............... . 19
XXV. Confession ................. ............. . 19
XXVI. The Distinction of Foods ................. .. . 20
XXVII. Monastic Vows ................. .......... . 20
XXVIII. The Power of Bishops ................. ..... . 21
3
APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION . . . . . . . . 23
I. God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
II. Original Sin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
III. Christ ............. ..... ; . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
IV. Justification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
VII. The Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
VIII. The Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
IX. Baptism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
X. The Holy Supper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
XI. Confession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
XII. Penitence ............. ... , , , . , 0........... 37
XIII. The Number and Use of the Sacraments . . . . . . . . 42
XIV. Ecclesiastical Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
XV. Human Traditions in the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
XVI. Political Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
XVII. Christ's Return to Judgment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
XVIII. Free Will . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
XIX. The Cause of Sin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
XX. Good Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
XXL The Invocation of the Saints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
XXII. The Lord's Supper under Both Kinds . . . . . . . . . . . 49
XXIII. The Marriage of Priests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
XXIV. The Mass .......... , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
XXVII. Monastic Vows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
XXVIII. Ecclesiastical Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
THE SMALCALD ARTICLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Preface 57
Part One: Articles of Agreement ............. ........ . 57
The Triune God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Part Two: Articles Which Pertain to the Office and
Work of Christ or to Our Redemption . . . . . . . . 57
I. Christ and Faith ........ , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
II. The Mass ............. , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
III. Chapters and Monasteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
IV. The Papacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Part Three: Articles of Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
I. Sin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
II. The Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
4
III. Repentance .............................. . 62
IV. The Gospel , , . , , , ........................ . 63
v. Baptism ................................. . 63
VI. The Sacrament of the Altar .................. . 64
VII. The Keys ................................ . 64
VIII. Confession .............................. . 64
IX. Excommunication ......................... . 64
x. Ordination and Vocation .................... . 65
XI. The Marriage of Priests ... , , , . , ............. . 65
XII. The Church .............................. . 65
XIII. How Man Is Justified Before God,
and His Good Works ....................... . 65
XIV. Monastic Vows ........................... . 65
xv. Human Traditions ......................... . 66
Conclusion 66
TREATISE ON THE POWER AND
PRIMACY OF THE POPE .•......••......•.........•. 67
Introduction ........................................ . 69
I. Testimony of the Scriptures ................. . 69
II. Testimony from History .................... . 69
III. Arguments of Opponents Refuted ............ . 70
IV. The Marks of the Antichrist ................. . 70
V. The Power and Jurisdiction of Bishops ........ . 71
THE SMALL AND LARGE CATECHISMS ......••...•. 73
THE SMALL CATECHISM ...•......•.....•.•.•...•.. 75
Preface to the Small Catechism ......................... . 75
THE LARGE CATECHISM ..•.•...•••....••.....••... 77
Martin Luther's Preface ............................... . 77
The Shorter Preface ........... , .. , , .................. . 78
First Part: The Ten Commandments .••...•••...••....• 79
I. The First Commandment ... , ............... . 79
II. The Second Commandment ................. . 80
III. The Third Commandment ................... . 80
IV. The Fourth Commandment .. , ............... . 81
V. The Fifth Commandment ... , ............... . 83
VI. The Sixth Commandment ................... . 83
VII. The Seventh Commandment ................. . 84
VIII. The Eighth Commandment , , ................ . 85
5
IX. The Ninth Commandment ........... ....... . 86
X. The Tenth Commandment 86
Conclusion of the Ten Commandments ........... ........ . 86
Second Part: The Creed .......... .......... .......... . 87
Introduction ........... ........... ........... ....... . 87
I. The First Article ........... ........... .... . 87
II. The Second Article ........... ........... .. . 88
III. The Third Article . " ........... ........... . . 88
Third Part: The Lord's Prayer ........... ........... .. . 89
Introduction 89
I. The First Petition ........... ........... ... . 90
II. The Second Petition ........... ........... . . 90
III. The Third Petition ........... ........... ... . 91
IV. The Fourth Petition ........... ........... .. . 91
V. The Fifth Petition ........... ........... ... . 92
VI. The Sixth Petition . " ........... ........... . . 92
VII. The Seventh Petition ........... ........... . . 93
Fourth Part: Baptism .......... .......... .......... .. . 93
Introduction ........... ........ , ........... ......... . 93
I. The Words of Baptism ... , ........... ...... . 93
II. Baptism Is God's Own Act ........... ....... . 93
III. Power, Effect, Benefit, Fruit, and
Purpose of Baptism ........... ........... .. . 93
IV. Infant Baptism ........... ........... ...... . 94
V. What Does Baptism Signify? ........... ..... . 94
Fifth Part: The Sacrament of the Altar 95
I. What Is It? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
II. For What Purpose Was the Sacrament Administered? 96
III. Who Receives This Power and Benefit? . . . . . . . . . 96
IV. Those Who Claim to Be Christians Should
Prepare Themselves to Receive
this Sacrament Frequently . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
A Brief Exhortation to Confession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
THE FORMULA OF CONCORD: SOLID DECLARATION 99
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
I. Original Sin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
6
II.Free Will or Human Powers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
III.The Righteousness of Faith before God . . . . . . . . . 106
IV. Good Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
V. Law and Gospel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
VI. The Third Function of the Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
VII. The Holy Supper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
VIII.The Person of Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
IX. Christ's Descent into Hell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
X. The Ecclesiastical Rites That Are Called
Adiaphora or Things Indifferent ........ , , , .. , . 128
XI. Eternal Foreknowledge and Divine Election . . . . . 130
XII. Other Factions and Sects Which Never Accepted
the Augsburg Confession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Anabaptists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
The Schwenkfelders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
The New Arians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
The New Anti-Trinitarians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
7
AUTHOR'S PREFACE
» » >»> • « « « «
"Therefore, I once again implore all Christians, especially pastors anct

preachers, not to try to be doctors prematurely and to imagine that they know
everything. Vain imaginations, like new cloth, suffer shrinkage! Let all Chris-
tians exercise themselves in the Catechism daily, and constantly put it into
practice, guarding themselves with the greatest of care and diligence against
the poisonous infection of such security or vanity. Let them continue to read
and teach, to learn and meditate and ponder. Let them never stop until they
have proved by experience that they have taught the devil to death and have
become wiser than God himself and all his saints. If they show such dili-
gence, then I promise them-and their experience will bear me out-that
they will gain much fruit and God will make excellent men of them. Then in
due time they themselves will make the noble confession that the longer they
work with the Catechism, the less they know of it and the more they have to
learn. Only then, hungry and thirsty, will they truly relish what now they can-
not bear to smell because they are so bloated and surfeited. To this end may
God grant his grace!"
These words of Luther, from his Preface to the Large Catechism, ring true
today. They remind all Christians, especially those who serve in the public
ministry, of the need for daily study of God's Word, for daily study and use
of the Catechism. Learning is a life-long process. None of us can ever say we
have reached the point where we have no more to learn.
Luther's words further remind us of the need for a regular study of all the
confessions of our church. The Lutheran Confessions help us keep our doc-
trinal moorings. Drawn from Scripture, they keep us anchored firmly in
God's Word. They keep us from drifting doctrinally when we encounter false
currents of theology at work in the world.
The Lutheran Confessions are not only doctrinal in nature. They are also
pastoral. Luther, Melanchthon, and the framers of the Formula of Concord
exhibited a genuine care for souls. They were people who knew well the tri-
als of this life. They knew from experience how false doctrine robs souls of
the gospel's comfort. I cannot agree with those who feel reading the Confes-
9
AUTHOR'S PREFACE
sions is dry and boring. It might be, if I had no devil to face, no sinful world
in which to live, and no flesh to crucify. Reading the Lutheran Confessions is
devotional. The truths of God's Word, confessed by men who faced the same
devil, world, and flesh which we face, are of great comfort to us and to those
whom we serve.
Thus, this Outline of the Book of Concord is offered to help the reader with
a study of The Book of Concord. It is not intended to replace a reading of the
Confessions. Rather, it is intended to draw the student more deeply into the
Confessions themselves. This Outline grew out of preparation for teaching a
course entitled, "The Doctrine of Sanctification in the Lutheran Confessions."
Preparing the course made it evident that a regular index does not always iden-
tify the areas where a doctrine is dealt with most fully. Furthermore, when dis-
cussing sanctification, one cannot isolate it from justification. Nor can one ig-
nore the continuity and development of thought that exists between the various
articles discussing doctrines in The Book of Concord. To study any doctrine
dealt with by the Confessions, it is well to read the treatment of the doctrine in
the context of what the Confessions say throughout.
This Outline of the Book of Concord will help one find where the Confes-
sions treat specific doctrines. It will enable the student to view specific doc-
trinal statements in the context of the rest of the Confessions. The Outline
may be used as a basis for discussion of the Lutheran Confessions in Bible
classes. In mission fields, where language may be a barrier to reading the
Lutheran Confessions in their entirety, the Outline may serve as a summary
of the Confessions and as a basis for discussion.
The Outline uses the Tappert edition of The Book of Concord, which is
easier to read, for the average person, than the Concordia Triglotta. The para-
graph references made in the outlines refer to those in the Tappert edition.
The three ecumenical creeds, the Small Catechism, and the Epitome of the
Formula of Concord are not included in the Outline. They are brief enough in
themselves. The Augsburg Confession, the Apology, the Smalcald Articles,
the Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope, the Large Catechism, and
the Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord are included.
May the Lord enable this work to be a blessing to us as we study the Con-
fessions. May our Confessions serve to anchor us in the faith and strengthen
us in our lives. May they enable us to give the world, for generations to
come, a clear testimony of God's grace to sinners. To God alone be the glory!
Lyle Lange
JU
>>>>>>>> • <<<<<<<<>>>>>>>> • <<<<<<<<
THE
AUGSBURG
CONFESSION
>>>>>>>> • <<<<<<<<>>>>>>>> • <<<<<<<<
11
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION
>»»>» • <«««<
ARTICLES OF FAITH AND DOCTRINE
I. GOD
A. One divine essence (1)
B. Three persons (2)
C. Equal (2)
D. Person: that which exists of itself (4)
E. Rejected: (5,6)
1. Manichaeans---dualism
2. Valentinians--Gnosticism
3. Arians-Son was of different substance
4. Eunomians-extreme Arians
5. Mohammedans-anti-Trinitarian
6. Samosatenes---denied personality of Son and Spirit
II. ORIGINAL SIN
A. All who are born according to the course of nature are born
in sin. (1)
B. Born with lust and lacking righteousness (1)
C. Original sin is truly sin and condemns. (2)
D. Need for regeneration by the Spirit through Baptism (2)
E. Rejected (3):
1. Pelagians-man is not sinful by nature
2. Others who deny original sin
III. THE SON OF GOD
A. God the Son became man. ( 1)
B. The two natures are inseparably united in one person. (1,2)
C. One Christ was sacrificed for original sin and all other sins.
(2,3)
D. Christ is exalted and will come again. (6)
13
IV. JUSTIFICATION
A. We cannot obtain forgiveness by our own merits. (1)
B. We receive forgiveness of sin by grace, for Christ's sake,
through faith. (2)
C. This faith is reckoned as righteousness. (3)
V. THE OFFICE OF THE MINISTRY
A. To obtain faith, God instituted the office of the ministry,
that is, provided the gospel and the sacraments. (1)
B. Through these means, he gives the Holy Spirit who works
faith, when and where he pleases. (2)
C. Rejects the Anabaptists and others who teach that the Spirit
comes to us through our own preparations without the ex-
ternal word of the gospel (4)
VI. THE NEW OBEDIENCE r
A. Faith should produce good works. (1)
B. We must do all such good works as God has commanded
(in contrast with man-made work). (See XX, 3 and XXVI,
2.) (1)
c. We should do good works for God's sake and not put our
trust in them. (1,2)
D. Forgiveness comes through faith alone, without merit. (3)
VII. THE CHURCH
A. The church is the assembly of believers among whom the
gospel is preached and the sacraments are administered. (I)
B. It is sufficient for true unity of the church that the gospel be
preached truly and that the sacraments be administered ac-
cording to the Word. (2)
VIII. WHAT THE CHURCH IS
A. The church is nothing else than the assembly of all believ-
ers and saints. (1)
B. There are hypocrites and open sinners who remain among
the godly. (1)
c. The sacraments are efficacious even if administered by
wicked men. (2)
D. The Donatists are condemned (they denied the validity of
the ministry of those who fell away under persecution). (3)
IX. BAPTISM
A. Baptism is necessary. ( 1)
14
B. It is a means of grace. (1)

C. Children should be baptized. (2)
D. The Anabaptists are condemned. (3)
X. THE HOLY SUPPER OF OUR LORD
A. The true body and blood of Christ are present under the
form of bread and wine. ( 1)
B. They are distributed and received. (2)
C. The contrary doctrine is rejected (The Sacramentarians). (2)
NOTE: In his 1540 version of the Confession (the Variata,
or altered edition), Melanchthon wrote: "Of the Lord's Sup-
per they teach that together with the bread and wine, the
Body and Blood of Christ are truly tendered to those who
eat in the Lord's Supper." He also dropped the condemnato-
ry clause.
XI. CONFESSION
A. Private absolution should be retained. (1)
B. It is not necessary to enumerate all sins. (2)
XII. REPENTANCE
A. Those who sin after Baptism receive forgiveness of sins
whenever they come to repentance. Absolution should not
be denied them. ( 1,2)
B. True repentance means having contrition (terror smiting the
conscience with a knowledge of sin) and believing the
gospel (absolution-that sin has been forgiven through
Christ). (4,5)
C. This faith will comfort the heart. (5)
D. The fruits of repentance (amendment of life and forsaking
sin) should follow. (6)
E. Rejected (7-10)
1. That persons who have once become godly cannot fall
again (Hans Denck)
2. Novatians--denied absolution to those who had sinned
after Baptism
3. Those who teach that forgiveness is obtained through
the satisfactions made by man
XIII. THE USE OF THE SACRAMENTS
A. The sacraments are not only signs which identify us as
Christians, but also signs of God's will toward us for awak-
ening and strengthening our faith. (1)
B. The sacraments require faith. (2)
15
C. They are rightly used when they are received in faith and
for the purpose of strengthening faith. (2)
XIV. ORDER IN THE CHURCH
No one should publicly teach or preach or administer the sacra-
ments in the church without a regular call. (1)
xv. CHURCH USAGES

A. Those church usages are to be observed which contribute to
peace and good order in the church. ( 1)
B. We accompany these usages with instruction lest people be-
lieve such things are necessary for salvation. (2)
c. All ordinances instituted to propitiate God are contrary to
the gospel. (3)
D. Rejected: (4)
1. Monastic vows
2. Distinctions of foods, days
XVI. CIVIL GOVERNMENT
A. All government in the world is ordained by God for the
sake of good order. (1)
B. Christians may serve in government as soldiers, etc. (2)
c. Christians may engage in a just war. (2)
D. Condemned: (3,4)
1. The Anabaptists
2. That Christian perfection requires forsaking family
obligations and renouncing the activities mentioned
above (Monasticism)
E. True perfection consists alone of proper fear of God and
real faith in God. ( 4)
F. The gospel does not overthrow civil authority and mar-
riage, but requires that these be kept as true orders of
God. (5)
G. Everyone according to his own calling manifests Christian
love and good works in his station in life. (5)
H. Christians are obliged to obey civil authority. (6)
I. We must obey God rather than men. (7)
XVII. THE RETURN OF CHRIST TO JUDGMENT
A. Christ will return again to judge the world. ( 1)
B. He will give eternal life to all believers. (2)
c. He will condemn the ungodly and the devil to hell. (3)
D. Condemned: (4,5)
16
1. The Anabaptists (Hans Denck, Melchior Rinck) who

deny eternal punishment
2. Jewish opinions-that before the resurrection the god-
ly will possess a worldly kingdom and annihilate the
godless
XVIII. FREEDOM OF THE WILL
A. Man has the freedom of will to effect civic righteousness
by reason. ( 1)
B. By themselves people cannot become acceptable to God.
(2)
C. Only the Holy Spirit who is given through the Word can ef-
fect faith and sanctification. (3)
D. This was the teaching of Augustine. (4-7)
E. Rejected (in early variants): those who teach that we can
keep the commandments without grace and the Holy Spirit.
XIX. THE CAUSE OF SIN
A. God has created and still preserves nature. ( 1)
B. Sin is caused by the perverted will (of the devil and the un-
godly). (2)
XX. FAITH AND GOOD WORKS
A. Our teachers have falsely been accused of forbidding good
works. (1)
B. The adversaries really taught little of good works. (3)
C. They taught useless works such as rosaries, monasticism,
pilgrimages, etc. (3,4)
D. They do not teach now that we become righteous before
God by works alone, but they add faith (a historical knowl-
edge) in Christ. (6)
E. Works cannot reconcile us with God. We are reconciled
through faith (when we believe our sins are forgiven). (9)
F. The conscience cannot come to rest through works, but
only through faith (when it is assured for Christ's sake it
has a gracious God). (16)
G. Faith is not a mere knowledge of historical events as the
devil and the ungodly possess. (25)
H. Good works must be done, not that we rely on them to earn
grace but that we may do God's will and glorify him. (27)
I. When through faith the Holy Spirit is given, the heart is
moved to do good works. Without the Holy Spirit we can-
not do good works. (29)
17
J. We do not forbid good works but teach that good works

are to be done and offer help as to how they may be done.
(35)
XXL THE CULT OF SAINTS
A. It is taught among us that saints should be kept in remem-
brance. (1)
I. They show us how God sustained them.
2. Their works are an example for us, each in his own
calling.
B. It cannot be proved from Scripture that we are to invoke the
saints. (2)
C. Jesus is our only Mediator. (2-3)
ARTICLES ABOUT MATTERS IN DISPUTE,

IN WHICH AN ACCOUNT IS GIVEN
OF THE ABUSES WHICH HAVE BEEN CORRECTED
XXII. BOTH KINDS IN THE SACRAMENT

A. Both kinds are given to the laymen in the Lord's Supper be-
cause Christ's command is clear. (I)
B. The withdrawal of the cup from the laity is condemned (au-
thorized by the Fourth Lateran Council of 1215). (I 0)
C. The custom of carrying about the sacrament in processions
is omitted by us. (The Corpus Christi festival was observed
on the Thursday following Trinity Sunday. The Evangelical
Princes refused to participate in the Corpus Christi proces-
sion in Augsburg on June 16, 1530.) (12)
XXIII. THE MARRIAGE OF PRIESTS
A. There are many complaints about the immorality of the
priests. (I)
B. Some priests, to ease their consciences, have married. (3)
c. Scripture asserts that marriage was instituted to avoid im-
morality (I Co 7:3,9). (4)
D. Few people have the gift of living in celibacy (Mt 19:11). (5)
E. It can be demonstrated from history and the writings of the
fathers that priests and deacons married in early times. (10)
F. Celibacy was enforced only 400 years ago (Pope Gregory
VII, end of the 11th century). (12)
G. The Pope not only forbade future marriages, but also broke
up existing marriages of long standing. ( 13)
18
H. Pope Pius II (1458-1464) said that whereas there may have

been some reasons for prohibiting clergy marriages, now
there were better reasons for permitting them (as reported
by the Italian humanist Bartolomeo Platina). (13,14)
I. The assertion that priests may marry is based on God's
Word and command. (18)
J. Forbidding marriage is a doctrine of the devil (1 Ti 4: 1,3).
(22)
K. St. Cyprian counseled women who were unable to keep
their vows of chastity to marry. (25)
L. The canons show great leniency toward those who made
vows in their youth. (26)
XXIV. THE MASS
A. We are unjustly accused of having abolished the Mass. (1)
B. People are instructed with great diligence concerning the
sacrament: (1)
1. Why it was instituted
2. How it is to be used (as a comfort)
C. No conspicuous changes have been made in the public cer-
emonies of the Mass (except German hymns are sung in ad-
dition to Latin responses). (2)
D. The Mass was misused when it was sold for money. (10 )
E. We discontinued mercenary Masses and private Masses
(said for individuals). (13)
F. We condemn the teaching that Jesus made satisfaction only
for original sin, and had instituted the Mass as a sacrifice
for other sins. (21)
G. Faith and true service of God were forgotten. (23)
H. Scripture teaches in many places that there is no sacrifice
for original sin or any other sin except the one death of
Christ. (26)
I. Paul teaches that we obtain grace through faith and not
through works. (28)
J. The sacrament was instituted to awaken our faith and com-
fort our consciences, not to sacrifice for sin. The sacrifice
has already taken place. (30)
K. The Mass should be a communion in which the priest and
others receive the sacrament for themselves. (34)
L. We have discontinued unnecessary Masses held in addition
to the parochial Mass. ( 40)
M. Our practice ought not be condemned as heretical. (40)
19
XXV. CONFESSION
A. The custom has been retained among us of not administer-
ing the sacrament to those who have not previously been
examined and absolved. (1)
B. Absolution is not the word of man but the Word of God,
who forgives sin, for it is spoken in God's stead and by
God's command. (3)
C. No one should be compelled to recount sins in detail (Ps
19:12). (7)
D. Confession is to be retained for the sake of absolution
(which is the chief and most important part). (13)
XXVI. THE DISTINCTION OF FOODS
A. In former times men taught that the distinction among
foods had been instituted to make satisfaction for sins. (1)
B. New ceremonies were invented. They were promoted as a
necessary service of God. To observe them was to earn
grace; to omit them was a sin. (2,3)
C. This obscured the grace of Christ. It is only through faith in
Christ that we obtain grace. (4)
D. These traditions obscured the commands of God, for tradi-
tions were elevated above God's commands. (8-10)
1. Whoever observed these traditions was said to live a
spiritual and Christian life.
2. The works which everyone is obliged to do according
to his calling were considered secular and unspiritual
(i.e., husbands, wives, etc.).
E. These traditions burden consciences. People were taught
they were necessary, but could not keep them all. ( 12-17)
F. We teach that Christians are obliged to suffer the cross.
This is true discipline rather than invented mortification.
(31,32)
G. Fasting and other disciplines may be useful, but they do not
earn grace. (33)
H. We maintain ceremonies and traditions which preserve or-
der in the church. We make it clear, however, they do not
make us righteous before God. (40)
XXVII. MONASTIC VOWS
A. In the days of Augustine monastic life was voluntary. (2)
B. Monastic vows were invented. (2)
C. Many persons entered monastic life ignorantly. (5)
20
D. Boys and girls were thrust into monasteries to provide for

their maintenance. (8)
E. The monasteries taught little of Christ. (15)
F. In former times people adopted monastic life for the pur-
pose of studying Scripture. Now monastic life is a way of
becoming righteous before God. ( 16)
G. Monastic life is called a state of perfection (Thomas
Aquinas) and is regarded as far superior to all other estates
instituted by God. (16)
H. All those who are not suited for celibacy have the right to
marry, for vows cannot nullify God's order or command. (18)
I. God's creation and order direct all to marriage who are not
endowed with the gift of virginity by a special act of God.
(20)
J. A vow must involve what is possible and voluntary and
must be uncoerced. (27)
K. Although the breaking of vows might be censured, it would
not follow that the marriages of those who broke them
should be dissolved. (34)
L. All service of God that is instituted by men to obtain righ-
teousness without the command of God is opposed to God
and the gospel and contrary to God's command. (36)
M. Vows were an improper and false service of God. Therefore
they are not binding. An ungodly vow, contrary to God's
command, is null and void. (39, 40)
N. Not only did the monks teach they could earn God's favor
by their monastic observances, but they also taught they
could apply their good works to others (works of su-
pererogation). (44ff)
0. This is Christian perfection: that we fear God with our
whole hearts and have sincere confidence that for Christ's
sake we have a merciful God. (50)
P. Men who forsook wife, child, or civil office, to take shelter
in a monastery, sought a life more pleasing to God than the
other. One is to serve God by observing the commands God
has given and not by keeping the commandments invented
by men. (56,57)
Q. Because of the errors on which monastic vows are based,
monastic vows are null and void. (62)
XXVIII. THE POWER OF BISHOPS
A. Some have confused the power of bishops with the tempo-
ral sword. ( 1,2)
21
1. Introduced new forms of worship

2. Cases of reserved absolution
3. Violent use of the ban
4. Presume to set up and depose kings and emperors
B. There is a need to distinguish between the temporal and
spiritual powers. (4)
C. The power of the keys is a power to preach the gospel, to
forgive and retain sins, and to administer the sacraments.
(5)
D. Inasmuch as the power of the keys bestows eternal gifts and
is exercised by preaching, it does not interfere with tempo-
ral authority. (10)
E. Temporal power does not protect the soul, but with the
sword it protects body and goods from the power of
others. ( 11)
F. The spiritual and the temporal authorities are not to be min-
gled or confused. (12)
G. Where bishops possess temporal authority, they possess it
by human, imperial right, not by divine right. ( 19)
H. Bishops do not have the right to establish anything contrary
to the gospel. (34)
I. It is necessary to preserve the teaching of Christian liberty
in Christendom, that the bondage of the law is not neces-
sary for justification. (51)
J. Those who consider the appointment of Sunday in place of
the Sabbath as a necessary institution are mistaken. The
Sabbath is abrogated. (58,59)
K. It is an erroneous opinion that one must have services of
God like the Levitical services and that Christ commanded
the apostles and the bishops to devise new ceremonies
which would be necessary for salvation. (61)
L. St. Peter forbids the bishops to exercise lordship as if they
had power to coerce the churches according to their will.
(76)
22
>>>>>>>> • <<<<<<<<>>>>>>>> • <<<<<<<<
APOLOGY OF
THE
I
1
AUGSBURG
CONFESSION
t >>>>>>>> • <<<<<<<<>>>>>>>> • <<<<<<<<
23
APOLOGY OF
» >»»> • « « « «
I. GOD
Rome approved of this article.
II. ORIGINAL SIN

A. By nature all people are full of evil lusts and inclinations
and are unable to have true fear of God. (2)
1. Some claim that original sin is not some corruption in
human nature, but only the subjection to mortality that
Adam's descendants bear because of his guilt, without
any evil of their own. (5)
2. The scholastics misunderstand the patristic definition
of original sin and therefore minimize original sin. (7)
3. They attribute to human nature unimpaired power to
love God above all things and to obey his command-
ments "according to the substance of the act" (Duns
Scotus, Gabriel Biel). (8)
4. What need is there for the Holy Spirit if human powers
by themselves can love God above all things? (11)
5. The scholastics mingled Christian doctrine with philo-
sophical views about the perfection of nature and at-
tributed more than was proper to free will. (12)
B. Righteousness contains not merely the second table of the
Decalogue, but also the first table, which commands fear,
faith, and love for God. ( 16)
1. Since nature in its weakness cannot fear and love God
or believe in him, it seeks and loves carnal things; ei-
ther it despises the judgment of God in its security, or it
hates him in its terror. (24)
25
----------..:---<~~~~~
APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION
2. Original sin: both a Jack ot ability to trust God, and

concupiscence, which pursues carnal ends contrary to
God's Word. (26)
3. We cannot know the magnitude of God's grace unless
we acknowledge our faults. (33)
C. Original sin remains after Baptism. (35)
1. Pope Leo X condemned Luther for teaching this (cf.
Exsurge Domine of June, 1520).
2. Baptism removes the guilt of original sin, even though
concupiscence remains. (35)
3. Rome maintains that concupiscence is a penalty, not a
sin. (38)
D. Because of original sin, human nature is subjected not only
to death, but also to the rule of the devil. (46)
1. Death, physical ills, and the tyranny of the devil are
penalties for original sin. (47)
2. Christ was given to us to bear both sin and penalty and
to destroy the rule of the devil, sin, and death; so we
cannot know his blessing unless we recognize our evil.
(50)
III. CHRIST
Rome approved of this article.
IV. JUSTIFICATION
A. People do not receive forgiveness because of their own
merits, but freely for Christ's sake, by faith in him. (1)
1. This is the main doctrine of Christianity. (2)
2. Rome condemned the Lutherans for teaching this doc-
trine (in their reaction to AC IV, V, VI, XX). ( 1)
3. They rob consciences of the consolation offered them
in Christ. (4)
B. All Scripture should be divided into these two chief doc-
trines: the law and the promises. (5)
1. By law is meant the commandments of the Decalogue.
(6)
2. Rome seeks forgiveness and justification by the law. (7)
3. The law not only requires external works which reason
can somewhat perform, but it requires works far
beyond the reach of reason, such as true fear and love
of God. (8)
4. The scholastics followed the philosophers. They teach
the righteousness of reason--civil works-and main-
?r:.
tain that without the Holy Spirit reason can love God
above all things. (9)
5. Scholastics teach that you can merit forgiveness by do-
ing what is within you. This has resulted in things like
monastic vows and the abuses of the Mass. (9,10)
6. This makes Christ unnecessary. (12)
7. Some have laid aside the gospel and expounded the
ethics of Aristotle, Socrates, and Zeno, as though Christ
had come to give laws by which we could merit for-
giveness. ( 14-16)
8. Rome requires a knowledge of the history of Christ
(this they call faith) and claims that Jesus merited for
us initial grace, which inclines us to love God more
easily. (17)
C. Rome distinguishes between merit of congruity and merit
of condignity. (19)
1. Merit of congruity (meritum congrui)-what a sinful
person does for himself, as far as he is able
2. Merit of condignity (meritum condigni)-what a just
man, enabled by divine grace, does for himself or others
3. Such a distinction robs consciences of peace. It causes
people to pile up works to find peace. (20)
D. Though the righteousness of reason has its place, it cannot
save. (21-35)
1. God requires the righteousness of reason (civil disci-
pline) to restrain the unspiritual. To preserve it, he has
given laws, governments, penalties, teaching, and
learning. (22)
2. We give this righteousness its due, but not at the ex-
pense of Christ. (24)
3. It is false that by our works we merit forgiveness. (25)
4. It is false that people are accounted righteous before
God because of the righteousness of reason. (26)
5. It is false that reason by its own strength can love God
above all things. (27)
6. Scripture and the Fathers teach this. (29-33)
E. The mind set on flesh is hostile to God. Therefore, the flesh
sins even when it performs outward civil works. (33)
1. Rome concentrates on the second table of the law
(something reason understands), and thinks by this they
satisfy the law of God. (34)
27
---
2. People sin, even when they do virtuous things wnnout
the Holy Spirit; for they do them with a wicked heart.
(35)
F. We are justified by faith apart from the law. (36-47)
1. It is impossible to love God unless faith has first ac-
cepted the forgiveness of sins. (36)
2. The law always accuses and terrifies consciences. It
does not justify, because a conscience terrified by the
law flees before God's judgment. (38)
3. People cannot keep the law by their own strength. They
are all under sin and subject to eternal wrath and death.
(40)
4. The promise of the forgiveness of sins and justification
was given because of Christ. The promise is not condi-
tional upon our merits, but offers the forgiveness of sin
and justification freely. (41,42)
5. The gospel is, strictly speaking, the promise of forgive-
ness of sin and justification because of Christ. ( 43)
6. When a man believes that his sins are forgiven because
of Christ, this personal faith obtains the forgiveness of
sins and justifies us. (45)
7. Through faith we are regenerated and the Holy Spirit
comes to us, so that we can finally obey God's law,
love him, etc. (45)
8. Faith sets against God's wrath, not our merits of love,
but Christ the mediator and propitiator. (46)
9. About this faith there is not a syllable in the teaching of
our opponents. (47)
G. What is justifying faith? (48ft)
1. Rome teaches that faith is historical knowledge and
that it can exist with mortal sin. (48)
2. The faith that justifies is no mere historical knowledge,
but the firm acceptance of God's offer promising for-
giveness. (48)
3. Faith is that worship which receives God's offered
blessings; the righteousness of the law is that worship
which offers God our own merits. ( 49)
4. Three elements belong to justifying faith:
a. the promise itself
b. the fact that the promise is free
c. the merits of Christ as the price and propitiation
(53)
28
f-\1'1.JLU\_jY U~ I HI:. f-\UliMSUKli LUN~l:.:S:SIUN
5. This is how God wants to be known and worshiped,

that we accept his blessings and receive them because
of his mercy rather than because of our own merits.
This is the greatest consolation in all afflictions, and
our opponents take it away when they despise and dis-
parage faith and teach men to deal with God only by
works and merits. (60)
H. Faith in Christ justifies.
1. The preaching of penitence fills our hearts with real
and serious fears. For these our hearts must receive
consolation. (62)
2. Consolation happens if our hearts believe Christ's
promise that for his sake we have forgiveness. (62)
3. This consolation is a new and spiritual life. (63)
4. Rome imagines that the sacraments bestow the Holy
Spirit ex opere operato without the proper attitude in
the recipient. (63) [Since the 13th century Rome taught
that the sacraments were efficacious by "the mere per-
formance of the act," as long as the person did not
place an obstacle and if he had what the AC called
"historical faith," assent rather than trust.]
5. Rome, like the Anabaptists, denied that love for God
came through the Word. But one cannot deal with God
or grasp him except through the Word. Therefore, justi-
fication takes place through the Word. (67)
6. To believe means to trust in Christ's merits. (69)
7. Anyone who denies that faith justifies teaches only the
law and does away with Christ and the gospel. (70)
8. Because of Christ, by faith itself we are truly accounted
righteous or acceptable before God. (72)
9. We are justified through faith alone. We exclude the
claim of merit, not the Word or sacraments. (73)
10. Love and good works must follow faith. So they are not
excluded as though they did not follow, but trust in the
merit of love or works is excluded from justification.
(74)
I. We obtain the forgiveness of sins only by faith in Christ.
1. Forgiveness of sins is the same as justification (Ps
32: 1). (76)
2. Sin terrifies consciences; this happens through the law,
which shows God's wrath against sin. But we conquer
through Christ by faith. (79)
29
- APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION
3. Rome supposes Christ is the Mediator because he mer-

ited for us the disposition of Jove. They imagine that
we have access through our works, by which we merit
this disposition, and then, through this love, have ac-
cess to God. (81)
4. By faith, for Christ's sake we receive the forgiveness of
sins. We cannot set our love or our works against the
wrath of God. (81)
5. It is certain that sins are forgiven because of Christ the
propitiator. (82)
6. We receive forgiveness through Christ, not for the sake
of our merits, contrition, attrition, Jove, worship, or
works. (83)
7. The forgiveness of sins is something promised for
Christ's sake. Therefore it can be accepted only by faith,
since a promise can be accepted only on faith. (84)
8. Faith alone justifies because we receive the forgiveness
of sins and the Holy Spirit by faith alone. (86)
9. Faith is the very righteousness by which we are ac-
counted righteous before God. This is not because it is
a work worthy in itself, but because it receives God's
promise that for Christ's sake he wishes to be propi-
tious to believers in Christ (1 Co 1:30). (86)
10. Paul excludes even the merit of works according to the
moral law; for if by these we earned justification before
God, faith would not be accounted for righteousness
without works. (89)
11. Faith frees men through the blood of Christ. This is
also what Ambrose and Augustine taught. (104-106)
J. Rome tries to evade the many Scripture passages on justifi-
cation by interpreting faith as faith fashioned by love. They
do not attribute justification to faith except on account of
love. They imagine that faith can exist with mortal sin. (109)
1. It is true that love should follow faith (Gal 5:6). But we
do not receive forgiveness by trust in this Jove or on ac-
count of this love. ( 112-114)
2. Since this faith alone receives forgiveness, it should be
called "grace which makes us acceptable to God" rather
than Jove, which is the effect resulting from it. ( 116)
3. By rejecting faith, our opponents have destroyed the
entire promise of the free forgiveness of sins and of the
righteousness of Christ. ( 121)
30
K. Love and the Keeping of the Law

1. Since faith brings the Holy Spirit and produces a new
life in our hearts, it must also produce spiritual impulses
in our hearts (Jer 31 :33). After we have been justified
and regenerated by faith, therefore, we begin to fear and
love God. Then we also begin to love our neighbor be-
cause our hearts have spiritual impulses. (125)
2. This cannot happen until, being justified and regenerat-
ed, we receive the Holy Spirit. (126)
3. We cannot love God until we have grasped his mercy
by faith. (129)
4. Although civic works are possible without Christ and
the Holy Spirit, the impulses of the heart toward God,
belonging to the essence of the law, are impossible
without the Holy Spirit. (130)
5. Our opponents claim we do not require good works,
whereas we not only require them, but show how they
can be done. (137)
6. We teach not only how the law can be kept, but also
that God is pleased when we keep it-not because we
live up to it but because we are in Christ. (140)
7. It is impossible to separate faith from love for God.
Faith precedes while love follows. ( 141, 142)
l 8. Our opponents teach that love justifies. From this it is
~ clear they teach only the law. (145)
9. If somebody doubts that his sins are forgiven, he insults
Christ. (149)
10. If somebody believes that he obtains forgiveness be-
cause he loves, he insults Christ. In God's judgment, he
will discover that this trust in his own righteousness
was wicked and empty. (150)
11. Jesus' statement, "Her sins, which are many, are forgiv-
en, because she loved much," is a synecdoche, where
cause and effect are combined in the same phrase.
(152)
12. Justification does not mean merely the beginning of our
renewal, but the reconciliation by which we are later
accepted. (161)
13. In our present weakness there is always sin which
could be imputed to us. ( 168)
14. Those who do not believe that evil desires are sin are
blind. (169)
31
15. Works can never pacify the conscience; only the

promise can do this. (180)
16. God accepts this imperfect righteousness of the law
only because of faith. It does not justify. (181)
L. Reply To The Opponents' Arguments
1. If the forgiveness of sins were conditional upon works,
it would be completely unsure and the promise would
be abolished. (187)
2. Good works should be done because God has com-
manded them and in order to exercise faith, to give tes-
timony, and to render thanks. (189)
3. Good works take place in a flesh that is partly unregen-
erate and hinders what the Holy Spirit motivates, foul-
ing it with its impurity. ( 189)
4. Because of faith they are nevertheless holy and divine
works, sacrifices, and the reign of Christ, whereby he
shows his rule before the world. (189)
5. We feel the same about every work done in the most
humble occupation and in private life. (192)
6. We teach that good works are meritorious-not for the
forgiveness of sin, grace, or justification, but for other
physical and spiritual rewards in this life and in that
which is to come (1 Co 3:8). Therefore, there will be
different rewards for different labors. (194) But the for-
giveness of sins is the same and equal to all. ( 195)
7. People see the works of the saints and think that by
them they merited God's favor. So also they think that
by works they can merit favor. We condemn the idea
that works merit justification: (204,205)
a. It obscures the glory of Christ.
b. People do not find peace of conscience in works.
They ultimately despair.
c. People never attain the knowledge of God, for in
their anger they flee his judgment and never be-
lieve that he hears them.
d. The Gentiles and the people of the Old Testament
imitated the works of the patriarchs but did not
keep their faith. They had the idea that sacrifices
justified ex opere operato. (206-213)
8. Good works must be done since our incipient keeping
of the law must follow faith, but we still give Christ his
honor. (214)
32
9. We cannot pit our works against the wrath and judg-

ment of God. Our works cannot overcome the terrors of
sin, but faith alone can overcome them. (214)
10. The answer to the texts that Rome uses to support its
justification by love and works: (218-284)
a. 1 Corinthians 13:2-0ur opponents proceed in re-
verse order. They quote this one text in which Paul
teaches about the fruits, and they omit the many
other texts in which he systematically discusses the
mode of justification. (221)
b. Colossians 3: 14--If it is love that makes men per-
fect, Christ, the propitiator will be unnecessary.
(231) It comes in poor grace for our opponents to
talk so much about love when they never show it.
(236)
c. 1 Peter 4: 8-Peter is here talking of love to the
neighbor. (238) Peter does not mean that love mer-
its the forgiveness of sins in relation to God. (243)
d. James 2:24--This text is more against Rome than
against us, for Rome omits faith which James men-
tions. (245) The context demonstrates that the
works here follow faith and show it living. (246)
James has just said that regeneration takes place
through the gospel. (247) James distinguishes be-
tween living and dead faith. He condemns the idle
minds who dream they have faith but do not. (248)
"To be justified" here does not mean that a wicked
man is made righteous but that he is pronounced
righteous in a forensic way (cf. Ro 2:13). (252)
e. Luke 6:37; Isaiah 58:7,9; Daniel 4:27; Matthew
5:3,7-These passages contain two elements: one
is the proclamation of the law, which condemns
wrongdoers and commands them to do right. The
other is a promise that is added. (255)
1.) We cannot keep the law unless we have been
reborn by faith (Jn 15:5).
2.) Without faith it is impossible to please God
(Heb 11:6).
3.) In the preaching of penitence we must proclaim
both law and gospel. (256-269)
f. Matthew 19: 17-No one can keep the command-
ments or please God without Christ. (270)
33
M. Christ frequently connects the promise of forgiveness with

good works. He does not mean that good works are a propi-
tiation, for they follow reconciliation. Good fruits ought to
follow of necessity. We need external signs of this great
promise, since a terrified conscience seeks manifold conso-
lations. (275)
N. Without Christ the teaching of the law has no value. (278)
0. Rome counsels pious consciences very badly when they
teach works merit forgiveness. Works give no certainty of
salvation. (285)
P. Our opponents teach two modes of justification: one based
upon reason, the other upon the law, neither based on the
gospel or the promise of Christ. (287)
1. The first mode: men merit grace by good works-first
by merit of congruity, then by merit of condignity. (288)
2. The second mode: we are righteous through a certain
disposition (love) infused by God. With the help of this
disposition we obey the law inwardly and outwardly.
Such obedience is worthy of life. (289)
Q. We ascribe justification to faith, rather than love, though
love follows. (294)
R. We are not justified by the law because human nature can-
not keep the law of God nor love God. (297)
S. We are justified by the promise, in which reconciliation,
righteousness, and eternal life are assured to us for Christ's
sake. (297)
T. We cannot offer anything to God unless we have first been
reconciled and reborn. (310)
U. We reject the teaching on merit of condignity.
1. They do not mention the fact that for Christ's sake we
please God by faith. (316)
2. This teaching leaves consciences in doubt. (319)
3. How will the conscience know when a work has been
performed under the influence of love? (321)
4. The whole church confesses that eternal life comes
through mercy. (322)
V. Rome says works are unnecessary if they do not merit life.
(348)
1. We are justified for this very purpose, that we might
begin to do good works and obey God's law. (349)
2. Works merit other bodily and spiritual rewards because
they please God through faith. There will be distinc-
34
tions of glory in the saints. (355) Although keeping the

law thus merits a reward ... still we must remember
that the gospel offers justification freely for Christ's
sake. (368)
VII and VIII. THE CHURCH
A. The Roman Confutation rejected AC 7 and 8, because the
wicked and sinners are separated from the church. (I)
1. We concede hypocrites are members of the church ac-
cording to the outward associations of the church's
marks-Word, confession, and sacraments. (4)
2. The sacraments do not lose their efficacy when admin-
istered by evil people. (4)
B. The church is mainly an association of faith and of the
Holy Spirit in men's hearts. (5)
1. The marks of the church make it recognizable. (5)
2. The Creed defines the church in this way, namely, the
communion of saints. (8)
3. The church speaks of the church catholic to avoid the
idea of an outward government of certain nations. ( 10)
4. Hypocrites are associated with the church as far as out-
ward ceremonies are concerned. (12)
5. Paul distinguishes the people of the Old Testament
from the church. (14)
6. The church, which is truly the kingdom of Christ, is,
precisely speaking, the congregation of the saints. (16)
C. The church is not a Platonic republic, but actually exists,
made up of true believers scattered throughout the world.
(20)
D. Just as the church has the promise it will always have the
Holy Spirit, so it also has the warning that there will be un-
godly teachers and wolves. (22)
E. The Pope claims he must have plenary power in both the
temporal and the spiritual realm. This definition of the pa-
pal kingdom rather than of the church of Christ has as its
authors not only the canonists but also Daniel 11 :36-39.
(24)
F. Rome condemns the statement: "For the true unity of the
church it is enough to agree concerning the teaching of the
Gospel and the administration of the sacraments." (30)
I. Some have thought that human traditions are devotions
necessary for meriting justification. (32)
35
2. Some churches have excommumcatect omers oecau~t:

of such traditions as the observance of Easter, the use
of icons, and the like. (32)
1
3. The righteousness of the heart is a spiritual thing that
quickens men's hearts. Human traditions do not quick-
en the heart. (36)
4. Rome wants to keep apostolic rites but not apostolic
doctrine. (39)
5. Rome requires uniform human ceremonies for the unity
of the church while they have changed the ordinance of
Christ in the use of the Lord's Supper, which certainly
was previously a universal ordinance. ( 46)
G. It is legitimate for Christians to use civil ordinances just as
it is legitimate for them to use the air, light, food, and
drink. (50)
IX. BAPTISM
A. Baptism is necessary for salvation. (1)
B. Children are to be baptized. (1)
C. Baptism of children is not useless but is necessary and effi-
cacious for salvation. (1)
D. The error of the Anabaptists is condemned. Christ regener-
ates through Word and sacrament. (2)
E. It is evident that God approves of the Baptism of little chil-
dren. The Anabaptists teach wickedly when they condemn
the Baptism of little children. (3)
X. THE HOLY SUPPER
A. Rome accepts the bodily presence of Christ, as does the
Greek Church. (2)
B. In the Lord's Supper the body and blood of Christ are truly
and substantially present and are truly offered with those
things that are seen, bread and wine. (4)
XL CONFESSION
A. Previously the whole power of absolution had been smoth-
ered by teachings about works, since the scholastics and
monks teach nothing about faith and free forgiveness. (2)
B. Our clergy instruct the people about the worth and fruits of
the sacraments in such a way as to invite them to use the
sacraments often. (3)
1. The openly wicked and the despisers of the sacraments
are excommunicated. (4)
2. We do not prescribe a set time because not everyone is

ready in the same way at the same time. (5)
3. The canons say: "If any enter the church of God and
are found never to commune, let them be admonished.
If they still do not commune, let them come to peni-
tence. If they commune, let them not be permanently
expelled. If they do not commune, let them be ex-
pelled." (Gratian, decretum, iii. De consecratione.)
C. We do not require the enumeration of sins. (6)
1. Rome believes that the enumeration of sins is necessary
to obtain forgiveness. (7)
2. Some later added including the circumstances of the
sins. (7)
D. Rome says nothing on faith which obtains forgiveness.
(9,10)
1. They recite lists of sins.
2. Most are against human traditions.
3. This has driven many to despair.
XII. PENITENCE
A. Rome rejects the teaching that contrition and faith are the
parts of penitence, and they deny that faith is the second
part of penitence.
B. Rome's distinction of attrition and contrition left people in
doubt as to when the forgiveness of sins takes place. (4-7)
1. Attrition: sorrow over sin resulting from fear of God
(Luther called it "half-way repentant" SA III, III, 16)
2. Contrition: sorrow over sin resulting from love of God
C. Rome teaches that by contrition we merit grace. But then,
why didn't Judas and Saul merit grace? (8)
D. Faith makes the difference between the contrition of Judas
and that of Peter. (8)
E. Rome's teaching on penitence is full of errors and
hypocrisy. It obscures the blessing of Christ, the power of
the keys, and the righteousness of faith. ( 10)
1. An enumeration of sins is demanded, most against hu-
man traditions. (11)
2. They speak very coldly about absolution, which is by
divine right. (12)
3. They say that the sacrament grants grace ex opere oper-
ato without a right attitude in the recipient. They do not
mention faith which grasps the absolution and consoles
the conscience. (12)
37
4. They imagine that eternal punishments are changed

into the punishments of purgatory, that of these one part
is forgiven by the power of the keys and another part is
redeemed by satisfactions. (13)
5. Beneath these demonic doctrines the doctrine of the
righteousness of faith in Christ and of the blessing of
Christ lies buried. ( 16)
F. The following teachings are condemned:
1. We merit grace by good works done apart from grace.
(17)
2. Attrition merits grace. ( 18)
3. To blot out sin, it is enough to detest the sin. (19)
4. We receive forgiveness by contrition, not by faith in
Christ. (20)
5. The power of the keys has validity for the forgiveness
of sins before the church, but not before God. (21)
6. The power of the keys does not forgive sins before
God, but was instituted to commute eternal to temporal
punishment, to impose satisfaction, to institute new acts
of devotion, and to make such satisfactions and acts
binding. (22)
7. The enumeration of sins in confession is by divine
right. (23)
8. Canonical satisfactions are necessary to redeem the
punishment of purgatory, or as a payment to blot out
guilt. (24)
9. The sacrament of penitence offers grace ex opere oper-
ato. (25)
10. By the power of keys, through indulgences, souls are
delivered from purgatory. (26)
11. In reserved cases, not only the canonical punishment
but also the guilt ought to be reserved in the case of
someone who is truly converted. (Reserved cases are
those in which absolution is reserved for the bishops or
the popes. See AC XXVIII, 2.) (27)
G. Contrition is the genuine terror of a conscience that feels
God's wrath against sin and is sorry that it has sinned. (29)
1. Contrition takes place when the Word of God de-
nounces sin. (29)
2. This causes the conscience to feel God's wrath against
sin, and causes terrors of conscience. (32,33)
3. How will men love God when they feel the terrible
wrath of God? (34)
38
H. Amid these terrors the gospel of Christ ought to be set forth

to consciences-the gospel which freely promises the for-
giveness of sins through Christ. (35)
1. Faith obtains the forgiveness of sins. (36)
2. This faith gradually grows and throughout life it strug-
gles with sin to conquer sin and death. But love follows
faith. Filial fear is anxiety joined with faith, where faith
consoles the anxious heart. In servile fear faith does not
sustain the anxious heart. (38)
3. The power of the keys administers and offers the
gospel through absolution, which is the true voice of
the gospel. Therefore we must believe the voice of the
one absolving no less than we would believe a voice
coming from heaven. Absolution may properly be
called a sacrament of penitence. (39-41)
I. Scripture makes contrition and faith the chief parts in the
penitence or conversion of the wicked. ( 44)
1. Matthew 11:28 (44)
a. Heavy-laden means contrition,
b. Come to me-believe
2. Mark 1: 15 (45)
a. Repent--contrition
b. Believe-faith
3. Colossians 2: 11,12 (46,47)
a. Putting off the body of sins
b. Being raised through faith
4. Colossians 2: 14 (48)
a. The bond-the conscience denouncing us
b. Canceling the bond-absolution
5. Psalm 118:18; 119:28; 1 Samuel 2:6 (49,50)
6. Isaiah 28:21-It is God's alien work to terrify because
God's own proper work is to console. (51)
7. 2 Samuel 12: 13,14-David (56)
J. The forgiveness of sins does not come ex ope re operato be-
cause of contrition, but by that personal faith by which each
individual believes that his sins are forgiven. (59)
1. When Rome speaks of faith, it means, not justifying
faith, but the general faith which believes that God ex-
ists. (60)
2. We fail to see what value there is in confession without
absolution. (61) How can anyone be said to receive ab-
solution unless he believes it? (62)
39
3. If forgiveness is the "terminus ad quern" of penitence,

then that which accepts should properly be included as
one of the parts of penitence. (63)
4. Leo X (in Exsurge Domine, 1520), and the Confutation
condemn this doctrine of forgiveness of sins. (67)
5. Let pious consciences know that God commands them
to believe they are freely forgiven because of Christ,
not because of our works. (72)
K. Rome teaches that because a person who has attrition or
contrition elicits an act of love to God, he merits the attain-
ment of the forgiveness of sins by this act. (75)
1. This is the preaching of the law, the elimination of the
gospel, and the abolition of the promise of Christ. (75)
2. We call men's consciences away from the law to the
gospel. (76)
3. We insult Christ and abrogate the gospel if we believe
we obtain forgiveness because of the law or in any oth-
er way except by faith in Christ. (77)
4. We must accept the forgiveness of sins by faith before
we keep the law, although love follows faith, for the re-
generate receive the Holy Spirit and therefore begin to
keep the law. (82)
5. When will the conscience find peace if we receive the
forgiveness of sins because we love or keep the law?
(88)
6. Rome distorts the statements of the Fathers on peni-
tence. Since the Fathers discuss sometimes one part,
sometimes another part of penitence, it would have
been in order to select and combine their opinions, not
only about one but about both parts, contrition and
faith. (93)
L. Confession and Satisfaction
1. We keep confession because of absolution, which is the
Word of God that the power of the keys proclaims to indi-
viduals by divine authority. It would therefore be wicked
to remove private absolution from the church. (99)
2. We do not believe the enumeration of sins is necessary
by divine right. Ministers of the church have the com-
mand to forgive sins; they do not have the command to
investigate secret sins. ( 103-105)
3. Rome's interpretation of Proverbs 27:23, "Know well
the condition of your flocks," is false and does not sup-
port the enumeration of sins. ( 106)
40
4. The word "satisfaction" is a relic from the rite of public

penitence. The Fathers did not want to accept the
lapsed or the notorious sinners unless they had given
public evidence of their penitence. The Fathers did not
believe that by such practices men merit the forgive-
ness of sins. (113,114)
5. Rome teaches that satisfactions contribute to the re-
demption of purgatorial and other punishments. They
teach that in forgiveness, God remits the guilt, and yet,
because it is fitting for divine righteousness to punish
sin, he commutes the eternal punishment to a temporal
punishment. Part of this temporal punishment is forgiv-
en by the power of the keys. The rest must be bought
off by satisfactions. ( 118)
6. This whole theory is a recent fiction without authority
either in the Scriptures or in the ancient writers of the
church. (119)
M. After penitence (that is, conversion or regeneration) must
come good works in every phase of life. ( 131)
1. There can be no true conversion or contrition where
mortifying the flesh and good fruits do not follow. ( 131)
2. "Bear fruit that befits penitence" (Mt 3:8) is speaking
about the whole newness of life, not about works that
are not obligatory. ( 132)
3. The words "Whatever you bind" do not refer to im-
posing penalties but to retaining the sins of the uncon-
verted. (139)
N. The death of Christ is satisfaction not only for guilt but also
for eternal death (Hos 13: 14). ( 140)
O. Rome imagines that we can keep the law in such a way as
to do even more than it requires, but Scripture everywhere
cries out that we are far away from the perfection which the
law requires. (142)
1. These works of supererogation obscure the law of God:
a. they think outward civil works can satisfy God's
law.
b. they rank human traditions above the law. (145)
P. Rome quotes Augustine, "Penitence is revenge punish-
ing." (148)
1. In a formal sense revenge is part of penitence because
regeneration itself takes place by constantly mortifying
the old life. (148)
41
2. God is punishing when amid the terrors of contrition he

reveals his wrath (Ps 6: 1; Jer 10:24). (150)
3. The saints are subject to death and to all the common
troubles (1 Pe 4: 17). As a rule these troubles are pun-
ishments for sin. In the godly, they have another and
better purpose, to exercise them so that in their tempta-
tions they may learn to seek God's help and acknowl-
edge the unbelief in their hearts. So troubles are inflict-
ed on account of the present sin because in the saints
they kill and wipe out lust so that the Spirit may renew
them. (152)
4. Adam and David do not prove that there must be tem-
poral punishments for particular sins. Job's afflictions
were not given for past misdeeds. (157,158) Troubles
are not always penalties for past deeds, but works of
God, intended for our profit. (160)
Q. Penitence ought to produce good fruits. What these fruits
are, we learn from the commandments . . . not to buy off
eternal punishment but to keep from surrendering to the
devil. These fruits are commanded by God, they should be
done to his glory and because of his command, and they
have their reward. (174)
R. Formerly indulgences were the remission of public peni-
tence so as not to burden men too heavily. The term "satis-
faction" no longer refers to civil discipline but to payment
for penalties; so also "indulgence" has been misinterpreted
as a liberation of souls from purgatory. (175)
S. The keys do not have the power to impose penalties or to
institute forms of worship; they only have the command to
forgive the sins of those who are converted and to de-
nounce and excommunicate those who refuse to be convert-
ed. Just as "to loose" means to forgive sins, so "to bind"
means not to forgive sins. (176)
T. If devout men will compare our teaching with the compli-
cated discussions of our opponents, they will see that our
opponents have neglected to teach the faith that justifies
and consoles hearts. (178)
XIII. THE NUMBER AND USE OF THE SACRAMENTS
A. Rome insists on 7 sacraments. (I)
1. Baptism
2. Mass
42
3. Confirmation
4. Penance
5. Marriage
6. Ordination
7. Extreme Unction
B. We do not think it makes much difference if, for purposes
of teaching, enumeration varies, provided what is handed
down in Scripture is preserved. For that matter, the Fathers
did not always use the same enumeration. (2)
C. If we define sacraments as "rites which have the command
of God and to which the promise of grace has been added"
(Melanchthon's own definition in his Loci of 1521), we can
easily determine which are sacraments in the strict sense.
(3)
1. Baptism
2. Lord's Supper
3. Absolution (which is the sacrament of penitence)
NOTE: In the Large Catechism (Fourth Part, Of Baptism,
1), Luther speaks of two sacraments.
D. The sacraments are the "visible word" as Augustine said.
(As the Word enters through the ears to strike the heart, so
the rite itself enters through the eyes to move the heart.) (5)
E. Confirmation and extreme unction are rites received from
the Fathers, which even the church does not require as nec-
essary for salvation since they do not have the command of
God. (6)
F. We teach that the sacrificial death of Christ on the cross
was sufficient for the sins of the whole world and there is
no need for additional sacrifices. Men are not justified be-
cause of any other sacrifice, but because of this one sacri-
fice. Thus priests are not called to make sacrifices that mer-
it forgiveness of sins . . . but they are called to preach the
gospel and administer the sacraments to the people. (8-10)
G. If ordination is interpreted in relation to the ministry of the
Word, we have no objection to calling ordination a sacra-
ment. The ministry of the word has God's command and
glorious promises. If ordination is interpreted in this way,
we shall not object either to call the laying on of hands a
sacrament. The church has the command to appoint minis-
ters; to this we must subscribe wholeheartedly. It is good to
extol the ministry of the Word ... in opposition to the fa-
natics who dream that the Holy Spirit does not come
43
through the Word but because of their own preparations.

(12,13)
H. Matrimony was first instituted at the creation of the human
race. If anyone wants to call it a sacrament, he should distin-
guish it from the preceding ones which are, in the strict
sense, "signs of the New Testament" If matrimony should be
called a sacrament because it has God's command, then
many other states or offices might also be called sacraments
because they have God's command, as, for example, govern-
ment. (15)
I. If we should list as sacraments all the things that have
God's command and a promise added to them, then why
not prayer? ... alms? ... afflictions? No intelligent person
will quibble about the number of the sacraments, so long as
those are kept which have God's command and promises.
(16,17)
J. We condemn the idea that the sacraments work ex ope re
operato, without a good disposition in the one using them.
(18) Thus we teach that in using the sacraments there must
be faith which believes these promises and accepts that
which is promised and offered in the sacrament. (19)
XIV. ECCLESIASTICAL ORDER
A. With the proviso that we employ canonical ordination, they
accept Article XIV, where we say that no one should be al-
lowed to administer the Word and the sacraments in the
church unless he is duly called. (1)
B. We know that the church is present among those who right-
ly teach the Word of God and rightly administer the sacra-
ments. (4)
C. We want at this point to declare our willingness to keep the
ecclesiastical and canonical polity, provided the bishops
stop raging against our churches. (5)
XV. HUMAN TRADITIONS IN THE CHURCH
A. Rome condemns our statement that human traditions insti-
tuted to appease God, to merit grace, and to make satisfac-
tion for sin, are contrary to the gospel. (1)
1. Our opponents are openly Judaizing, they are openly
replacing the gospel with doctrines of demons. ( 4)
2. Our opponents set up these traditions as another media-
tor through which they seek to gain forgiveness. (5)
3. Since it is by faith that we accept the forgiveness of
sins and by faith that we have a gracious God for
44
Christ's sake, it is an ungodly error to maintain that we

merit the forgiveness of sins by these observances. (12)
4. If men are allowed to establish new rites by which they
merit grace, we shall have to approve the religious rites
of all the heathen, as well as the rites of Jeroboam. (15)
5. The kingdom of the Antichrist is a new kind of worship
of God, devised by human authority in opposition to
Christ. In his eleventh chapter Daniel says that the in-
vention of human rites will be the very form and con-
stitution of the kingdom of the Antichrist. (18, 19)
B. The Fathers observed rites and traditions, not as useful or
necessary for salvation, but for good order. (20)
C. When men strive to imitate the examples of the saints,
they copy their outward behavior without copying their
faith. Thus, the commandments are obscured. When men
regard these works as perfect and spiritual, they will prefer
them to the works God commands, like the tasks of one's
calling. (25)
D. When such observances are considered necessary for justi-
fication, consciences are troubled, because they cannot
keep the requirements in every detail. (27)
E. In the Old Testament, ceremonies were necessary for the
time being. But the apostles insisted that Christian liberty
remain in the church, lest the observances of the law or tra-
ditions be regarded as necessary. (32)
F. The apostles violated traditions, and Christ excused them.
(36)
G. We gladly keep the old traditions set up in the church be-
cause they are useful and promote tranquillity and we inter-
pret them in a evangelical way. (38)
H. We teach that the cross and troubles with which God disci-
plines us effect a genuine and not a counterfeit mortifica-
tion. (45)
I. Everywhere Paul insists that these observances neither jus-
tify nor are necessary over the righteousness of faith. Nev-
ertheless, liberty in these matters should be used moder-
ately, lest the weak be offended and become more hostile
to the true teaching of the gospel because of an abuse of
liberty. (51)
XVI. POLITICAL ORDER
A. Rome approved Article XVI.
45
B. Lawful civil ordinances are God's good creatures and divine

ordinances in which a Christian may safely take part. (2)
C. Christ's kingdom is spiritual. At the same time it lets us
make outward use of the legitimate political ordinances of
the nation in which we live. (2)
D. The gospel does not introduce any new laws about the civil
estate, but commands us to obey the existing laws, whether
they were formulated by heathen or others, and in this obe-
dience to practice love. (3)
E. The gospel does not legislate for the civil estate but is the
forgiveness of sins and the beginning of eternal life in the
hearts of believers. It not only approves governments but
subjects us to them. (6)
F. The gospel forbids private revenge. Public redress through
a judge is not forbidden but expressly commanded, and it is
a work of God. The various kinds of public redress are
court decisions, punishments, wars, military service. (7)
G. It is false to claim that Christian perfection consists in not
holding property. Scripture does not command holding
property in common, but by its command, "You shall not
steal," the Decalogue recognizes the right of ownership and
commands everyone to possess his own. (9-11)
XVII. CHRIST'S RETURN TO JUDGMENT
Rome accepted this article.
XVIII. FREE WILL

A. What is the difference between the Pelagians and Rome,
since both believe that without the Holy Spirit men can
love God and perform "the essence of the acts" required by
his commandments and that without the Holy Spirit men
can merit grace and justification by works that reason pro-
duces on its own?
B. The human will has freedom to choose among the works
and things which reason by itself can grasp. (4)
C. So great is the power of concupiscence that men obey their
evil impulses more often than their sound judgment. For
this reason even civil righteousness is rare among men, as
we see from the fact that even philosophers who seem to
have wanted this righteousness did not achieve it. (5,6)
D. Although we concede to free will the ability to do the out-
ward work of the law, we do not ascribe to it the spiritual
capacity for true fear of God. (7)
46
E. Therefore we may profitably distinguish between civil righ-

teousness and spiritual righteousness, attributing the former
to the free will and the latter to the operation of the Holy
Spirit in the regenerate. (9)
XIX. THE CAUSE OF SIN
A. God alone has established all of nature and preserves all
that exists. (1)
B. The cause of sin is the will of the devil and of people turn-
ing away from God. (1)
C. Rome accepted this article. ( 1)
XX. GOOD WORKS
A. Rome condemned the teaching that people do not merit for-
giveness by good works. (1)
1. What is more certain in the church than that the for-
giveness of sins is given freely for Christ's sake? (2)
2. It is intolerable blasphemy to attribute the honor of
Christ to our works. (4)
3. Rome teaches that God laid our sins on our works, not
on Christ. (5)
B. Paul fairly screams, as it were, that sins are freely forgiven
for Christ's sake. (10)
C. Scripture teaches that works follow forgiveness of sins.
Rome makes the effect (works) the cause of forgiveness.
(13)
D. The Pelagians are condemned for maintaining that grace is
given because of our works. (15)
E. Our conviction is that good works must follow faith. (15)
XXL THE INVOCATION OF THE SAINTS
A. Rome condemns Article XXI because we do not require the
invocation of saints. (1)
B. Our Confession approves giving threefold honor to the
saints.
1. The first is thanksgiving to God for showing examples
of his mercy. ( 4)
2. The second is the strengthening of our faith: when we
see Peter forgiven after his denial, we are encouraged
to believe that grace does abound more than sin. (5)
3. The third honor is the imitation of their faith and other
virtues. (6)
4. Rome requires none of these real honors; they only ar-
gue about invocation. (7)
47
C. We grant that the angels pray for us (Zee 1: 12). (8)

D. We also grant that the saints in heaven pray for the church
in general, as they prayed for the church universal while
they were on earth. Nevertheless, there is no passage in
Scripture about the dead praying except for the dream
recorded in the Second Book of the Maccabees (15:14). (9)
E. Our Confession affirms only this much, that Scripture does
not teach us to invoke the saints or to ask their help. (10)
F. The ancient prayers mention the saints but they do not in-
voke them. (13)
G. Our opponents ... even apply the merits of the saints to
others and make the saints propitiators as well as interces-
sors. (14)
1. This transfers to the saints the honor belonging to
Christ alone. (14)
2. People suppose that Christ is more severe and the saints
more approachable; so they trust more in the mercy of
the saints than in the mercy of Christ, and they flee
from Christ and turn to the saints. ( 15)
H. Two qualifications must be present if one is to be a propi-
tiator. ( 17)
1. There must be a word of God to assure us that God is
willing to have mercy and to answer those who call
upon him through this propitiator. (17)
2. His merits must be authorized to make satisfaction for
others and to be bestowed upon them by divine imputa-
tion, so that through them we may be accounted righ-
teous as though the merits were our own. ( 19)
I. In some places this form of absolution is used: "The pas-
sion of our Lord Jesus Christ and the merits of the most
blessed virgin Mary and of all the saints be to thee for the
forgiveness of sins." (25)
1. Granted that blessed Mary prays for the church [?],
does she receive souls in death ... ? (27)
2. The fact of the matter is that in popular estimation the
blessed Virgin has completely replaced Christ. (28)
3. Even the theologians hold to the error that each saint
has a special sphere of activity assigned to him. (32)
J. When the saints were first mentioned, as in the ancient
prayers, this was not done in a reprehensible way. (34)
1. Afterward came invocation with the abuses.
2. From invocation the next step was to images. In one
monastery we saw a statue of the blessed virgin which
48
was manipulated like a puppet so that it seemed to nod

Yes or No to the petitioners.
K. Therefore, gracious Emperor Charles, ... it is your special
responsibility before God to maintain and propagate sound
doctrine and to defend those who teach it. God demands
this when he honors kings with his own name and calls
them gods (Ps 82:6). (44)
XXII. THE LORD'S SUPPER UNDER BOTH KINDS
A. There can be no doubt that the use of both kinds in the
Lord's Supper is godly and in accord with the institution of
Christ and the words of Paul. ( 1)
B. Why is Christ's ordinance changed, especially since he him-
self calls it his testament? If it is illegal to annul a man's tes-
tament, it is much more illegal to annul Christ's. (2)
C. Among the reasons why both kinds are not given, Gabriel
says that a distinction should be made between the laity and
the clergy. (9)
D. They also refer to the danger of spilling and similar factors
which are not cogent enough to change Christ's ordinance.
(14)
XXIII. THE MARRIAGE OF PRIESTS

A. Despite the notoriety of their defiled celibacy, our oppo-
nents not only use the false pretext of divine authority for
their defense of pontifical law, but they even urge the em-
peror and the princes not to let the Roman Empire be
shamed by the marriage of priests. ( 1)
1. In opposition to divine law, the law of the nations, and
the canons of the councils, they demand you (Charles)
dissolve marriages. (3)
2. They know good and well how few practice chastity,
but they use religion as a pretext to maintain their au-
thority, which they think celibacy enhances. (5)
B. Celibacy clashes with divine and natural law and conflicts
with the very decrees of the councils (Council of Nicaea).
(6)
I. Genesis 1:28 teaches that men were created to be fruit-
ful and that one sex should have a proper desire for the
other. (7)
2. Because this creation or divine ordinance in man is a
natural right, the jurists have said correctly that the
union of man and woman is by natural right. (9) Where
49
nature does not change, there must remain that ordi-

nance which God has built into nature, and human reg-
ulations cannot abolish it. (10)
3. Because of the temptation to immorality, each man
should have his own wife (1 Co 7:2). This is an express
command, directed to anyone not suited for celibacy.
We maintain that whatever applies to human nature in
general applies to priests as well. (14,15)
4. The pontifical regulation also disagrees with the
canons of the councils. The ancient canons do not for-
bid marriage, nor dissolve marriages that have been
contracted. (23)
5. They claim they require celibacy because it is pure, as
though marriage were impure and sinful. (26) If purity
means that something has God's permission and ap-
proval, then marriages are pure since they are approved
by the Word of God. (33)
6. It is not marriage the law forbids, but lust, adultery, and
promiscuity. (35)
C. If they interpret celibacy as a purity that merits justification
more than marriage does, we shall really object. Neither by
virginity nor by marriage are we justified, but freely for
Christ's sake. (36)
D. We do not put marriage on the same level with virginity. But
as eloquence does not make an orator more righteous before
God than building makes an architect, so the virgin does not
merit justification by virginity any more than the married
person does by performing the duties of marriage. (37,38)
E. Even if the law of celibacy were not unjust, it is dangerous
to public and private morals. (52)
XXIV. THE MASS
A. We do not abolish the Mass but religiously keep and defend
it. (1)
B. In our Confession we have stated our position that the
Lord's Supper does not grant grace ex opere operato and
does not merit for others, whether living or dead, forgive-
ness of sins or of guilt or of punishment ex opere operato.
(11)
C. Sacrifice, its nature and types
1. The theologians make a proper distinction between
sacrament and sacrifice. ( 17)
50
APOLOOY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION
a. A sacrament is a ceremony or act in which God of-

fers us the content of the promise joined to the cer-
emony. (18)
b. There are two basic types of sacrifice:
1.) One is the propitiatory sacrifice: a work of sat-
isfaction for guilt that reconciles God. (19)
2.) The other is the eucharistic sacrifice; this does
not merit forgiveness, but by it those who have
been reconciled give thanks or show their grati-
tude for forgiveness and other blessings re-
ceived. (19)
c. The Old Testament called certain sacrifices propi-
tiatory because of what they signified and fore-
shadowed. (21)
2. There has been only one propitiatory sacrifice in the
world, the death of Christ (Heb 10:4). (22)
3. The rest are eucharistic sacrifices, called sacrifices of
praise: the proclamation of the gospel, faith, prayer,
thanksgiving, confession, the afflictions of the saints,
yes, all the good works of the saints. These sacrifices
are not satisfactions. (25)
4. The worship of the New Testament is spiritual; it is the
righteousness of faith in the heart and the fruits of
faith. Thus, it abrogates Levitical worship. (27) The
New Testament requires sacrifices of the heart, not the
ceremonial sacrifices for sin offered by a Levitical
priesthood. (34)
5. If anyone argues that the New Testament must have a
priest who sacrifices for sin, this can only apply to
Christ. (58)
6. We reject the error of Thomas when he writes, "The
body of the Lord, once offered on the cross for the orig-
inal debt, is daily offered on the altar for daily offenses
so that in this the church might have a service that rec-
onciles God." (62)
7. We also reject the following: (63)
a. that the Mass confers grace ex opere operato
b. that the Mass merits the remission of sin for those
to whom it is transferred, even for wicked people,
if they do not put an obstacle in its way
D. Patristic teaching on sacrifice (66,67)
1. The Fathers do call the Mass a sacrifice.
51
2. They do not teach that the Mass merits forgiveness.

Rather, they are talking about thanksgiving. Hence
they call it "eucharist."
E. Sacrifice and the use of the sacrament
1. Some say the Lord's Supper was instituted for two rea-
sons: (68)
a. A mark and witness of profession
b. Christ is said to be pleased with a mark that took
the form of a meal symbolizing the mutual union
and friendship among Christians because banquets
are symbols of agreement and friendship.
2. The sacraments are not only signs among men, but
signs of God's will toward us. (69)
3. The remembrance of Christ is not the vain celebration
of a show. It is rather the remembrance of Christ's
blessings and the acceptance of them by faith, so that
they make us alive. (72)
4. The Fathers speak of a twofold effect, of the comfort
for the conscience and of thanksgiving. The first be-
longs to the nature of a sacrament, and the second to
the sacrifice. (75)
F. The term "Mass"
I. It does not follow from the fact that the Mass is called
a sacrifice that it grants grace ex opere operato or that
it merits forgiveness for those to whom it is trans-
ferred. (79)
2. It is silly to argue that since the Holy Scriptures men-
tion an altar, the Mass must be a sacrifice. (84)
3. The Greek canon says much about an offering, but it
clearly shows it is not talking about the body and blood
of the Lord in particular, but about the whole service,
about the prayers and thanksgivings. (88)
G. Mass for the dead
I. Rome defends the application of the ceremony to free
the souls of the dead. But for this they have no scrip-
tural proof or command. (89)
2. It is horrible to attribute as much to the work of a priest
as to the death of Christ. Then too, sin and death cannot
be conquered except by faith in Christ. The penalty of
purgatory cannot be overcome by the application of
someone else's work. (89)
52
3. The bitterest sorrow must seize all the faithful if they

ponder that the Mass has largely been transferred to the
dead and to satisfaction for penalties. (91)
4. It is not safe to institute services in the church without
the authority of Scripture. (92)
5. So in the papal realm the worship of Baal clings (see
97)-namely the abuse of the Mass, which they apply
in order by it to merit the forgiveness of guilt for the
wicked. And it seems that this worship of Baal will en-
dure together with the papal realm until Christ comes to
judge and by the glory of his coming destroys the king-
dom of Antichrist. (98)
XXVII. MONASTIC VOWS
A. The Franciscan John Hilten in Eisenach predicted "But an-
other one will come in the year of our Lord 1516. He will
destroy you, and you will be unable to resist him." (1-3)
B. Some of the richest monasteries just feed a lazy crowd that
gorges itself on the public alms of the church. (6)
C. We maintain that legitimate vows should be kept, but we
are arguing about other questions. Do those services merit
the forgiveness of sins and justification? (9)
1. It is not a legitimate vow if the one making it supposes
that by it he merits forgiveness of sins before God. ( 11)
2. Whoever tries to attain to the forgiveness of sins be-
cause of his own merits by doing the works of the Mo-
saic law of the Decalogue or of the rule of Benedict or
of the rule of Augustine or of other rules-whoever
does this abolishes the promise of Christ, has cast
Christ away, and has fallen from Christ. This is the ver-
dict of Paul. ( 17)
3. It is an intolerable blasphemy when Thomas says a
monastic profession is equal to Baptism. (20)
D. Our opponents also say these services are more perfect ser-
vices than other ways of life, that is, they merit forgiveness
of sins and justification more than others. (24)
1. It is the height of wickedness to believe that they satis-
fy the Ten Commandments in such a way that there are
merits left over, when these Commandments accuse all
the saints. (25)
2. It is a most wicked error to believe that evangelical per-
fection is to be found in human tradition. (27)
53
3. They insult Christ when they say that by a monastic life

men merit eternal life. (30)
4. Although they need mercy themselves, they wickedly
fabricate works of supererogation and sell them to
others. (34)
5. Our opponents say that monastic life is a state for ac-
quiring perfection. If we follow this, the monastic life
will be no more a state of perfection than the life of a
farmer or an artisan. (36,37)
E. There are two kinds of leaving. One happens without a call;
this Christ does not approve ... the command of God for-
bids deserting wife and children. The other kind of leaving
happens by God's command, when a government or tyran-
ny forces us either to leave or to deny the gospel. Here we
have the command to bear injury. (41,42)
F. The abandonment of property is neither commanded nor
advised in Scripture. (46)
G. In monastic vows chastity is promised. The law of nature in
men cannot be repealed by vows or laws. ( 51)
H. The Dominicans made up the rosary of the blessed Virgin
(a legend of the 15th Century). (53)
I. The canons release many who took their vows without
proper judgment. (57)
XXVIII. ECCLESIASTICAL POWER
A. The Confutation maintains that bishops have the power to
rule and to correct by force in order to guide subjects to-
ward the goal of eternal bliss. (6)
B. A bishop has the power of the Word and sacraments (power
of the order). He also has the power to excommunicate
those who are guilty of public offenses or to absolve them
if they are converted and ask for absolution. It does not fol-
low that since they have a certain jurisdiction bishops may
institute new acts of worship. (13, 14)
C. The statement "Obey your leaders" (Heb 13:7) requires
obedience to the gospel; it does not create an authority for
the bishops apart from the gospel. (20)
CONCLUSION: For the time being we have made this reply to
the Confutation. Now we leave it to the judgment of all pious
people whether our opponents are right in boasting that they
have really refuted our Confession with the Scriptures. (27)
54
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THE
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1
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7
ARTICLES
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55
THE SMALCALD ARTICLES
>»»>» • <««<«
PREFACE
I was instructed to draft and assemble articles of our faith to serve as a ba-
sis for possible deliberation and to indicate, on the one hand, what and in
how far we were willing and able to yield to the papists, and on the other
hand, what we intended to hold fast to and persevere in.
I have decided to publish these articles so that, if I should die before a
council meets (which I fully expect, for those knaves who shun the light and
flee from the day take such wretched pains to postpone and prevent the coun-
cil), those who live after me may have my testimony and confession ... to
show where I have stood until now and where, by God's grace, I will contin-
ue to stand.
PART ONE: (ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT)
A. TRIUNE GOD
I . Three distinct persons in one divine essence
2. The Father begotten by no one; the Son begotten by the
Father; the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and
the Son
r 3. Only the Son became man.
4. The Son became man in this manner: conceived by the
Holy Spirit, without the cooperation of man, born of
the pure, holy and virgin Mary (Latin: ever virgin
Mary).
PART TWO: (ARTICLES WHICH PERTAIN TO THE OFFICE AND
WORK OF CHRIST, OR TO OUR REDEMPTION)
ARTICLE I: CHRIST AND FAITH
A. Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, "was put to death for our
trespasses and raised again for our justification" (Ro 4:25)
(Jn 1:29; Isa 53:6; Ro 3:23-25). (1-3)
B. This must be believed and cannot be obtained or appre-
hended by any work. Such faith alone justifies. (4)
57
C. Nothing in this article can be given up or compromised. (5)

D. On this article rests all that we teach and practice against
the pope, the devil, and the world. (5)
ARTICLE II: THE MASS
A. The Mass in the papacy must be regarded as the greatest
and most horrible abomination because it runs into direct
and violent conflict with this fundamental article. (1)
B. Reasons for rejecting the Roman Mass:
1. It is a purely human invention. (2)
2. The Mass is unnecessary. (3)
3. The sacrament can be had in a far better and more
blessed manner ... according to the institution of
Christ. (4) Let the people be told openly that the Mass,
as trumpery, can be omitted without sin. (5)
4. Since countless and unspeakable abuses have arisen ev-
erywhere through the buying and selling of Masses, it
would be prudent to do without the Mass for no other
reason than to curb such abuses. (6)
5. The Mass is and can be nothing else than a human
work ... for by means of the Mass men try to reconcile
themselves and others to God. (7)
a. It is a direct contradiction to the fundamental arti-
cle, which asserts that it is not the celebrant of a
Mass and what he does but the Lamb of God who
takes away our sin. (7)
b. Somebody may seek to justify himself by saying
that he wishes to communicate himself for the sake
of his own devotion. To commune by himself is un-
certain and unnecessary. Nor is it right for anyone
to use the sacrament, which is the common posses-
sion of the church, to meet his own private need
and thus trifle with it according to his own pleasure
apart from the fellowship of the church. (9)
6. The papists are well aware that if the Mass falls, the pa-
pacy will fall with it. (10)
C. The Mass has brought forth a brood of vermin and the poi-
son of manifold idolatries:
1. Purgatory (12)
a. Purgatory is contrary to the fundamental article that
Christ alone, and not the work of man, can help
souls. (12)
58
b. St. Augustine does not write that there is a purgato-

ry. It will not do to make articles of faith out of the
holy Fathers' words or works. This means that the
Word of God shall establish articles of faith and no
one else, not even an angel. (14, 15)
2. Evil spirits have introduced the knavery of appearing as
spirits of the departed and, with unspeakable lies and
cunning, of demanding Masses, vigils, pilgrimages, and
other alms. (16)
3. Pilgrimages (18-20)
a. Masses, forgiveness of sins, and God's grace were
sought here. ( 18)
b. Why do they neglect their own parishes, the Word
of God, their wives and children, etc., and pursue
these unnecessary, uncertain, harmful will-o'-the
wisps of the devil? (18)
4. Fraternities (21)
a. Monasteries, chapters, and vicars have obliged
themselves to transfer all Masses, good works, etc.,
for the benefit of the living and the dead.
b. Not only is this ... without command, but it is con-
trary to the first article concerning redemption.
5. Relics (22,23)
a. They are neither commanded nor commended. (22)
b. Worst of all is the claim that relics effect indul-
gences and the forgiveness of sins. (23)
6. Indulgences (24)
a. They are granted to the living and the dead for
money. The pope sells the merits of Christ together
with the superabundant merits of all the saints and
the entire church.
b. Not only are they without commandment, they are
also contrary to the first article.
D. The invocation of saints (25-29)
1. It conflicts with the first, chief article and undermines
knowledge of Christ. (25)
2. Although angels in heaven pray for us ... and although
saints on earth, and perhaps in heaven do (Compare
with Apology XXI, 9) likewise, it does not follow that
we should invoke angels and saints. (26)
3. This is idolatry. Such honor belongs to God alone. (27)
59
E. In short, we cannot allow but must condemn the Mass, its

implications, and its consequences in order that we may re-
tain the holy sacrament in its purity and certainty according
to the institution of Christ and may use and receive it in
faith. (29)
ARTICLE III: CHAPTERS AND MONASTERIE S
A. The chapters and monasteries which in former times had
been founded with good intentions for the education of
learned men and decent women should be restored to such
purposes in order that we may have pastors, preachers, and
other ministers in the church. ( 1)
B. If they were unwilling to serve this purpose, it would be
better to abandon them or tear them down rather than pre-
serve them with their blasphemous services. (2)
ARTICLE IV: THE PAPACY
A. The pope is not the head of all Christendom by divine right
or according to God's Word, for this position belongs only
to one, namely to Jesus Christ. (1)
B. The pope is only the bishop and pastor of the churches of
Rome and of such other churches as have attached them-
selves to him voluntarily or through a human institution
(that is, a secular government). These churches did not
choose to be under him as under an overlord but chose to
stand beside him as Christian brethren and companions, as
the ancient councils and the time of Cyprian prove. (1)
C. All the things the pope has undertaken on the strength of
such false, usurped authority are purely diabolical transac-
tions ... which contribute to the destruction of the entire
Christian church and come into conflict with the first, fun-
damental article which is concerned with redemption in Je-
sus Christ. (3)
D. It is asserted that no Christian can be saved unless he is
obedient to the pope (cf. Boniface VIII's bull, Unam Sanc-
tam, 1302). Yet it is manifest the church was without a.
pope for more than 500 years at least. (4)
E. The papacy is a human invention, and it is not commanded.
The church can exist very well without such a head. (5)
F. If the pope were to accept that he is head of the church by
human right, he would have to suffer the overthrow and
destruction of his whole estate. In short, he cannot do
it. (7)
60
·1HE :SMALCALD ARTICLES
G. The church cannot be better governed and maintained than

by having all of us live under one head, Christ, and by hav-
ing all the bishops equal in office. (9)
H. This is a powerful demonstration that the pope is the real
Antichrist who has raised himself over and set himself
against Christ, for the pope will not permit Christians to be
saved except by his own power. (10)
I. At its best, the teaching of the pope has been taken from the
imperial pagan law. (14)
J. Just as we cannot adore the devil himself as our lord or
God, so we cannot suffer his apostle, the pope or An-
tichrist, to govern us as our head or lord. (14)
PART THREE: (ARTICLES OF FAITH)
I. SIN
A. Sin had its origin in one man, Adam, through whose dis-
obedience all men were made sinners and became subject
to death and the devil. (1)
B. This is called original sin, or the root sin. (1)
C. The fruits of this sin are all the subsequent evil deeds which
are forbidden in the Ten Commandments. (2)
D. This hereditary sin (Erbsiinde) is so deep a corruption of
nature that reason cannot understand it. It must believed be-
cause of the revelation in the Scriptures (Ps 51 :5). (3)
E. Scholastic errors which are rejected:
1. After the fall the natural powers of man have remained
whole and uncorrupted and man by nature possesses a
right understanding and a good will, as the philoso-
phers teach (Plato and Aristotle). (4)
2. Man has a free will, either to do good and refrain from
evil or to refrain from good and do evil. (5)
3. Man is able by his natural powers to observe and keep
all the commandments of God. (6)
4. Man is able by his natural powers to love God above all
things and his neighbor as himself. (7)
5. If man does what he can, God is certain to grant him
grace. (8)
6. When a man goes to the sacraments there is no need of a
good intention to do what he ought, but it is enough that
he does not have an evil intention to commit sin. (9)
7. That it cannot be proved from the Scriptures that the
Holy Spirit and his gifts are necessary for the perfor-
mance of a good work. ( 10)
61
THE ~MALCALD ARTICLES
F. If such teachings were true, Christ would have died in vain,

or else, he would have died only for the body and not for
the soul, inasmuch as the soul would be sound and only the
body would be subject to death (Neo-Platonism). (11)
II. THELAW
A. The law was given by God first to restrain sins by threat
and fear of punishment and by the promise and offer of
grace and favor. This purpose failed because of the wicked-
ness which sin has worked in man. (1,2)
B. The chief power of the law is to make original sin manifest
and show man to what utter depths his nature has fallen and
how corrupt it has become. (4)
III. REPENTANCE
A. This function of the law is retained and taught by the New
Testament.( 1)
1. God allows no one to justify himself. He drives all to-
gether into terror and despair. (2)
2. This is not active contrition (activa contritio, artificial
remorse) but passive contrition (passiva contritio, true
sorrow of the heart). (2)
B. To this office of the law the New Testament immediately
adds the consoling promise of grace in the gospel. (4)
C. The false repentance of the papists
1. It was impossible for them to teach correctly about re-
pentance because they did not know what sin really is
(they did not have the right understanding about origi-
nal sin). (10)
2. People did penance only for actual sins, such as wicked
thoughts to which they consented (for evil impulses,
lust, and inclinations they did not consider sin). ( 11)
3. They divided repentance into three parts-contrition,
confession, and satisfaction. In their teaching of
penance the sophists thus instructed people to place
their confidence in their own works. ( 12)
4. In contrition, since nobody could recall all his sins,
when a hidden sin was remembered, it also had to be
repented of and confessed, but in the meanwhile the
sinner was commended to the grace of God. If anybody
could not be contrite, he should at least be attrite (half-
way repentant). (15,16)
62
.lfiC.. JNJIUA.. /-\LU l""U'-11\...L~
5. In confession, everybody had to give account of all his

sins-an impossibility and the source of great torture.
He could never know when he had made a sufficiently
complete confession. (19)
6. In satisfaction, nobody could know how much he was
to do for one single sin. For the penance that was still
lacking man was referred to purgatory. Seven years of
penance were required for a single mortal sin. (22) This
was a case of doing penance but never coming to re-
pentance. (23)
7. When this began to yield money, the pope invented the
jubilee year and attached it to Rome. This was called
remission of all penalty and guilt. (25)
D. Our repentance cannot be false, uncertain, or partial, for a
person who confesses he is altogether sinful embraces all
sins in his confession without forgetting a single one. Nor
can our satisfaction be uncertain, for it consists . . . of the
sufferings and blood of the Lamb of God. (38)
E. Such repentance continues until death, for all through life it
contends with the sin that remains in the flesh. The Chris-
tian wars with the law in his members, and he does this not
with his own powers but with the gift of the Holy Spirit
which follows the forgiveness of sins. (40)
F. If sin does what it wishes, the Holy Spirit and faith are not
present. (45)
IV. THE GOSPEL
A. The gospel offers counsel and help against sin in more than
one way:
1. Through the spoken word, by which the forgiveness of
sins is preached to the whole world
2. Through Baptism
3. Through the holy Sacrament of the Altar
4. Through the power of the keys
5. Through the mutual conversation and consolation of
brethren
V. BAPTISM
A. Baptism is nothing else than the Word of God in water,
commanded by the institution of Christ, or as Augustine
puts it, "The Word is added to the element and it becomes a
sacrament." ( 1)
B. Rejected:
63
!HE :SMALCALD ARTICLES
1. Thomas and the Dominicans, who forget the Word and

say that God has joined to the water a spiritual power
which, through water, washes away sin. (3)
2. Scotus and the Franciscans who teach that Baptism
washes away sin through the assistance of the divine
will, not at all through the Word and the water.
C. We hold that children should be baptized, for they are in-
cluded in the promise ofredemption Christ made. (4)
VI. THE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR
A. The bread and wine in the Supper are the true body and
blood of Christ and these are given and received not only
by the godly but also by wicked Christians. (1)
B. It is not to be administered in one form only. (2)
C. As for transubstantiation, we have no regard for the
sophistry that bread and wine surrender their natural sub-
stance and retain only the appearance and shape of bread
without any longer being real bread. (5)
VII. THE KEYS
The keys are a function and power given to the church by
Christ to bind and loose sins.
VIII. CONFESSION
A. Since absolution is a consolation and help against sin and a
bad conscience, confession and absolution should by no
means be allowed to fall into disuse in the church. (1)
B. The enumeration of sins should be left free to everybody to
do or not as he will. (2)
C. God gives no one his Spirit or grace except through the ex-
ternal Word. Thus we shall be protected from the enthusi-
asts. (3)
D. Enthusiasm clings to Adam and his descendants from the
beginning to the end of the world. (9)
E. We should and must constantly maintain that God will not
deal with us except through his external Word and sacra-
ment. (10)
IX. EXCOMMUNICATION
A. The greater excommunication (imposed civil disabilities in
addition to spiritual penalties), as called by the pope, is a
civil penalty and does not concern us ministers of the
gospel.
64
B. The lesser excommunication (that is, the truly Christian)

excludes those who are open sinners from sacrament and
other fellowship of the church until they mend their ways.
C. Preachers should not mingle spiritual penalties with civil
punishments.
X. ORDINATION AND VOCATION
A. The bishops are temporal lords and princes who are unwill-
ing to preach or teach, etc. (2)
B. We shall and ought ourselves ordain suitable persons to this
office.(3)
XI. THE MARRIAGE OF PRIESTS
A. The papists had neither authority nor right to prohibit mar-
riage. (1)
B. We desire marriage to be free, as God ordained and insti-
tuted it. (3)
XII. THE CHURCH
A. We do not concede to the papists that they are the church,
for they are not.
B. A seven-year-old child knows what the church is, namely,
holy believers and sheep who hear the voice of their Shep-
herd. (2)
C. Its holiness does not consist of surplices, tonsures, albs ...
but it consists of the Word of God and true faith. (3)
XIIL HOW MAN IS JUSTIFIED BEFORE GOD, AND HIS GOOD
WORKS
A. We get a new and clean heart and God will and does ac-
count us altogether righteous and holy for the sake of
Christ. Although the sin in our flesh has not been com-
pletely removed or eradicated, he will not count or consid-
er it. (1)
B. Good works follow such faith, renewal, and forgiveness. (2)
C. If good works do not follow, our faith is false and not true.
(3)
XIV. MONASTIC VOWS

A. Since monastic vows are in direct conflict with the first
chief article, they must be absolutely set aside.
B. Whoever takes these vows believes that he is entering upon
a mode of life that is better than that of the ordinary Chris-
65
tian and proposes by means of his work to help not only

himself but also others to get to heaven.
XV. HUMAN TRADITIONS
A. The assertion of the papists that human traditions effect for-
giveness of sins or merit salvation is unchristian and to be
condemned. (1)
B. When the papists say that it is a mortal sin to break such
precepts of men, this, too, is false. (2)
CONCLUSION: These are the articles on which I must stand and on which I
will stand, God willing, until my death. I do not know how I can change or
concede anything in them. If anybody wishes to make some concessions, let
him do so at the peril of his conscience. (3)
66
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TREATISE
ON
THE POWER AND PRIMACY
OF THE POPE
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. 67
TREATISE ON
THE POWER AND PRIMACY OF THE POPE
>»»»> • « <««<
Introduction: The pope makes these three claims:
1. He is by divine right above all bishops and pastors.
2. By divine right he possesses both swords, that is, the au-
thority to bestow and transfer kingdoms.
3. He declares it is necessary for salvation to believe these
things.
For such reasons the bishop of Rome calls himself the vicar of Christ on
earth. (1-6)
These three articles we hold to be false.
I. TESTIMONY OF THE SCRIPTURES

A. Christ forbids lordship among the apostles (Lk 22:24-27).
(7,8)
B. Christ sent his disciples out as equals (Jn 20:21). (9)
C. Paul asserts that he was neither ordained nor confirmed by
Peter, nor does he acknowledge Peter as one from whom
confirmation should be sought (Gal 2:2,6). (I 0)
D. Paul places ministers on an equality and teaches that the
church is above the ministers. ( 11)
II. TESTIMONY FROM HISTORY
A. The Council of Nicaea decided that the bishop of Alexan-
dria should administer the churches in the East and the
bishop of Rome should administer those that were in the
provinces of the West. (12)
B. The Council of Nicaea decided bishops should be elected
by their own churches in the presence of one or more
neighboring bishops. (13) Since neither ordination nor
confirmation were sought from the bishop of Rome in the
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1 REATISE ON THE t'OWER AND t'RIMACY OF THE t'OPE
greater part of the world, it is quite apparent that the

churches did not attribute lordship to the bishop of Rome.
(15)
C. Such superiority is impossible, for it is not possible for one
bishop to be overseer of all churches in the world. ( 16)
D. Many ancient synods were called and held in which the
bishop of Rome did not preside. ( 17)
III. ARGUMENTS OF OPPONENTS REFUTED
A. Matthew 16:18,19; John 21:17
Peter is representative of the entire company of apostles .
. . . The keys were given equally to all the apostles .... The
keys do not belong to the person of one particular individu-
al but to the whole church .... For the same reason the
church especially possesses the right of vocation. (23,24)
B. Matthew 16: 18
It is certain that the church is not built on the authority of a
man but on the ministry of the confession which Peter
made when he declared Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of
God. (25)
C. John 21:15,17
This commission Peter holds in common with the rest of
the apostles.
D. Christ gave the apostles only spiritual power, that is the
command to preach the gospel, proclaim the forgiveness of
sins, administer the sacraments, and excommunicate the
godless without physical violence. He did not give them the
power of the sword. (31)
E. Statements which claim the pope is by divine right lord of
the kingdoms of the world are false and impious. (33)
F. Even if the bishop of Rome should possess primacy and
superiority by divine right, obedience would still not be
owing to those pontiffs who defend godless forms of wor-
ship. (38)
IV. THE MARKS OF THE ANTICHRIST
A. The marks of the Antichrist coincide with those of the
pope's kingdom (2 Th 2:3,4). (39)
1. It is manifest that the pope rules in the church and that
he has set up this kingdom for himself on the pretext
of the authority of the church and the ministry, offer-
ing as a pretext these words, "I will give you the
keys." (40)
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TREATISE ON THE POWER AND PRIMACY OF THE POPE
2. The doctrine of the pope conflicts in many ways with

the gospel. (40)
3. The pope arrogates to himself a threefold divine au-
thority. (40)
a. He assumes the right to change the doctrine of
Christ and the worship instituted by God, and he
wishes to have his own doctrine and worship ob-
served as divine.
b. He assumes for himself the power to loose and
bind not only in this life but also the jurisdiction of
souls after this life.
c. The pope is unwilling to be judged by the church or
by anybody.
4. The errors of the pope's kingdom are manifest, and the
Scriptures unanimously declare these errors to be doc-
trines of demons and of the Antichrist. (42)
a. They have obscured the teaching concerning sin
and have invented a tradition concerning the enu-
meration of sins which has produced many errors
and introduced despair. (45)
b. They have also invented satisfactions. Out of these
arose indulgences. (46)
c. They have transferred merit from Christ to human
traditions and have utterly extinguished the teach-
ing concerning faith. (48)
d. The pope defends these errors with savage cruelty
and punishment. (49)
e. The pope wrests judgment from the church and
does not allow ecclesiastical controversies to be de-
cided in the proper manner. (49)
B. Even if the bishop of Rome did possess the primacy by di-
vine right, he should not be obeyed inasmuch as he defends
impious forms of worship and doctrines which are in con-
flict with the gospel. On the contrary, it is necessary to re-
sist him as Antichrist. (57)
V. THE POWER AND JURISDICTION OF BISHOPS
A. The gospel requires of those who preside over the churches
that they preach the gospel, remit sins, administer the sacra-
ments, and, in addition, exercise jurisdiction, that is, ex-
communicate those who are guilty of notorious crimes and
absolve those who repent. (60)
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TREATISE ON THE POWER AND PRIMACY OF THE POPE
1. This power belongs by divine right to all who preside

over the churches, whether they are called pastors,
presbyters, or bishops. (61)
2. For wherever the church exists, the right to administer
the gospel also exists. Wherefore it is necessary for the
church to retain the right of calling, electing, and or-
daining ministers. (67)
a. This right is a gift given exclusively to the church,
and no human authority can take it away from the
church. (67)
b. Where the true church is, therefore, the right of
electing and ordaining ministers must of necessity
also be. So in an emergency even a layman ab-
solves and becomes the minister and pastor of an-
other. (67)
c. This is confirmed by the declaration of Peter. "You
are a royal priesthood" (1 Pe 2:9). (69)
d. From all these facts it is evident that the church re-
tains the right of electing and ordaining ministers.
Wherefore, when the bishops are heretics or refuse
to administer ordination, the churches are by divine
right compelled to ordain pastors and ministers for
themselves. (72)
B. It is certain that the common jurisdiction of excommunicat-
ing those who are guilty of manifest crimes belongs to all
pastors. This the bishops have tyrannically reserved for
themselves alone and have employed for gain. (74)
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>>>>>>>> • <<<<<<<<>>>>>>>> • <<<<<<<<
THE SMALL
AND
LARGE CATECHISMS
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THE SMALL CATECHISM
» >»»> • « <««<
PREFACE TO THE SMALL CATECHISM
The deplorable conditions which I recently encountered when I was a visi-
tor (between Oct. 22, 1528, and Jan. 9, 1529) in Electoral Saxony and Meis-
sen constrained me to prepare this brief and simple catechism or statement of
Christian teaching. ( 1)
The common people, especially those who live in the country, have no
knowledge whatever of Christian teaching, and, many pastors are quite in-
competent and unfitted for teaching. (2)
I therefore beg of you for God's sake, my beloved brethren who are pas-
tors and preachers, ... that you help me to teach the catechism to the people,
especially those who are young. (6)
In the first place, the preacher should take the utmost care to avoid
changes or variations in the text. . . . On the contrary, he should adopt one
form, adhere to it, and use it repeatedly year after year. Young and inexperi-
enced people must be instructed on the basis of a uniform, fixed text and
form. (8)
When you are teaching the young, adhere to a fixed and unchanging form
and method ... following the text word for word so that the young may re-
peat these things after you and retain them in their memory. (10)
If any refuse your instructions, tell them they deny Christ and are no Chris-
tians. They should not be admitted to the sacrament, be accepted as sponsors
in Baptism, or be allowed to participate in any Christian privileges. (11)
After the people have become familiar with the text, teach them what it
means. (15)
After you have thus taught this brief catechism, take up a large catechism
so that the people may have a richer and fuller understanding. (17)
Now that the people are freed from the tyranny of the pope, they are un-
willing to receive the sacrament and they treat it with contempt. Here, too,
there is need of exhortation, but with this understanding: No one is to be
compelled to believe or to receive the sacrament, no law is to be made con-
cerning it, and no time or place should be appointed for it. We should so
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THE SMALL AND LARGE CATECHISMS
preach that, of their own accord and without any law, the people will desire
the sacrament and, as it were, compel us pastors to administer it to them.
(21,22)
This can be done by telling them: It is to be feared that anyone who does
not desire to receive the sacrament at least three or four times a year despises
the sacrament and is no Christian, just as he is not Christian who does not
hear and believe the gospel. (22)
Accordingly you are not to make a law of this, as the pope has done. All
you need to do is clearly to set forth the advantages and disadvantages, the
benefit and loss, the blessing and danger connected with this sacrament. (24)
So it is up to you, dear pastor and preacher! Our office has become some-
thing different from what it was under the pope. It is now a ministry of grace
and salvation. It subjects us to greater burdens and labors, dangers and temp-
tations, with little reward or gratitude from the world. But Christ himself will
be our reward if we labor faithfully. (26,27)
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THE LARGE CATECHISM

» >»»> • <«< ««
MARTIN LUTHER'S PREFACE
It is not for trivial reasons that we constantly treat the Catechism and
strongly urge others to do the same. For we see to our sorrow that many pas-
tors and preachers are very negligent in this respect and despise both their of-
fice and this teaching itself. (I)
Everything they are to teach and preach is now available to them in clear
and simple form in the many excellent books which are in reality what the
old manuals claimed in their titles to be: "Sermons That Preach Themselves .
. . ." However, they are not so upright and honest as to buy these books. (2)
Now that they are free from the useless, bothersome babbling of the Seven
Hours, it would be fine if every morning, noon, and evening they would read,
instead, at least a page or two from the Catechism ... and would pray the
Lord's Prayer. (3)
Many regard the Catechism as a simple teaching which they can absorb
and master at one reading. (5)
I, too, am a doctor and preacher.... Yet I do as a child who is being taught
the Catechism .... I must still read and study the Catechism daily, yet I can-
not master it as I wish, but must remain a child and pupil of the Catechism,
and I do it gladly. (7)
I beg these lazy-bellies and presumptuous saints ... to get it into their
heads that they are not really and truly such learned and great doctors as they
think. ... Even if their knowledge of the Catechism were perfect (though that
is impossible in this life), yet it is highly profitable and fruitful daily to read
it and make it the subject of meditation and conversation. (9)
Nothing is so effectual against the devil, the world, the flesh, and all evil
thoughts as to occupy oneself with the Word of God. (10) For this reason
alone you should eagerly read, recite, ponder, and practice the Catechism.
(11)
If this were not enough to admonish us to read the Catechism daily,
there is God's command. That alone should be incentive enough (Dt
6:7,8).
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Look at these bored, presumptuous saints who will not or cannot read and
study the Catechism daily. They evidently consider themselves wiser than
God himself.... God himself is not ashamed to teach it daily. ( 16)
Therefore, I once again implore all Christians, especially pastors and
preachers, not to try to be doctors prematurely and to imagine that they know
everything. (19)
In due time they themselves will make the noble confession that the longer
they work with the Catechism, the less they know of it, and the more they
have to learn. (20)
PREFACE (THE SHORTER PREFACE)

The catechism's contents represent the minimum of knowledge required of
a Christian. Whoever does not possess it should not be reckoned among
Christians nor admitted to a sacrament. (2)
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THE BASICS OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH

l. The Ten Commandments of God
2. The Creed (The Chief Articles of Our Faith)
3. The Prayer, or Our Father, Which Christ Taught
From 1525 on, catechetical instruction in Wittenberg was expanded to in-
clude material on Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
4. Baptism
5. The Sacrament [of the Altar]
FIRST PART: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
I. THE FIRST COMMANDMENT

A. What is God?
1. A god is that to which we look for all good and in
which we find refuge in need. (2)
2. The trust and faith of the heart alone make both God
and an idol. (3)
B. The purpose of this commandment is to require true faith
and confidence of the heart ... in the one true God. ( 4)
1. Mammon is the most common idol on earth. (7)
2. Under the papacy, saint worship was common. ( 11, 12)
3. This commandment requires man's whole heart and
confidence be placed in God alone, and in no one else.
(13)
C. There has never been a people so wicked that it did not
establish some sort of worship. ( 17)
D. Idolatry does not consist merely of erecting an image and
praying to it. It is primarily in the heart, which pursues oth-
er things and seeks help from creatures, saints, or dev-
ils.(21)
E. Work-righteousness is also idolatry. (22,23)
F. It is God alone from whom we receive all that is good and
by whom we are delivered from all evil. (25)
G. Do you have the kind of heart that expects from him noth-
ing but good, especially in distress and want, and renounces
and forsakes all that is not God? Then you have the one
true God. (28)
H. Explanation of the Appendix to the First Commandment
1. Learn from these words how angry God is with those
who rely on anything but himself, and how kind and
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gracious he is to those who trust and believe him alone

with their whole heart. (32)
2. Therefore he wills to be feared and not to be despised.
(34)
3. This he has witnessed in all the records of history, as
Scripture amply shows. (35)
4. Terrible as these threats are, much mightier is the com-
fort in the promise that assures mercy to those who
cling to God alone. (39)
I. Where the heart is right with God and this commandment is
kept, fulfillment of all the others will follow of its own ac-
cord. (48)
II. THE SECOND COMMANDMENT
A. This commandment leads us outward and directs the lips
and the tongue into the right relation with God. (50)
B. It is a misuse of God's name if we call upon the Lord in
any way whatsoever to support falsehood or wrong of any
kind. (51)
C. Misuse of God's name occurs when a person perjures him-
self. (53)
D. The greatest abuse occurs when false preachers peddle their
lying nonsense as the Word of God. (54)
E. To lie and deceive is in itself a gross sin, but it is greatly
aggravated when we attempt to justify and confirm it by in-
voking God's name and using it as a cloak to cover our
shame. (56)
F. God has attached to this commandment a solemn threat: "the
Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in
vain." (57)
G. You must also know how to use God's name aright. We are
to use his name properly. (64)
H. The heart by faith first gives God the honor due him, and
then the lips do so by confession. (70)
I. It helps to form the habit of commending ourselves each
day to God. (73) This would be the right way to bring up
children, so long as they can be trained with kind and pleas-
ant methods, for those who have to be forced by means of
rods and blows will come to no good end; at best they will
remain good only as long as the rod is on their backs. (77)
III. THE THIRD COMMANDMENT
A. As far as outward observance, the commandment was giv-
en to the Jews alone. (80) In time the Jews interpreted this
80
commandment too narrowly and grossly misused it as if the

commandment could be fulfilled by refraining from manual
labor of any kind. (81) Therefore, according to its literal,
outward sense, this commandment does not concern us
Christians. (82)
B. To offer people a Christian interpretation of what God re-
quires in this commandment, we point out that we keep
holy days for the sake of bodily need and so that people
may have time to participate in public worship. (83,84)
C. This is not restricted to a particular time. Actually, there
should be worship daily. (85)
D. What is meant by "sanctifying the holy day"? Devote it to
holy words, works, life. (87) This sanctifying" takes place
when we occupy ourselves with God's Word. (88) Note,
then, that the power and force of this commandment consist
not of the resting but of the sanctifying. (94)
E. This commandment is violated not only by those who
grossly misuse and desecrate the holy day but also by that
multitude who listen to God's Word as they would to any
other entertainment. (96)
IV. THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT
A. The first three commandments are directed toward God.
Now follow the other seven which relate to our neighbor.
Among these the first and greatest is: "You shall honor
your father and mother." (103,104)
B. To fatherhood and motherhood God has given the special
distinction, above all estates that are beneath it, that he
commands us not simply to love our parents but also honor
them. (105)
C. Young people must be taught to revere their parents as
God's representatives, and to remember that, however
lowly, poor, feeble, and eccentric they may be, they are
their own father and mother, given them by God. ( 108)
Learn what this commandment requires concerning honor
to parents. (109)
1. You are to esteem and prize them as the most precious
treasure on earth.
a. Behave respectfully.
b. Do not speak discourteously.
c. Submit to them.
d. Care for them when they are old, sick, feeble.
(109-111)
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2. Notice what a great, good, and holy work is here as-

signed to children. (112)
3. If God's Word and will are placed first and observed,
nothing ought to be considered more important than the
will and word of our parents, provided these too are sub-
ordinated to obedience toward God and are not set into
opposition to the preceding commandments. ( 115-117)
4. The wise men of old were right when they said, "God,
parents, and teachers can never be sufficiently thanked
and repaid. (130)
5. God has attached to this commandment a lovely
promise. ( 131) Although the other commandments
have a promise implied, yet in none is it so plainly stat-
ed. (133)
6. In the Scriptures, to have long life means not merely to
grow old but to have everything that pertains to long
life. (134)
D. Out of the authority of parents all other authority is derived.
(141) Thus, all who are called masters stand in the place of
parents and derive from them their power and authority to
govern. (142)
E. Through civil rulers God gives us food, etc. It is our duty to
honor them. ( 150)
F. He who gives honor where it is due, knows that he pleases
God and receives joy and happiness for his reward. If he
will not do so in love, but despises authority, he shall have
no favor from God. (151)
G. We have three kinds of fathers: by blood, of a household,
and of a nation. Besides these, there are also spiritual fa-
thers who govern and guide us by the Word of God. (158)
H. There is need to impress upon the common people that they
who would bear the name Christian owe it to God to show
double honor to those who watch over their souls and to
treat them well and make provisions for them. (161) But
here everybody resists ... all are afraid their bellies will
suffer, and they cannot now support one good preacher al-
though in the past they filled ten fat paunches. ( 162) Do
your duty then and leave it to God how he will support you
and provide for all your wants. ( 165)
I. It would be well to preach to parents on the nature of their
office. God does not want knaves or tyrants in this office.
(168) Do not imagine that the parental office is a matter of
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your whim. It is a strict commandment and injunction of

God, who holds you accountable for it. (169) Let every-
body know that it is his chief duty to bring up his children
in the fear and knowledge of God. (174) Think what dead-
ly harm you do when you are negligent in this respect.
(176). Because this commandment is disregarded, God ter-
ribly punishes the world; hence there is no longer any civil
order, peace, or respect for authority. We all complain
about this state of things, but we do not see that is our own
fault. (177)
V. THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT
A. In this commandment we leave our own house and go out
among our neighbors to learn how we should conduct our-
selves toward our fellow men. Neither God nor the gov-
ernment is included in this commandment, yet their right
to take human life is not abrogated. What is forbidden here
applies to private individuals, not to governments. (179-
181)
B. We must not kill, either by hand, heart, or word, by signs or
gestures, or by aiding and abetting. Anger, reproof, and
punishment are the prerogatives of God and his representa-
tives. ( 182)
C. God wishes to remove the root and source of this bitterness
toward our neighbor. He wants us to keep this command-
ment before our eyes as a mirror. Thus, we may learn to
calm our anger and have a patient, gentle heart, especially
toward our enemies. ( 187)
D. This commandment is also violated when a person fails to
do good to his neighbor or to save him from suffering bodi-
ly harm or injury. (190)
E. God calls all persons murderers who do not offer counsel
and aid to men in need (Mt 25:42,43). (191)
F. It is God's real intention that we should allow no man to suf-
fer harm, but show to everyone all kindness and love. (193)
VI. THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT
A. The following commandments are understood from the pre-
ceding one. They teach us against harming our neighbor in
any way. (200)
B. They are admirably arranged. First they deal with our
neighbor's person. Then they proceed to the person nearest
to him, namely, his wife. (200)
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C. Adultery is mentioned because among the Jewish people

marriage was obligatory. Youths were married at the earli-
est age possible. Virginity was not commended, neither
were public prostitution and lewdness tolerated as they are
now. (201)
D. This commandment applies to every form of unchastity,
however it is called. Not only is the external act forbidden,
but also every kind of cause, motive, and means. (202)
E. Everyone is required to live chastely himself and to help his
neighbor do the same. (205)
F. Note how highly God honors and glorifies the married life.
(206) Significantly he established it as the first of all insti-
tutions. (207)
G. Remember that is not only an honorable estate but also nec-
essary. (211) Normally, it is not possible to remain chaste
outside of marriage. (212)
H. No one has so little love and inclination for chastity as
those who under the guise of great sanctity avoid marriage
and either indulge in open fornication or secretly do even
worse. (214)
I. I say these things that our young people may be led to ac-
quire a love for married life and know that it is a blessed
and God-pleasing estate. (217)
J. This commandment requires everyone also to love and
cherish the wife or husband whom God has given. (219)
VII. THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT
A. Next to our own person and our spouse, our temporal prop-
erty is dearest to us. He has forbidden us to rob or pilfer the
possessions of our neighbor. For to steal is nothing else
than to acquire another's property by unjust means. (223)
B. A person steals not only when he robs a man's strongbox
... , but also when he takes advantage of his neighbor at
the market. (224) One person openly cheats another with
defective merchandise. (227)
C. The great, powerful arch-thieves consort with lords and
princes and daily plunder not only a city or two, but all of
Germany. The head and chief protector of all thieves is the
Holy See at Rome, which has stolen the treasures of the
whole world and holds them to this day. (230)
D. Servants ought to take care of their master's or mistress's
property. (235)
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E. Daily the poor are defrauded (in the marketplace). New

burdens and high prices are imposed. (240)
F. God punishes one thief by means of another. (245)
G. We are forbidden to do our neighbor any injury or wrong.
We are to promote and further our neighbor's interests, and
when he suffers want we are to help, share, and lend to both
friend and foes. (251)
VIII. THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT
A. We have one more treasure which is indispensable to us,
our honor and good name. Therefore God will not have
our neighbor deprived of his reputation any more than of
his money. (255)
B. In the simplest meaning, this commandment pertains to
the public courts of justice. It is the universal misfortune
of the world that men of integrity seldom preside in courts
of justice. (258)
C. Everyone should help his neighbor maintain his rights. (260)
D. Next, it extends to spiritual jurisdiction. Wherever there are
godly preachers and Christians, they must endure having
the world call them heretics. (262)
E. It forbids all sins of the tongue by which we may injure or
offend our neighbor. (263) This applies to false preachers,
false judges and witnesses, slander. (264)
F. We should note that nobody has the right to judge and re-
prove his neighbor publicly, even when he has seen a sin
committed unless he has been authorized to judge and re-
prove. (266)
G. God forbids you to speak evil about another even though,
to your certain knowledge, he is guilty. (269) What is secret
should be allowed to remain secret, or at any rate be re-
proved in secret. (272) Therefore, if you encounter some-
body who gossips and slanders someone, rebuke him
straight to his face and make him blush for shame. (273)
H. We are absolutely forbidden to speak evil of our neighbor.
Exception is made of civil magistrates, preachers, and par-
ents, for we must interpret this commandment in such a
way that evil shall not go unpunished. (274)
I. The right way to deal with this matter would be to observe
the order laid down by the gospel, Matthew 18. (276)
J. All this refers to secret sins. But where the sin is so public
that the whole world is aware of it, you can testify publicly
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concerning him. For example, we now censure the pope

and his teaching, which is publicly set forth in books. (285)
K. It is a fine virtue always to put the best construction upon
all we may hear about our neighbor, as long as it is not a
notorious evil, and to defend him. (289)
L. There is nothing about a man or in a man that can do
greater good or greater harm, in spiritual or in temporal
matters, than this smallest and weakest of his members, the
tongue. (291)
IX AND X. THE NINTH AND TENTH COMMANDMENTS
A. These two commandments, taken literally, were given ex-
clusively to the Jews; nevertheless, in part they also apply
to us. (293)
B. God added these two commandments to teach them that it
is sinful to covet our neighbor's wife and property, or to
have any designs on them. (293)
1. Servants were not free but were property. (294)
2. Every man had power to dismiss his wife publicly by
giving her a bill of divorce. A man might dismiss his
wife and estrange another's so he could take her legal-
ly. (295)
3. Here it is forbidden to entice anything away from your
neighbor, even though in the eyes of the world you
could do it honorably. (296)
C. Let these commandments retain their general application.
These commandments are directed especially against envy
and miserable covetousness. Above all he wants our hearts
to be pure, even though as long as we live here we cannot
reach that ideal. (310)
CONCLUSION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
A. Apart from these Ten Commandments no deed can be
pleasing to God, no matter how great or precious it may be
in the eyes of the world. (311)
1. Spiritual orders boast of their works while they neglect
the commandments. (312)
2. We shall have our hands full to keep these command-
ments. (313)
3. When a priest stands in a gold-embroidered chasuble,
this is considered a precious work. But when a poor girl
tends a little child, or faithfully does what she is told,
that is regarded as nothing. (314)
86
4. It will be a long time before men produce a doctrine or

social order equal to that of the Ten Commandments,
for they are beyond human power to fulfill. (317)
B. Although primarily attached to the First Commandment,
this appendix was intended to apply to all the command-
ments. (321)
1. These words contain both a threat and a promise, not
only to terrify and warn us but also to attract and allure
us. (322)
2. God demands that all our actions proceed from a heart
that fears and regards God alone. (323) The First Com-
mandment is to illuminate and impart its splendor to all
the others. (326) The First Commandment is the chief
source and fountainhead from which all the others pro-
ceed; again, to it they all return and upon it they de-
pend, so that end and beginning are linked and bound
together. (329)
SECOND PART: THE CREED
l:\TRODUCTION
We have seen all that God wishes us to do or not to do. The Creed sets
forth all that we must expect and receive from God. It is given in order to
help us do what the Ten Commandments require of us. (2)
I. THE FIRST ARTICLE
A. These words give us a brief description of God the Father,
his nature, his will, and his work. The Creed is nothing else
than a response and confession of Christians based on the
First Commandment. ( 10)
B. I believe that I am a creature of God. (13)
C. He makes all creation help provide the comforts and neces-
sities of life. (14)
D. Hence it follows that we are in duty bound to love, praise,
and thank him without ceasing, in short, to devote all these
things to his service, as he has required in the Ten Com-
mandments. (19)
E. He gives us all these things so that we may sense and see in
them his fatherly heart and his boundless love toward us.
Thus our hearts will be warmed and kindled with gratitude
to God and a desire to use all these blessings to his glory
and praise. (23)
87
II. THE SECOND ARTICLE

A. Here we learn to know the second person of the Godhead,
and we see what we receive from God over and above the
temporal goods mentioned above. We shall learn how we
are redeemed. (26)
B. I believe that Jesus Christ, true Son of God, has become my
Lord. He has redeemed me from sin, from the devil, from
death, and from all evil. Before this I had no Lord and King
but was captive under the power of the devil. (27)
1. We lay under God's wrath and displeasure, doomed to
eternal damnation. (28)
2. He has snatched us from the jaws of hell, won us,
made us free, and restored us to the Father's favor and
grace. (30)
3. Let this be the summary of this article, that the little
word "Lord" simply means the same as Redeemer. The
remaining parts of the article simply serve to express
how and by what means this redemption was accom-
plished-tha t is, how much it cost Christ. (31)
C. The proper place to explain all these difficult points is not
the brief children's sermons, but rather the longer sermons
throughout the year. (32)
D. The entire gospel that we preach depends on the proper un-
derstanding of this article. (33)
III. THE THIRD ARTICLE
A. To this article I cannot give a better title than "Sanctifica-
tion." In it is portrayed the Holy Spirit and his office, which
is that he makes us holy." (35)
B. The Holy Spirit effects our sanctification through the fol-
lowing: the communion of saints or Christian church, the
forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life
everlasting. He first leads us into his holy community, plac-
ing us upon the bosom of the church where he preaches to
us and brings us to Christ. (37)
C. God has caused the Word to be published and proclaimed,
in which he has given the Holy Spirit to offer and apply to
us this treasure of salvation. To sanctify is nothing else than
to bring us to the Lord Christ to receive this blessing, which
we could not obtain by ourselves. ( 40)
D. The church is the mother that begets and bears every Chris-
tian through the Word of God. ( 42)
88
1. The church is the community composed only of saints.

(49)
2. Through it he gathers us, using it to teach and preach
the Word. By it he creates and increases sanctification,
causing it daily to grow and become strong in the faith
and in the fruits of the Spirit. (53)
E. In this Christian church we have the forgiveness of sins,
which is granted through the holy sacraments and abso-
lution as well as through the comforting words of the en-
tire gospel. (54) Outside the Christian church (where the
gospel is not) there is no forgiveness and hence no holi-
ness. (56)
F. When we pass from this life, he will instantly perfect our
holiness and will eternally preserve us in it by the last two
parts of this article. (59)
Now you see that the Creed is a very different teaching from the Ten Com-
mandments. The latter teach us what we ought to do; the Creed tells us what
God does for us and gives to us. (67)
The Ten Commandments are inscribed in the hearts of all men. No human
wisdom can comprehend the Creed; it must be taught by the Holy Spirit
alone. The Ten Commandments do not by themselves makes us Christians.
But the Creed brings pure grace. (68)
THIRD PART: THE LORD'S PRAYER

INTRODUCTION
Nothing is so necessary as to call upon God incessantly and drum into his
ears our prayer that he may give, preserve, and increase in us faith and obedi-
ence to the Ten Commandments and remove all that stands in our way and
hinders us from fulfilling them. That we may know what and how to pray our
Lord Christ himself has taught us both the way and the words. (1-3)
It is our duty to pray because God has commanded it (Second Command-
ment). (4)
To pray is to call upon God in every need. (8)
The human heart is so wicked that it always flees from God, thinking that
he neither wants nor cares for our prayers because we are sinners and have
merited nothing but wrath. ( 10)
We should be all the more urged to pray because God has promised that
our prayer will surely be answered. (19)
We should be drawn to pray because God takes the initiative and puts into
our mouths the very words we are to use. So this prayer is far superior to all
others we might ourselves devise. (22,23)
89
·1·HE :SMALL AND LARGE CATECHISMS
God wants you to express your needs, not because he is unaware of them,
but in order that you may kindle your heart to stronger and greater desires
and spread your cloak wide to receive many things. (27)
All our safety and protection consist in prayer alone. We must carefully se-
lect the weapons with which Christians are to arm themselves to stand
against the devil. (31)
Whenever a good Christian prays, "Dear Father, thy will be done," God
replies from on high, "Yes, dear child, it shall indeed be done in spite of the
devil and all the world." (32)
I. THE FIRST PETITION
A. God's name in itself is holy, but not in our use of it. (36)
1. God's name was given to us when we became Chris-
tians at Baptism. (37)
2. As his children we pray his name may also be kept holy
on earth by us and all the world. (38)
3. How does it become holy among us? When both our
teaching and our life are Christian. (39)
4. The name of God is profaned by us either by words or
deeds. (40-44)
a. false teaching
b. false swearing, cursing, conjuring
c. openly evil life
d. when we who are called by his name fail to live as
heavenly children
5. We pray for exactly the same thing that God demands
in the Second Commandment. (45)
B. There is nothing he would rather hear than to have his glory
and praise exalted above everything else and his Word
taught in its purity and cherished and treasured. (48)
II. THE SECOND PETITION
A. Here we ask that his kingdom come. (49)
I. His kingdom comes of itself, but we pray it may come
to us, that it may prevail among us and with us, so that
we may be part of those among whom his name is hal-
lowed and his kingdom flourishes. (50)
2. The kingdom of God is that God sent his Son to redeem
us from the power of the devil and to bring us to him-
self and rule us as a king of righteousness. (51)
3. We pray that, led by the Holy Spirit, many may come
into the kingdom of grace, so that we may all remain
together eternally in this kingdom. (52)
90
B. God's kingdom comes in two ways:

1. Through the Word and faith (53)
2. Through the final revelation (the return of Christ) (53)
C. We pray that God's kingdom may prevail among us through
the Word and power of the Holy Spirit, that the devil's
kingdom may be overthrown and he may have no power
over us, until finally the devil's kingdom shall be utterly
destroyed, and sin, death, and hell exterminated. (54)
D. You see here that we are not praying for a crust of bread ...
but for an eternal, priceless treasure. (55) Because he is
God, he claims the honor of giving far more abundantly
than anyone can comprehend. (56)
III. THE THIRD PETITION
A. Although we have prayed for what is most essential-the
gospel, faith, and the Holy Spirit-we must also pray that
God's will be done.
1. The devil does not want God's name hallowed nor his
kingdom to come. (62)
2. He enlists the world and our flesh as his allies. (62)
3. Where God's Word is preached, believed, and bears
fruit, there the cross will not be far away. (65)
B. God's will must be done. But we pray this will may be
done among us in spite of the fury of the devil and his host,
so that we may remain steadfast in the face of all violence
and persecution. (68)
C. One or two Christians, armed with this single petition, shall
be our bulwark, against which the others shall dash them-
selves to pieces. (69)
IV. THE FOURTH PETITION
A. Here we consider the poor bread-basket-the needs of our
body and our life on earth. When you pray for daily bread,
you pray for everything that is necessary in order to have
and enjoy daily bread. (72)
B. Although we have received from God all good things, we
cannot retain them or enjoy them in security unless he gives
us stable, peaceful government. (74)
C. This petition is especially directed against our chief enemy,
the devil, whose whole purpose is to take away all we have
received from God. If it were in his power, surely we would
not have a straw in the field, or even our life for one hour-
especially those of us who have the Word of God and
would like to be Christians. (81)
91
I He .:>MALL AND LARGE CATECH ISMS
D. How much trouble there now is in the world simply on ac-

count of false coinage, on account of daily exploitation and
usury in public business. (84)
V. THE FIFfH PETITION
A. Although we have God's Word and believe ... nevertheless
we are not witho ut sin. We still stumb le daily and
transgress. (86)
B. There is great need to call upon God and pray, "Father, for-
give us our debts." Not that he does not forgive sin even
without and before our prayer. The point here is for us to
recognize and accept this forgiveness. (88,89)
I. Our conscience becomes restless; it fears God's wrath.
(89)
2. Let no one think that he will ever in this life reach the
point where he does not need this forgiveness. (91)
C. If you forgive, you have the comfort and assurance you are
forgiven in heaven. Not on account of your forgiving, for
God does it freely. But he has set up this condition for our
streng thenin g and assura nce, as a sign along with the
promise which is in agreement with this petition. (96)
VI. THE SIXTH PETITION
A. Although we have acquired forgiveness and a good con-
science, yet such is life that one stands today and falls to-
morrow. (100)
B. Temptations are from the flesh, the world, and the devil.
(101)
C. As long as we remain in this vile life in which we are at-
tacked, hunted, and harried on all sides, we are constrained
to cry out and pray every hour that God may not allow us to
become faint and weary and to fall back into sin, shame and
unbelief. (I 05)
D. This, then, is leadin g us not into temptation when God
gives us power and strength to resist, even though the tribu-
lation is not removed or ended. (I 06)
E. Some have more frequent and severe temptations than oth-
ers. Youths, for example, are tempted chiefly by the flesh;
older people are tempted by the world. Strong Christians
are tempted by the devil. (I 07)
F. The devil is an enemy who never stops or becomes weary;
when one attack ceases, new ones always arise. At such
92
times your only help or comfort is to take refuge in the

Lord's Prayer ... let me not fall because of temptation.
Prayer can resist the devil and drive him back. ( 109-111)
VII. THE LAST PETITION
A. The petition seems to be speaking of the devil as the sum of
all evil in order that the entire substance of our prayer may
be directed against our arch-enemy. (113)
B. Nevertheless, this petition includes all the evil that may be-
fall us under the devil's kingdom. ( 115)
C. God wants us to pray to him for everything that affects our
bodily welfare and directs us to seek and expect help from
no one but him. ( 118)
D. The efficacy of prayer consists in our learning also to say
"Amen" to it-that is, not to doubt that our prayer is surely
heard and will be granted. (120)
E. When people are uncertain in prayer, it means they have
their eye not on God's promise but on their own works and
worthiness. ( 123)
FOURTH PART: BAPTISM
INTRODUCTION
We have now finished with the three chief parts of our common Christian
teaching. It remains for us to speak of our two sacraments, instituted by Christ.
I. We must be familiar with the word upon which Baptism is
founded (Mt 28: 19). (3)
A. These words contain God's commandment and ordinance.
You should not doubt, then, that Baptism is of divine ori-
gin. (6)
1. It is solemnly and strictly commanded that we must be
baptized or we shall not be saved. (6)
2. The world now is full of sects who proclaim that Bap-
tism is an external thing and that external things are of
no use. (7)
B. What God institutes and comands cannot be useless. (8)
II. Although Baptism is performed by men's hands, it is truly
God's own act. (10)
A. Baptism is not simply common water, but water compre-
hended in God's Word and commandment and sanctified
by them. (14)
93
B. From the Word it derives its nature as a sacrament, as Au-

gustine taught, "When the Word is added to the element, it
becomes a sacrament." (18)
III. The power, effect, benefit, fruit, and purpose of Baptism is to
save. (24)
A. Baptism has God's name in it. Where God's name is, there
must also be life and salvation. (27)
1. Faith must have something to believe-something to
which it may cling and upon which it may stand. Thus,
faith clings to the water and believes it to be Baptism in
which there is salvation, not through the water, but
through its incorporation with God's Word and ordi-
nance and the joining of his name to it. (29)
2. Whoever rejects Baptism rejects God's Word, faith, and
Christ, who directs us and binds us to Baptism. (31)
B. Through faith we receive the benefits of Baptism (Mk
16:15,16). (32)
C. Baptism is not a work which we do but is a treasure God
gives us and faith grasps, just as the Lord Christ upon the
cross is not a work but a treasure comprehended and of-
fered to us in the Word and received by faith. (37)
D. To appreciate and use Baptism aright, we must draw
strength and comfort from it when our sins and conscience
oppress us, and we must retort, "But I am baptized!" (44)
IV. Infant Baptism
A. Do children believe, and is it right to baptize them?
1. That the Baptism of infants is pleasing to Christ is suf-
ficiently proved from his own work. God has sanctified
many who have been thus baptized and has given them
the Holy Spirit. (49)
2. We are not primarily concerned whether the baptized
person believes or not, for in the latter case Baptism
does not become invalid. Baptism is valid, even though
faith be lacking. For my faith does not constitute Bap-
tism but receives it. (53)
3. We bring the child with the purpose and hope that he
may believe, and we pray God to grant him faith. But
we do not baptize him on that account, but solely on
the command of God. Why? Because we know God
does not lie. (57)
94
B. Misuse does not destroy the substance, but confirms its ex-
istence. A lack of faith does not nullify the validity of Bap-
tism. (59)
V. What does Baptism signify and why has God ordained just this
sign and external observance for the sacrament by which we are
first received into the Christian church? (65)
A. Baptism is slaying the old Adam and the resurrection of the
new man. Both actions must continue in us our whole life
long. (65)
B. Where faith is present with its fruits, there Baptism is no
empty symbol, but the effect accompanies it; but where
faith is lacking, it remains a mere unfruitful sign. (73)
C. Baptism, both by its power and by its signification, com-
prehends also the third sacrament, formerly called Penance,
which is really nothing else than Baptism. What is repen-
tance but an earnest attack on the old man and an entering
upon a new life? (74,75)
D. In Baptism we are given the grace, Spirit, and power to
suppress the old man so that the new may come forth and
grow strong. (76)
E. Baptism remains forever. Even though we fall from it, we
always have access to it so that we may again subdue the
old man. But we need not again have the water poured over
us. Repentance is nothing else than a return and approach
to Baptism, to resume and practice what had earlier been
begun but abandoned. (77-79)
F. Therefore let everybody regard his Baptism as the daily
garment he is to wear all the time. (84)
G. If anybody falls away from his Baptism, let him return to
it. (86)
FIFTH PART: THE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR
I. What is it?
A. The Lord's Supper was not invented or devised by any
man. It was instituted by Christ without man's counsel or
deliberation. This blessed sacrament remains unimpaired
and inviolate even if we use and handle it unworthily. (6)
B. The Sacrament of the Altar is the true body and blood of
the Lord Christ in and under the bread and wine which we
Christians are commanded by Christ's word to eat and
•
drink. (8)
95
I
1. It is the Word which distinguishes it from mere bread

and wine and constitutes it a sacrament which is rightly
called Christ's body and blood. (I 0)
2. The Word must make the element a sacrament; other-
wise it remains a mere element. ( 10)
3. The Sacrament is not founded on the holiness of men
but on the Word of God. ( 16)
4. No matter whether you are unworthy or worthy, you
here have Christ's body and blood by virtue of these
words which are coupled with the bread and wine. (18)
II. For what purpose was the sacrament administered?
A. We go to the sacrament because we receive there a great
treasure, through and in which we obtain the forgiveness of
sins. (22)
1. It is appropriately called the food of the soul since it
nourishes and strengthens the new man. (23)
2. This treasure is conveyed and communicated to us in
no other way than through the words, "given and
poured out for you." (29) Here you have both truths,
that it is Christ's body and blood, and that these are
yours as your gift. (29)
III. Who receives this power and benefit?
A. It is he who believes what the words say and what they
give, for they are not spoken to stone and wood but to those
who hear them. (33)
1. Whoever lets these words be addressed to him and who
believes that they are true has what the words declare.
(35)
2. He who does not believe has nothing, for he lets this
gracious blessing be offered to him in vain and refuses
to enjoy it. (35)
B. Fasting and prayer and the like may have their place as an
external preparation. But what is given in and with the
sacrament cannot be grasped and appropriated by the body.
This is done by the faith of the heart which discern and de-
sires this treasure. (37)
IV. Those who claim to be Christians should prepare themselves to
receive this blessed sacrament frequently. (39)
A. No one should be coerced or compelled, lest we institute a
new slaughter of souls. ( 42)
96
B. Let it be understood that people who abstain and absent

themselves from the sacrament over a long period of time
are not to be considered Christians. ( 42)
~
1. It is not enough simply to teach and instrnct, but there ?89
must also be daily exhortation, so on this subject we
must be persistent in preaching. (44)
2. We have a clear text in the words of Christ, "Do this in
remembrance of me."
3. These words do not say we should never partake; they
imply that we should do it often. (47)
4. We are not granted liberty to despise the sacrament.
(49) When a person, with nothing to hinder him, lets a
long period of time elapse without ever desiring the
sacrament, I call that despising it. (49)
c. What should move and impel you is the fact that Christ de-
sires it and it pleases him. All we are doing is to urge you
to do what you ought to do, not for our sake but for your
own. (52)
D. It is true, as I have found in my own experience, that if a
person stays away from the sacrament, day by day he will
become more callous and cold. (53)
E. We must make a distinction among men. (58)
1. Those who are shameless and unruly must be told to
stay away. (58)
2. The others, who would like to be good, should not ab-
sent themselves, even though in other respects they are
weak and frail. (59) This sacrament does not depend
upon our worthiness. (61)
3. Those who despise the sacrament and lead unchristian
lives receive it to their harm. (69)
F. Thus you have on God's part both the commandment and
the promise of the Lord Christ. On your part, you ought to
be impelled by your own need. (71)
G. If you wait until you are rid of your burden in order to
come to the sacrament worthily, you must stay away from it
forever. Therefore they alone are unworthy who neither feel ~i
='
their infirmities nor admit to being sinners. (74)
A BRIEF EXHORTATION TO CONFESSION
I. We have always taught that it should be voluntary and purged

of the pope's tyranny.
97
THE SMALL AND LARGE CA TECHJSMS
A. Forced confession and enumeration of sins burdened con-

sciences. (1,2)
B. No one understood what confession is. (2)
II. We have the advantage of knowing how to use confession bene-
ficially for the comforting and strengthening of our conscience.
(4)
A. Unfortunately, men have learned to take advantage of their
freedom, acting as if they will never need to go to confes-
sion any more. (5)
B. There are two other kinds of confession also: confessing to
God alone and to our neighbor alone. These two kinds are
expressed in the Lord's Prayer. (8,9)
C. Besides this public, daily, and necessary confession, there
is also the secret confession which takes place privately be-
fore a single brother. This type of confession is not includ-
ed in the commandment like the other two but is left to ev-
eryone to use whenever he needs it. Christ has entrusted ab-
solution to his Christian church and commanded us to ab-
solve one another from sins. (14)
D. Confession consists of two parts. The first is when I lament
my sin and desire comfort. The second is when God ab-
solves me of my sins through a word placed in the mouth of
a man. (15)
E. If you are a Christian, you should be glad to run more than
a hundred miles for confession, not under compulsion but
rather coming and compelling us to offer it. We compel no
man, but allow ourselves to be compelled, just as we are
compelled to preach and administer the sacrament. (31)
98
>>>>>>>> • <<<<<<<<>>>>>>>> • <<<<<<<<
FORMULA OF CONCORD:
SOLID DECLARATION
>>>>>>>> • <<<<<<<<>>>>>>>> • <<<<<<<<
99
FORMULA OF CONCORD:
SOLID DECLARATION
>»»>» • « « « «
Some, while boasting of and benefiting from their adherence to the Augs-
burg Confession, even dared to give a false interpretation to these articles. This
caused serious and dangerous schisms in the true Evangelical churches. (7)
Similarly at the present time our adversaries, the papists, rejoice over the
schisms which have occurred among us in the unchristian but futile hope
these disagreement will ultimately lead to the ruin of the pure doctrine. (8)
These controversies deal with weighty and important matters, and they are
of such a nature that the opinions of the erring party cannot be tolerated in
the church of God. (9)
We pledge ourselves to:
I. the prophetic and apostolic writings of the Old and New Testaments as the
pure and clear fountain of Israel, which is the only true norm according to
which all teachers and teachings are to be judged and evaluated (3)
2. the three general Creeds ( 4)
3. the first, unaltered Augsburg Confession (5)
4. the Apology (6)
5. the Smalcald Articles (7)
6. Luther's Small and Large Catechisms (8)
I. ORIGINAL SIN
A. The controversy
1. One side contended man's nature and essence are whol-
ly corrupt as a result of the fall of Adam, so that ever
since the Fall the nature, substance, and essence of fall-
en man (namely, his rational soul in its highest degree
and foremost powers) is original sin itself. (1)
2. The other side taught that original sin is not man's na-
ture, substance, or essence, (that is, man's body or soul).
101
THE FORMULA OF CONCORD: SOLID DECLARATION
They maintained that original sin is something in man's

nature, and that it is a deep corruption thereof. (2)
B. The proper teaching
1. We must distinguish between God's work in man and
the devil's. (4)
a. Sin is not only the actual transgression of a com-
mandment but also, primarily, the inherited disease
which has corrupted our entire nature. (5)
b. On account of this corruption all are under the
wrath of God. (6)
2. God is not the creator, author, or cause of sin. (7)
Original sin is transmitted through our carnal concep-
tion and birth out of sinful seed from our father and
mother. (7)
3. Reason does not know the true nature of our inherited
damage. (8) The Apology (II, 2-50) treats of this exten-
sively. (9-15)
C. We want to avoid the errors of the Pelagians and the
Manichaeans.
L Pelagian and similar errors are condemned. (17-25)
a. Original sin is only an obligation resulting from
someone else's action without any corruption of
our nature. ( 17)
b. Sinful desires are not sin but concreated attributes
of man's nature. (18) (cf. Council of Trent, V, chap.
5; Zwingli.)
c. Original sin is not such a sin as to place a person
under the wrath of God. (19)
2. Related Pelagian errors:
a. Human nature after the Fall is incorrupt; in spiritual
matters it is good; in natural powers perfect. (20)
b. Original sin is an external blemish beneath which
human nature has retained its goodness. (21)
c. Original sin is not a deprivation of man's spiritual
powers, but only an external impediment to them
(as garlic juice [?] impedes the power of a mag-
net). (22)
d. Though man's nature has been weakened by the
Fall, it has not lost all the goodness that belongs to
spiritual matters. (23) CONTRARY: In God's sight
man's corrupted nature can by itself do nothing but
sin (Ge 6:5). (25)
102
3. Manichaean errors which make sin part of the essence

of man are condemned. (26-30)
a. That, since the Fall, human nature is created per-
fect. Afterward, Satan infuses original sin into
man's nature, as poison is blended with water. (26)
CONTRARY: Since the Fall human nature is not at
first created holy and subsequently corrupted. In
the first moment of conception the seed from which
man is formed is sinful and corrupted. (28)
b. It is not the corrupted man himself who sins but a
foreign something in man, so God does not con-
demn man's nature but only the original sin (the for-
eign something). CONTRARY: The law condemns
our nature, not because we are human beings creat-
ed by God, but because we are sinful. (32)
D. Facts to remember in connection with the relation between
original sin and human nature:
1. One must maintain a distinction between our nature as
it is created by God and in which sin dwells and origi-
nal sin which dwells in the nature. (33) Even after the
Fall God is man's Creator. The corrupted man cannot
be identified unqualifiedly with sin itself, for God
would be the creator of sin. (38) That our nature is cor-
rupted is in its origin the handiwork of Satan. (42)
2. Jesus assumed our nature but not original sin. There-
fore, human nature and original sin are not identical but
must be distinguished from each other. (44)
3. In the article of sanctification we have the testimony of
Scripture that God cleanses man from sin, purifies him,
and sanctifies him. (45)
4. The substance of our flesh will arise, but without sin.
(46)
E. Strictly speaking, original sin is the deep corruption of our
nature as described in the Smalcald Articles. (52)
F. Original sin is an "accident" (something that subsists in an-
other self-subsistent essence and can be distinguished from
it). (54-57)
G. Original sin is such a corruption of human nature that noth-
ing pure nor good has remained in itself and in all its inter-
nal and external powers. Through original sin man is in
God's sight spiritually lifeless and with all his powers dead
to that which is good. (60)
103
II. FREE WILL OR HUMAN POWERS

A. The controversy
1. One party taught that prior to conversion man can pre-
pare himself for grace and give his assent to it, though
weakly, but that without the gift of the Holy Spirit he
could accomplish nothing with these powers. (3)
2. Ancient and modern enthusiasts have taught that God
converts man through the Holy Spirit without any
means. (4)
3. The pure teachers of the Augsburg Confession have
taught that man is so corrupted that only God can con-
vert. (5)
B. The proper teaching: man has no spiritual powers by nature
by which he could make himself ready for God's grace or
accept the proffered grace. (7)
I. Man's reason still has a dim spark of the knowledge
that there is a God as well as of the teaching of the law.
(9)
2. As little as a dead person can prepare himself for tem-
poral life, so little can a person who is spiritually dead
prepare himself for spiritual life. ( 11)
3. People by nature are thoroughly wicked, opposed and
hostile to God. ( 17)
4. Unregenerate man is like a stone which resists rather
than yields in any way to human touch. ( 19)
5. Luther wrote, "When the Fathers defend free will, they
affirm a capacity for this freedom in such a way that by
grace it can be converted to God" (WA 2:647). (23)
6. Conversion and regeneration are the work of the Holy
Spirit, not of man. (25)
7. Unbelievers are in the power of the devil. (29)
8. The Confessions support this. (29-42)
a. AC XX (29)
b. Apology XVIII, 4,5. (31)
c. SA III, I (33); SA III, III (34)
d. LC Part II, Art. III, 51-53 (36)
e. SC, Third Article ( 40)
9. Luther taught this. (43,44)
a. The Great Confession Concerning the Holy Supper
(43)
b. Bondage of the Will (44)
c. Genesis 26 (44)
104
C. How is man converted to God, and by what means (the oral

Word and the holy sacraments)? (48)
1. It is not God's will that anyone be damned. (49)
2. God desires to save sinners through the proclamation of
his law and the gospel. (50-56)
3. Man can resist and reject the gospel call. (59)
4. God does not coerce anyone to piety. He draws the per-
son in such a way that darkened reason becomes en-
lightened. This is called the creation of a new heart.
(60)
5. Prior to his conversion man is dead in sin (Eph 2:5).
(61)
6. After conversion a man wills that which is good, in so
far as he is reborn or a new man, and he delights in the
law of God according to his inmost self (Ro 7:22). And
immediately he does good, as much and as long as the
Holy Spirit motivates him. (63)
7. As soon as the Holy Spirit has initiated his work of re-
generation and renewal in us through the Word and the
holy sacraments, it is certain that we can and must co-
operate by the power of the Holy Spirit, even though
we do so in great weakness. Such cooperation does not
proceed from our carnal and natural powers, but from
the new powers and gifts which the Holy Spirit has be-
gun in us in conversion (2 Co 6: 1). (66)
D. Errors that are condemned: (74-90)
1. The absurdity of the Stoics and Manichaeans who hold
that everything must happen as it does; that man acts
only under coercion (74)
2. The coarse Pelagians who hold that free will can con-
vert itself to God (75)
3. The papists and scholastics who maintain that man can
start out toward his own conversion but is aided to
complete it by the Holy Spirit (76)
4. The synergists who maintain that, once the Holy Ghost
has begun conversion in us, we can use our powers to
continue it (77)
5. The papists and the monks who teach that after his con-
version man can keep God's law perfectly and merit
eternal life (79)
6. The enthusiasts who imagine that without means God
draws man to himself (80)
105
THE FORMULA OF CONCORD: Souo DECLARATION
7. The (Flacian) error which teaches that in conversion

God creates a new heart so the substance of the Old
Adam is destroyed and a new substance of the soul is
created (81)
8. The following formulas if they are used without expla-
nation: (82)
a. That man's will before, in, and after conversion re-
sists the Holy Spirit, and that the Holy Spirit is giv-
en to those who resist him (83)
b. Man's will is not idle in conversion but also does
something (Melanchthon). (86)
c. God draws the person who wills (Melanchthon).
(86)
9. That there are three concurring efficient causes in con-
version:
a. The Word preached and heard
b. The Holy Spirit
c. Man's will which concurs (Melanchthon) (90)
10. Note: When Luther says man is purely passive in con-
version, he did not mean conversion takes place with-
out the preaching and hearing of the Word. (89)
III. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH BEFORE GOD
A. The controversy
1. The one party (Osiander) contended that the righteous-
ness of faith is that Christ himself through faith dwells
in the elect, impels them to do right, and is in this way
their righteousness. (2)
2. The other side held that Christ is righteousness only ac-
cording to his human nature (Francis Stancaro [Lom-
bard before him]). (3)
3. The teachers of the Augsburg Confession held that
Christ is our righteousness according to both natures
(as the God-man).
B. The true doctrine
1. According to the Apology (IV, 2,3 [German]), justifica-
tion by faith is the "chief article of the entire Christian
doctrine." (6)
2. Paul stresses the exclusive terms, that is, terms which
exclude all human works, such as "without the law,"
"without works," "by grace alone." (7)
3. We teach that a poor sinner is justified before God
without any merit or worthiness on our part. (9)
106
4. Faith does not justify because it is so good a work, but

because it lays hold on and accepts the merit of Christ
in the promise of the holy Gospel. This merit has to be
applied to us and to be made our own through faith if
we are to be justified thereby. Therefore the righteous-
ness which by grace is reckoned to faith or to the be-
lievers is the obedience, the passion, and the resurrec-
tion of Christ when he satisfied the law for us and paid
for our sin [emphasis added]. (13,14)
5. Since Christ is not only man, but God and man in one
undivided person, he was as little under the law as he
was obligated to suffer and die for his person. (15)
6. Christ's righteousness is offered to us by the Holy Spir-
it through the gospel and in the sacraments, and is ap-
propriated by faith. ( 16)
7. The word "justify" means to declare righteous and free
from sins and from the eternal punishment of these sins
on account of the righteousness of Christ which God
reckons to faith. This is the usual meaning of the word
in the Old and New Testaments. (17)
8. Since the word "regeneration" is sometimes used in
place of "justification," it is necessary to explain the
term strictly so that renewal which follows justification
by faith will not be confused with justification and so
in their strict senses the two will be differentiated from
one another.
a. Regeneration is used to include both forgiveness
and the subsequent renewal which the Holy Spirit
works in those who are justified by faith. ( 19)
b. This word is also used in the limited sense of the
forgiveness of sins and our adoption as God's chil-
dren. In this sense it is frequently used in the Apol-
ogy, where the statement is made, "Justification is
regeneration." ( 19)
c. Vivification has sometimes been used in the same
sense (justification). (20)
d. Frequently the word "regeneration" means the
sanctification or renewal which follows the righ-
teousness of faith, as Luther used the term in his
book On The Councils And The Church and else-
where. (21)
9. We do not teach that after regeneration no unrighteous-
ness adheres to those who have been justified and re-
107
generated, but we hold that Christ with his perfect obe-

dience covers all our sins which throughout this life
still inhere in our nature. (22)
10. Nor does this mean we may or should follow in the
ways of sin. (23)
11. If the article of justification is to remain pure, we must
give heed that we do not mingle or insert that which pre-
cedes faith or follows faith into the article of justifica-
tion as if it were a necessary or component part of this
article. (24) The only essential elements of justification
are the grace of God, the merit of Christ, and faith
which accepts these in the promise of the gospel. (25)
12. When St. Paul says, "We are justified by faith apart
from works" (Ro 3:28), he indicates neither the preced-
ing contrition nor the subsequent works belong in the
article of justification by faith. (27)
a. Good works do not precede justification; rather
they follow it. (28)
b. Although renewal and sanctification are a blessing
of Christ and a work of the Holy Spirit, it does not
belong in the article of justification; it rather fol-
lows justification. (28)
c. Luther wrote: "We grant that we must teach about
love and good works too. But it must be done with
good works apart from this matter of justification."
(29)
d. Therefore, as long as we have to do with this article
of justification, we reject and condemn works,
since the very nature of this article cannot admit
any treatment or discussion of works." (29)
13. In justification before God faith trusts neither in contri-
tion nor in love nor in other virtues, but solely in
Christ. Neither is contrition nor love nor any other
virtue the means and instrument with and through
which we could receive and accept the grace of God
and the forgiveness offered in the gospel, but only
faith. (31)
14. Although converted persons possess the beginning of
renewal, sanctification, love, virtues, and good works,
these should and must not be drawn into the article of
justification, in order to preserve the glory due to
Christ. (35)
108
15. Excluded from the article of justification:

a. Our own works (37)
b. Love and every other work, since faith's sole office
is to serve as the only means through which we re-
ceive the merit of Christ. (38)
c. Renewal, sanctification, virtues, and other good
works. They are not to be set forth as a part or
cause of our justification. (39)
16. The proper order between faith and good works is
bound to be maintained:
a. Good works do not precede faith. (41)
b. Sanctification is not prior to justification. ( 41)
c. This is not to be understood as though justification
and sanctification are separated from each other as
though faith could coexist for a while with a
wicked intention. (41)
d. Luther: "There is a beautiful agreement between
faith and good works; nevertheless, it is faith alone
which apprehends the blessing without works. And
yet faith is at no time ever alone." ( 41)
17. When the questions is asked, how a Christian can iden-
tify a true living faith and distinguish it from a simulat-
ed and dead faith, the Apology gives the following an-
swer: "James calls that faith dead where all kinds of
good works and the fruits of faith do not follow." (42)
18. But when we ask where faith gets the power to justify
and save, then it is false and incorrect to answer: "Faith
cannot justify without works; or, faith justifies in so far
as it is associated with love, on account of which love
the power to justify is ascribed to faith." (43)
C. The following errors must be condemned (directed against
Rome and Osiander):
1. That love or good works are a basis for our justification
before God, either entirely or in part. (45)
2. By good works man must make himself worthy and fit
to have the merit of Christ applied to him. (46)
3. That our real righteousness is our love or the renewal
which the Holy Spirit works within us. ( 47)
4. That righteousness by faith consists of two parts: for-
giveness and sanctification. ( 48)
5. That faith justifies only because righteousness is begun
in us by faith, or that justification is incomplete without
love. (49)
109
6. That believers are justified through the reckoned righ-

teousness of Christ and through their own inchoate new
obedience. (50)
7. That the promise of grace is made our own through
faith in the heart, the confession we make with our
mouth, and other virtues. (51)
8. That we cannot be saved without works. (52)
D. We must also explain correctly the discussion concerning
the indwelling of God's essential righteousness in us. (54)
1. It is true that God dwells by faith in the elect who have
been justified through Christ. All Christians are tem-
ples of God ... who impels them to do rightly. (54)
2. But this indwelling of God is not the righteousness of
faith of which St. Paul speaks ... on account of which
we are declared righteous before God. The indwelling
follows the preceding righteousness of faith. (54)
3. It is important to consider in what way Christ is called
our righteousness in this matter of justification: Our
righteousness rests neither upon his divine nature nor
upon his human nature but upon the entire person of
Christ, who as God and man in his sole, perfect obedi-
ence is our righteousness. (55)
4. We believe that the total obedience of Christ's total per-
son is reckoned to us as righteousness. (56) For neither
the obedience nor the passion of the human nature
alone, without the divine nature, could render satisfac-
tion to the eternal God for the sins of the world. Like-
wise, the deity alone, without the humanity, could not
mediate between God and us. (56)
E. Therefore we must reject:
1. That Christ is our righteousness before God only ac-
cording to his divine nature (Osiander). (60)
2. That Christ is our righteousness before God only ac-
cording to his human nature (Stancaro). (61)
3. That to justify means to be made righteous on account
of love and virtues poured into a person by the Holy
Spirit. (62)
4. That faith looks to his divine nature in so far as it
dwells and works within us, and by such indwelling our
sins are covered up in the sight of God. (63)
5. That faith can be in a person who has no true repen-
tance. (64)
110
6. That not God but only the gifts of God dwell in believ-
ers. (65)
F. If anyone needs more by way of explanation, read Luther's
explanation of St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians. (67)
IV. GOOD WORKS
A. The controversy
I. One party employed such formulas as "Good works are
necessary to salvation," "It is impossible to be saved
without good works," and "No one has been saved
without good works." (I)
2. The other party contended that good works are indeed
necessary-not for salvation but for other reasons. (2)
3. A very few (Amsdorf) asserted, "Good works are detri-
mental to salvation." (3)
4. A few maintained good works are not necessary but
spontaneous, since they are not extorted but flow from
a spontaneous spirit and a joyful heart. (3)
5. Another said good works are necessary.
a. Necessary may refer to the immutable order which
binds all people to be obedient to God. (4)
b. Necessary may imply the coercion with which the
law forces people to do good works. (4)
6. Some contended that because of the divine order new
obedience is not necessary in the regenerated (Second
Antinomian Controversy). (5)
B. The true teaching-points on which there was no contro-
versy
I. It is God's will and ordinance that believers do good
works. (7)
2. Only what God prescribes in his Word is a good work,
not what a person may devise of his own opinion or by
human tradition. (7)
3. Good works are not done by a person's natural powers
but only after a person has been reconciled to God
through faith and renewed through the Holy Spirit. (7)
4. Civic righteousness, though praiseworthy and reward-
ed by God, is still sin because it does not flow from
true faith. (8)
5. Faith alone is the mother and source of the truly good
and God-pleasing works that God will reward both in
this life and in the next. (9)
111
6. Luther writes that faith is a living and active thing so

that it is impossible for it not to be constantly doing
what is good, etc. (Preface to the Epistle to the Ro-
mans). (10-12)
C. The true teaching-points on which there was controversy.
1. Both the Augsburg Confession and the Apology state:
"Good works are necessary." It is wrong to criticize
this formula when used in its strict and Christian sense.
(14,15)
a. The word necessary refers, not to compulsion, but
rather to the order of God's immutable will. (16)
b. God does not want works extorted from a person.
(17)
c. In this sense it is right to say that good works are to
be done willingly. ( 18)
2. We need to keep in mind the dual nature of the Chris-
tian. (19)
3. We reject as false the view that good works are free to
believers in the sense that it is optional if they want to
do them. (20)
4. When we teach that good works are necessary, we must
also explain why and for what causes they are necessary
(as do AC VI, XX, and Apology IV, 183-400). (21)
a. We must be careful not to draw works into the arti-
cle of justification. (22)
b. We reject the statement that good works are neces-
sary for salvation because it is contrary to the doc-
trine of exclusive terms in justification. (22)
c. These propositions deprive troubled consciences of
the gospel, confirm trust in one's own righteous-
ness, and are adopted by the papists and used to
their advantage against the pure doctrine of salva-
tion by faith alone. (23)
d. Luther rejected these propositions:
1.) In the case of the false prophets among Gala-
tians (25)
2.) In his writings against the papists (26)
3.) In his writings against the Anabaptists (27)
4.) In the case of some of his own followers (28)
e. It is right for our churches to insist these proposi-
tions are not to be taught. (29)
112
5. Do good works preserve salvation or faith? (30)

a. We reject the Epicurean delusion that it is impossi-
ble to lose faith and the gift of salvation, once it has
been received, through any sin. (31)
b. We should often impress upon Christians these im-
mutable threats and admonitions (1 Co 6:9; Gal
5:21; Eph 5:5; Ro 8: 13; Col 3:6). (32)
c. The Apology offers a fine example as to when and
how good works can be instilled without darkening
the doctrine of faith and justification (XX, 13). (33)
d. Faith does not accept righteousness at the begin-
ning and then delegate this to works, as if works
should preserve faith. (34)
e. Since faith is the only means whereby salvation is
received and preserved by God, we reject the de-
cree of Trent that our good works preserve salva-
tion or faith. (35)
6. Concerning the proposition that good works are detri-
mental to salvation:
a. If anyone draws good works into the article on jus-
tification, Paul himself declares that good works
are not only useless but actually harmful to the per-
son. (38)
b. It does not follow, however, that good works are
detrimental to salvation. (38)
c. It is God's will and command that believers do
good works. (38)
d. Since Christians are not to be deterred from good
works, we should not teach this proposition without
qualifications in our churches. (40)
V. LAW AND GOSPEL
A. The distinction between law and gospel is an especially bril-
liant light which serves the purpose that the Word of God
may be rightly divided and the writings of the holy prophets
and apostles may be explained and understood correctly. (1)
B. The controversy
1. One party claimed that, strictly speaking, the gospel is
not only a proclamation of grace but also a proclama-
tion of repentance (Melanchthon). (2)
2. The other party maintained that, strictly speaking, the
gospel is not a proclamation of repentance. This, they
said, is strictly a function of the law of God. (2)
113
C. The true teaching

1. The word "gospel" is used in a twofold way, both in the
Scriptures and by ancient and modem theologians
a. In one case "gospel" refers to the entire teaching of
Christ (both law and gospel). (4)
b. When the word "gospel" is used in its broad sense,
it is correct to define the word as the proclamation
of both repentance and forgiveness of sins. (5)
c. The word "gospel" is also used in a strict (narrow)
sense. Here it means solely the preaching of God's
grace. (6)
2. The word "repentance" is not used in a single sense in
Scripture.
a. In some passages it is understood as the entire con-
version of man (Lk 13:5; 15:7). (7)
b. In other places where repentance and faith are dis-
tinguished from each other, the phrase means noth-
ing more than truly to recognize one's sins, to feel
sorry for them, and to desist from them (Mk 1: 15;
Ac 20:21; Lk 24:46). That contrition may not end in
despair, the gospel must be added so that it becomes
a "contrition that leads to salvation" (2 Co 7: 10). (9)
3. The mere preaching of the law without Christ either
produces presumptuous people, who believe they can
fulfill the law by external works, or drives man to de-
spair. (10)
4. People do not see the law spiritually, or how much it
requires of us, or how severely it curses us and con-
demns us. (10)
a. Therefore, the Spirit of Christ must not only com-
fort but, through the office of the law, convince the
world of sin (a strange deed-einfremd Amt-opus
alienum) until he comes to his own work (to com-
fort). (11)
b. Where is there a more earnest and terrible revelation
of God's wrath over sin than the death of Christ, his
own Son? As long as all this proclaims the wrath of
God and terrifies man, it is not yet the gospel nor
Christ's own proclamation, but it is Moses and the
law pronounced upon the unconverted. (12)
5. The Smalcald Articles: "The New Testament retains
and performs the office of the law, which reveals sin
114
and God's wrath, but to this office it immediately adds

the promise of God's grace through the Gospel."
(IIl,I,4). ( 14)
6. The Apology: "The preaching of the law is not suffi-
cient for genuine and salutary repentance~ the Gospel
must also be added to it." (IV, 257). Thus both doc-
trines are always together, and both of them have to be
urged side by side, but with proper order and with the
correct distinction. ( 15)
7. Therefore we justly condemn the Antinomians who
cast the preaching of the law out of the churches and
would have us criticize sin not from the law but solely
from the gospel. (15)
8. The law is, strictly speaking, a divine doctrine which:
a. reveals the righteous and immutable will of God
(17)
b. shows how man ought to be disposed in his nature,
thoughts, words, and deeds in order to be pleasing
and acceptable to God ( 17)
c. threatens the transgressors with God's wrath and
punishment ( 17)
9. The gospel is that doctrine which teaches what a man
should believe in order to obtain the forgiveness of sins
from God. The content of the gospel is that the Son of
God himself assumed the curse of the law and paid for
all our sins. (20) Everything which comforts and offers
mercy to transgressors of the law, strictly speaking, is
the gospel, a good and joyful message that God wills not
to punish sins but to forgive them for Christ's sake. (21)
D. Law and gospel must be properly applied.
1. These two doctrines must be urged constantly and dili-
gently in the church until the end of the world, but with
due distinction. (24)
2. In order that law and gospel may not be mingled to-
gether so that what belongs to one doctrine is ascribed
to the other, it is necessary to urge and to maintain with
all diligence the true and proper distinction between
law and gospel. (27)
3. The Apology also indicates that, strictly speaking, the
gospel is the promise of forgiveness of sins and justifi-
cation through Christ, whereas the law is a message
that rebukes and condemns sin (IV, 40, 57, XII, 45, 52,
73, 76). (27)
115
VI. THE THIRD FUNCTION OF THE LAW

A. The law of God serves: (1)
1. to maintain external discipline and decency
2. to bring people to a knowledge of their sin
3. that those who have been born anew learn from the law
to live and walk in the law
B. The controversy (concerning this third and last function of
the law)
1. The one party held that the regenerated do not learn in
what good works they should walk from the law, nor
should this doctrine in any way be urged on the basis of
the law, since they through the inspiration and impulse
of the Holy Spirit spontaneously do what God requires
of them. (2)
2. The other party taught that although believers are moti-
vated by the Holy Spirit and hence do God's will from
a free spirit, nevertheless the Holy Spirit uses the writ-
ten law on them to instruct them, and even true believ-
ers learn to serve God not according to their own no-
tions but according to his written law, which is a certain
rule and norm for achieving a godly life in accord with
God's will. (3)
1. Although believers are truly liberated from the curse of
the law, they should daily exercise themselves in the
law (Ps 1:1,2; 119:1,35,47,70,97). The law is a mirror
in which the will of God is correctly portrayed. (4)
2. It is true the law is not laid down for the just but for the
ungodly (1 Ti 1:9). This dare not be understood without
qualification, as though the righteous should live with-
out the law. (5)
a. The first man immediately after his creation re-
ceived a law according to which he should conduct
himself.
b. The law is written on our hearts.
3. If believers were perfectly renewed in this life through
the Spirit so their nature and all its powers were free
from sins, they would require no law, no driver. With-
out any driving by the law they would do what they are
obligated to do according to the will of God. (6)
4. In this life Christians are not renewed perfectly. (7)
116
5. Hence believers require in this life not only the teach-

ing of the law, but frequently the punishment as well, to
egg them on so that they follow the Spirit of God. (9)
6. It is also necessary to set forth distinctly what the gospel
does in connection with the new obedience of believers
and what function the law performs in this matter, as far
as the good works of believers are concerned. ( 11)
a. The law tells us that God wills that we walk in the
new life, but it does not give the power and ability
to begin it or to do it. (11)
b. It is the Holy Spirit, who is not given and received
through the law but through the gospel, who re-
news the heart. ( 11)
c. Then he employs the law to instruct the regenerate
out of it and to show them in the Ten Command-
ments what the will of God is (Ro 12:2). (12)
d. When because of the flesh they are lazy, the Holy
Spirit reproves them through the law. In this way
he simultaneously performs both offices, he kills
and brings to life (1 Sa 2:6). (12)
7. In order to avoid all misunderstandings, we must ob-
serve that in speaking of good works that are in accord
with the law of God, the word "law" has but one mean-
ing, namely, the immutable will of God according to
which man is to conduct himself in this life. (15)
a. As long as a person is not reborn, lives according
to the law, and does its works merely because they
are commanded, from fear of punishment or in
hope ofreward, he is still under the law. (16)
b. When a person is born anew, he lives according to
the immutable will of God as it is comprehended in
the law, and, in so far as he is born anew, he does
everything from a free spirit. These works are fruits
of the Spirit. (17)
8. Since, however, believers are not completely renewed
in this life, the conflict between the flesh continues in
them. (18)
a. They delight in the law of God in the inmost self.
(18)
b. The law in their members is at war against the law
of their mind (Ro 7:23). (18)
c. The Old Adam must be coerced not only with the
law but with miseries. (19)
117
d. Believers require the teaching of the law so they

will not be thrown back on their own piety and set
up a self-elected service of God without his Word.
(20)
e. Believers require the teaching of the law lest they
imagine their works and life are holy. (21)
9. The law does not teach us how and why the good
works of believers are pleasing to God. The gospel
teaches us our spiritual sacrifices are acceptable to God
through faith for Christ's sake. (22)
10. The Old Adam, like an unmanageable donkey, must be
coerced into the obedience of Christ, not only with the
instruction of the law, but frequently also with the club
of punishments, until the flesh is put off entirely. (24)
11. So through God's Spirit they will do his will sponta-
neously, without coercion, and with sheer joy forever.
(25)
12. We reject the erroneous doctrine that the law in the
manner and measure indicated above is not to be urged
upon believers but only upon unbelievers. (25)
VIL THE HOLY SUPPER
A. Though the Sacramentarians previously disavowed the
Augsburg Confession, some who professed adherence to
the Augsburg Confession now in part approve of the Sacra-
mentarians' position. They try to pervert the Augsburg
Confession to make it appear as if it is in full agreement
with the teaching of the Sacramentarians. (1)
B. The controversy
1. Some Sacramentarians use terminology close to that of
the Augsburg Confession. Yet, when pressed, they de-
clare that the true body and blood of Christ are as far
distant from the bread and wine as heaven is distant
from earth. (2)
a. They say: the body of Christ is now in heaven and
not on earth. Consequently, nothing but bread and
wine are orally received in the Supper. (3)
b. They teach: The Lord is present in the Supper only
according to his divine nature, but not with his
body and blood. (5)
c. They believe: With the bread and wine Christ gives
us his true body and blood to eat spiritually by faith
but not to receive it orally with the mouth. (6)
118
d. They understand the words, "This is my body" not

strictly but as figurative speech. They interpret "to
eat Christ's body" as no more than "to believe." (7)
e. They interpret the word "is" in a figurative man-
ner. (7)
f. They condemn the teaching that the body of Christ
is essentially present in the Lord's Supper, although
invisibly, and is orally received with the bread even
by hypocrites. (8)
2. The Confessions teach that the true body and blood of
Christ are really present in the Holy Supper under the
forms of bread and wine and they are distributed and
received. (9)
a. The Augsburg Confession teaches this. (9)
b. Luther teaches the same in the Small Catechism.
(10)
c. The Apology teaches this very clearly. (11)
d. In 1536 the theologians of Saxony and Upper Ger-
many drafted articles of agreement in Wittenberg,
and Luther and other theologians of both parties
signed them. (12) "They teach that with the bread
and wine the body and blood of Christ are truly
and essentially present, distributed, and received.
(14) ... They hold that it is the institution of this
sacrament that makes it valid, and it does not de-
pend on the worthiness or unworthiness of the
minister who distributes the sacrament or of him
who receives it. Therefore they hold that where
Christ's institution and command are observed, the
body and blood of Christ are truly distributed to
the unworthy, too." (16)
e. Luther's statement on the Lord's Supper in the
Smalcald Articles, to which all theologians collec-
tively and individually subscribed, stopped up ev-
ery loop-hole which the Sacramentarians had used
to interpret the aforementioned articles of agree-
ment, adopted in the previous year, to their own
advntage. (18)
f. The Large Catechism states that the Sacrament of
the Altar is the true body and blood of Christ in and
under the bread and wine. (21) Extensive quota-
tions from the Large Catechism follow. (21-27)
119
g. In his Great Confession, Luther rejects the idea that

he would teach differently on the Lord's Supper.
He stated: "I also confess that in the Sacrament the
body and blood of Christ are truly eaten and drunk
in the bread and the wine, though the priests who
distribute them or those who receive them do not
believe or otherwise misuse the sacrament. It does
not rest on man's faith or unbelief but on the word
and ordinance of God-unless they first change
God's Word and ordinance and misinterpret them,
as the enemies of the sacrament do at the present
time. They, indeed, have only bread and wine, for
they do not also have the Word and instituted ordi-
nance of God but have perverted and changed it ac-
cording to their own imagination." (32)
3. We at times use the formulas "under the bread, with
the bread, in the bread" to reject the papistic transub-
stantiation and to indicate the sacramental union be-
tween the untransformed substance of the bread and
the body of Christ. (35)
a. Many ancient teachers ... have cited the personal
union as an analogy to the words of Christ's testa-
ment. As in Christ two distinct and untransformed
natures are indivisibly united, so in the Holy Sup-
per the two essences, the natural bread and the
true, natural body of Christ, are present together
... in the ordered action of the sacrament. (37)
b. Even though the different formulas are used, we still
accept the words of Christ in their strict sense. (38)
4. Dr. Luther is rightly to be regarded as the most eminent
teacher of the churches which adhere to the Augsburg
Confession and as the person whose entire doctrine in
sum and content was comprehended in the articles of
the aforementioned Augsburg Confession. Therefore
the true meaning of the Augsburg Confession cannot be
derived more correctly than from Luther's doctrinal
and polemical writings. (42)
1. We are bound to interpret and explain these words of
Jesus, not as figurative expressions, but we must accept
them in simple faith and due obedience in their strict
and clear sense, just as they read. (45)
120
a. All circumstances of the institution testify that

these words of our Lord Jesus can and should be
understood only in their usual, strict, and common-
ly accepted meaning. (48)
b. There can be no doubt Jesus was speaking of natu-
ral bread and wine as well as of oral eating and
drinking. There can be no metaphor. (48)
c. Christ precluded a metonymy in the word "body."
He was speaking of his true, essential body. (49)
2. From 1 Co 10: 16 we learn that that which we break and
bless is participation in the body and blood of Christ, so
that all who eat this bread and drink this cup truly re-
ceive the true body and blood of Christ. (54)
3. Whoever partakes unworthily sins not only against
bread and wine, but becomes guilty of profaning the
body and blood of Christ. (60)
4. There is a twofold eating of Christ's flesh:
a. One is spiritual (Jn 6:48-58). This spiritual eating is
faith. (61,62)
b. The other is oral or sacramental (not Capernaitic), in
a supernatural, incomprehensible manner. (63-65)
5. The ancient Christian teachers teach that the body of
Christ is received not only spiritually through faith,
which occurs outside the sacrament, but also orally, and
this by false Christians as well as by the pious. (66)
D. Unworthy communicants are those who go to this sacra-
ment without true contrition and without true faith. (68)
E. Worthy communicants are those timid, perturbed Chris-
tians, weak in faith, who are terrified because of their many
sins. This venerable sacrament was instituted primarily for
communicants like this. (70)
F. Worthiness does not consist in the weakness or certainty of
faith, but solely in the merits of Christ. (71)
G. A misunderstanding has arisen among us concerning the
consecration and the rule that there is no sacrament apart
from the instituted use. (73,74)
1. No man's word or work can effect the true presence of
the body and blood of Christ in the Supper. This is to
be ascribed only to the almighty power of God and the
Word, institution, and ordinance of Jesus. For the
words Jesus spoke in the first institution were not only
efficacious in the first Supper, but they still retain their
121
efficacious power in all places where the Supper is ob-

served according to Christ's institution. (75)
2. For wherever we observe his institution and speak his
words over the bread and cup and distribute the blessed
bread and cup, Christ himself is still active through the
spoken words by virtue of the first institution, which he
wants to be repeated. (75)
3. In the administration of Communion the words of insti-
tution are to be spoken or sung distinctly and clearly
before the congregation and under no circumstances to
be omitted. (79)
a. By this we render obedience to the command of
Christ, "This do." (80)
b. By this the faith of the hearers is confirmed
through his Word. (81)
c. By this the elements are hallowed or blessed in this
holy use. (82)
4. But this blessing or recitation of Christ's words by it-
self, if the entire action of the Lord's Super as Christ
ordained it is not observed, does not make a sacrament.
The command of Christ, "Do this," comprehends the
whole administration of this sacrament (consecration,
distribution, consumption ). (83,84) Nothing has the
character of a sacrament apart from the use instituted
by Christ, or apart from the divinely instituted action
[emphasis added]. (85)
5. Sacramentarians pervert this rule ... in order to deny
the true presence of the body of Christ. It is not our
faith which makes the sacrament, but solely the Word
and institution of our Savior. It is a pernicious error
when some ascribe to our faith the power to achieve the
presence of the body of Christ. (88-90)
H. Luther's arguments against the Sacramentarians:
1. Jesus is God and man in one person. (94)
2. The right hand of God is everywhere. (95)
3. The Word of God is not false. (96)
4. God has various ways to be present at a certain place:
Furthermore, the one body of Christ has three different
modes of being at any given place.
a. the comprehensible, corporeal mode (space can be
measured) (98)
b. the incomprehensible, spiritual mode (space cannot
be measured) (100)
122
c. the divine, heavenly mode (present everywhere)

(101)
I. Different ways of using the word spiritual:
1. The Sacramentarians mean that spiritual communion is
established when in spirit through faith the true believ-
ers are incorporated into Christ and become true spiri-
tual members of his body. (104)
2. We mean the heavenly mode according to which Christ
is present in the Supper. ( 105)
J. We reject:
1. Papistic transubstantiation, so that only the "accidents"
without a subject remain (108)
2. All other papistic abuses (109)
3. That only one species is administered to the laity (110)
4. That the words of institution are not to be simply un-
derstood in their strict sense (113)
5. The denial of oral eating of the body and blood ( 114)
6. That bread and wine are no more than badges by which
Christians recognize each other ( 115)
7. That bread and wine are only figures of the far-distant
body of Christ (115)
8. That body and blood are only reminders of the absent
Christ (116)
9. That in the Supper there is distributed to faith only the
merit of the far-distant body ( 117)
10. That body and blood are received only through faith,
spiritually (118)
11. That Christ is confined by a certain space in heaven
and is unable to be present in the Supper ( 119) That
Christ could not be present in his Supper because of the
properties of his human nature do not permit this ( 120)
12. That faith achieves the presence of the body of Christ
in the Supper (121)
13. That believers are to look away from the bread of the
Supper to that place in heaven where Christ is present
and there to partake of him (122)
14. That unbelievers do not receive the body of Christ in
the Supper (123)
15. That worthiness does not consist in true faith but in
man's preparation (124)
16. That believers who fail to meet their own self-devised
standard of preparation may receive this sacrament for
judgment like unworthy guests ( 125)
123
17. That the elements are to be adored (126)

18. The concept of Capemaitic eating (127)
VIII. THE PERSON OF CHRIST
A. The controversy
1. The Zwinglians denied Christ's body could be present
everywhere and remain a true human body. (1,2)
2. Some theologians of the Augsburg Confession used the
same basic arguments about the person of Christ. They
said nothing is to be attributed to the human nature that
transcends its natural properties. (4)
B. The true teaching
1. The Son of God took the human nature into the unity of
his person in such a way that Christ Jesus is one per-
son, simultaneously true God and true man. (6)
2. In this single, undivided person there are two distinct
natures: the divine and the human. These two natures
will never be separated, blended with each other, or the
one changed into the other. (7)
3. Each nature retains its natural properties and does not
lay them aside, nor do the properties of the one nature
ever become the essential properties of the other. (8)
4. To be almighty and to be everywhere are essential
properties of the divine nature, which will never be-
come the essential properties of the human nature. (9)
5. To be flesh and blood and to be finite are properties of
the human nature, which will never become properties
of the divine nature. (10)
6. After the incarnation neither nature in Christ subsists for
itself so as to constitute a distinct person. The two na-
tures are united so they constitute a distinct person. ( 11)
7. The assumed human nature not only possesses its natu-
ral properties, but in addition through the personal union
with the deity and afterward through the exaltation, has
been elevated to the right hand of majesty. ( 12)
8. Christ did not receive this majesty only after his resur-
rection, but when he was conceived. (13)
9. This personal union is not to be understood as if both
natures are united with each other like two boards
glued together, so that the two natures have no com-
munion with each other (Nestorius, the Samosatenes).
(14,15)
124
10. The divine and human natures in the person of Christ

are united in such a way that they have true commu-
nion with each other. As Chalcedon taught, there is a
mixture in a good sense. Yet, there is not blending or
equalization of the natures. On account of this union
God is man and man is God but without blending the
natures or their properties.(17-19)
11. On account of this personal union, it is not only the
bare human nature that has suffered for the sins of the
world, but the Son of God himself has truly suffered
(although according to the assumed human nature) and
has truly died, although the divine nature can neither
suffer nor die. (21)
12. Zwingli's alloeosis is condemned (one nature must be
taken and understood for the other). (21)
13. The ancient teachers of the church have combined both
words, communion and union, in expounding this mys-
tery and have explained one with the other. (22)
14. Because of the personal union, we believe everything
said about the majesty of Christ according to his human
nature at the right hand of God. (23)
15. On account of this personal union, Mary did not con-
ceive a mere human being, but a human being who is
truly the Son of the most high God. She is truly the
mother of God and yet remained a virgin. (24)
16. On account of the personal union, Christ performed all
his miracles. (25)
17. The doctrine of the exchange of properties ( communi-
catio idiomatum) likewise flows from the same founda-
tion. (31)
18. Next to the article of the holy Trinity, the greatest mys-
tery in heaven and on earth is the personal union. (33)
C. It is highly important that this doctrine of the exchange of
properties ( communicatio idomatum) be treated and ex-
plained with due discrimination. (35)
1. Since in Christ two distinct natures are and remain un-
changed and unblended in their natural essence and
properties, and since both natures constitute only one
person, therefore any property, though it belongs only
to one of the natures, is ascribed not only to the respec-
tive nature as something separate but to the entire per-
son who is simultaneously God and man (whether he
be called God or man) (genus idiomaticum). (36)
125
a. It does not follow that whatever is ascribed to the

person is simultaneously the property of both na-
tures. (37)
b. Sacramentarians hide their pernicious error under
the words of the formula which says we are to as-
cribe to the entire person what is the property of one
nature (for while they mention the entire person,
they nevertheless understand by that only the one
nature and wholly eliminate the other nature, as if
only the human nature had suffered for us). (38)
c. Zwingli calls that an alloeosis when something is
said about the deity of Christ which after all be-
longs to the humanity, or vice versa. (39)
d. Luther: "Beware of this alloeosis, for it is the dev-
il's mask since it will finally construct a kind of
Christ after whom I would not want to be called a
Christian .... If I believe that only the human na-
ture suffered for me, then Christ would be a poor
Savior for me, in fact, he himself would need a
Savior.... If the old witch, Dame Reason, the
grandmother of the alloeosis, would say that the
deity surely cannot suffer and die, then you must
answer and say: That is true, but since the divinity
and humanity are one person in Christ, the Scrip-
tures ascribe to the deity, because of this personal
union, all that happens to the humanity, and vice
versa .... We Christians must know that unless
God is in the balance and throws in weight as coun-
terbalance, we shall sink to the bottom with our
scale. If it is not true that God died for us but only a
man died we are lost. But if God's death and God
dead lie in the opposite scale, then his side goes
down and we go upward like a light and empty
pan. . . . According to his nature God cannot die,
but since God and man are united in one person, it
is correct to talk about God's death when that man
dies who is one person with God. (39-44)
2. As far as the discharge of Christ's office, the person
does not act in, with, through, or according to one na-
ture only, but in, according to, with, and through both
natures (Chalecedon: each nature according to its own
properties acts, in communion with the other) (genus
apotelesmaticum). (46)
126
3. Do the natures in the personal union have nothing else

and nothing more than their own natural and essential
properties? (48)
a. There is no variation with God. Nothing was added
to or detracted from the essence and properties of
the divine nature. ( 49)
b. Because the human nature in Christ is personally
united with the divine nature in Christ, the former
... received in addition to its natural properties,
heavenly prerogatives (genus maiestaticum). (51)
1. Whatever Christ received in time he received
not according to his divine nature but accord-
ing to the assumed human nature. (57)
2. The power to make the dead alive and to exe-
cute judgment has been given to Christ because
he is the Son of Man. (58)
3. John says that in the matter of justification not
only the divine nature but also his blood
cleanses us from all sins (I Jn 1:7). (59)
c. Such divine powers were not given to the human
nature in the same way the Father communicated his
own essence from eternity to the Son according to
the divine nature so that he is of one essence with
the Father and equal with God. For only according
to the assumed human nature he is below God. (61)
d. This exchange did not take place in such a way that
the humanity of Christ has these powers apart from
the divine essence, nor in such a way that the hu-
man nature has laid aside its natural properties and
is now transformed into the Godhead. (62)
e. We therefore hold that the human nature in Christ
has received this majesty according to the manner
of the personal union, because the fullness of the
deity dwells in Christ, not as in other godly human
beings or in the angels, but bodily, as in its own
body. (64)
f. We do not believe an outpouring of the majesty of
God into the human nature of Christ that weakens
the divine nature. (71)
g. We believe that God the Father gave his Spirit to
Christ in such a way that he received the Spirit's
gifts not by measure. (72)
127
THE FORMUL A OF CONCORD: SOLID DECLARATION
h. Christ is and can be everywhere that God is and

that every thing is full of Chris t throug h and
through, also according to the huma nity-n ot ac-
cording to the corporeal manner, but according to
the supernatural manner. (81)
D. The following errors are condemned:
1. That the human nature has been blended with the di-
vine or been transformed into it (89)
2. That the human nature in Christ is everywhere present
in the same way as the Deity, as an infinite essence (90)
3. That the human nature in Christ has become equal to
the divine nature (91)
4. That the humanity of Christ is locally extended into ev-
ery place in heaven and earth (92)
5. That the mere human nature of Christ alone suffered
for us and redeemed us (93)
6. That in the preached Word and in the right use of the
holy sacraments Christ is present with us on earth only
according to his deity (94)
7. That the assum ed human nature of Christ does not
share in the divine power, but has only the bare name in
common with it (95)
Since the Holy Scriptures call Christ a mystery over which
all heretics
break their heads, we admonish all Christians not to pry presum
ptuously into
this mystery with their reason, but simply to believe. (96)
IX. CHRIST'S DESCENT INTO HELL
A. We believe that after the burial the entire person, God
and
man, descended into hell, conquered the devil, destroyed
hell's power, and took from the devil all his might. (2)
B. We are not to concern ourselves about how this occurred. (3)
X. THE ECCL ESIA STICA L RITES THAT ARE CALL
ED
ADIAPHORA OR THINGS INDIFFERENT
A. The controversy
1. One party held that even in a period of persecution and
a case of confession, when enemies of the gospel have
not come to an agreement with us in doctrine, one may
still at the enemi es' insistent demand, restore certain
ceremonies that are matters of indifference. (2)
2. The other party contended that under no circumstances
can this be done with a clear conscience in a period of
persecution and a case of confession. (3)
128
'-,---- '
B. The true teaching

1. Ceremonies contrary to God's Word or which give the
impression our religion does not differ greatly from the
papists should be avoided. (5)
2. True adiaphora (things neither commanded nor forbid-
den in God's Word) are in themselves no worship of
God. (8)
3. The community of God in every place and at every
time has the right to change, reduce, or increase cere-
monies, as long as it does so without offense but in an
orderly and appropriate way. (9)
4. At a time of confession, as when enemies of the Word
desire to suppress the pure doctrine, the church is obli-
gated to confess openly by words, deeds, and actions,
the true doctrine. In such a case we should not yield to
the adversaries even in matters of indifference. ( 10)
a. This was the teaching of Paul. (11-13)
b. We are no longer dealing with the external adi-
aphora, but primarily with the chief article of our
Christian faith (Gal 2:5). (14)
5. As soon as human commandments are imposed on the
church as necessary, the door has been opened to idol-
atry, and the commandments of men will be put on a
par with God's commandments and even above them.
(15)
6. In the Smalcald Articles Luther states: "No one should
assume lordship or authority over the church, nor bur-
den the church with traditions." (19-21)
C. We condemn:
1. That the commandments of men are to be considered
worship of God (26)
2. The procedure by which such commandments are im-
posed by force on the church (27)
3. That in a period of persecution we may yield to the en-
emies of the gospel or conform to their practices, since
this imperils the truth (28)
4. We hold it to be sin when in a period of persecution any-
thing is done to please enemies of the gospel in opposi-
tion to the Christian confession, whether in things indif-
ferent, doctrine, or whatever pertains to religion. (29)
5. The procedure by which matters of indifference are
abolished in such a way to give the impression that the
129
church does not have the liberty to use one or more cer-
emonies at any time and place. (31)
XI. ETERNAL FOREKNOWLEDGE AND DIVINE ELECTION
A. There has been no public dissension among the theologians
of the Augsburg Confession concerning the eternal election
of the children of God. ( 1)
1. This article has been the occasion of controversies at
other places and has involved our people. (1)
2. In order to prevent disunity among our posterity in this
article, we have determined to set forth our explanation
of this article. (1)
B. We must note the difference between God's eternal fore-
knowledge and the eternal election of his children to sal-
vation. (4)
1. God's foreknowledge-that God sees and knows ev-
erything before it happens-extends to all creatures,
good and evil. (4)
2. The eternal election of God does not extend over both
the godly and the ungodly, but only over the children of
God, who have been elected to eternal life. (5)
3. God's foreknowledge (praescientia) sees and knows in
advance the evil as well, but not as though it were
God's gracious will that it should happen. (6)
a. Even in wicked acts God's foreknowledge acts in
such a way that God sets a limit and measure for
the evil-how far it is to go, how long it is to en-
dure, and when he will interfere with it and punish
it. The Lord governs everything that it must glorify
him and work for the salvation of his elect. (6)
b. The source of evil is not God's foreknowledge but
rather the will of the devil and of men. (7)
4. We are not to view this eternal election only in the se-
cret counsel of God, as though it comprised no more
than that God has foreseen who and how many are to
be saved, who and how many are to be damned, or that
he merely held a sort of military muster: This one shall
be saved, that one shall be damned. (9)
a. Such a view causes in people's minds either false
security (it will do me no harm to live in sin if I
have been foreknown to salvation) or anxiety and
despair (if I am not foreknown, everything is in
vain, even though I hold to the Word). (10)
130
b. The true understanding or the right use of the

teaching of election will in no way cause or support
either impenitence or despair. (12)
5. Scripture uses this doctrine: (13)
a. to direct us to the Word
b. to admonish us to repent
c. to urge us to godliness
d. to strengthen our faith and to assure us of our sal-
vation
6. We should not speculate concerning the hidden fore-
knowledge of God. (14)
7. We must always take as one unit the entire doctrine of
God's purpose, counsel, will, and ordinance concerning
our redemption, call, justification, and salvation. (14)
a. Through Christ the human race has truly been re-
deemed. (15)
b. These benefits of Christ are to be offered, given,
and distributed to us through his Word and sacra-
ments. (16)
c. He would be effective and active in us by his Holy
Spirit through the Word, converting and enlighten-
ing us. (17)
d. He would justify and accept into the adoption of
children all who in sincere repentance and true
faith accept Christ. (18)
e. He also would sanctify in love all who are thus jus-
tified. (19)
f. He also would protect them in their great weakness
against the devil, the world, and the flesh. (20)
g. He would also strengthen and increase in them the
good work which he has begun, and preserve them
to the end, if they cling to God's Word.
h. He would save and glorify in eternal life those
whom he has elected, called, and justified. (22)
8. In his eternal counsel God has not only prepared salva-
tion in general, but he has also elected to salvation each
and every individual among the elect who are to be
saved through Christ, and also ordained that in the
manner just recounted he wills by his grace to bring
them to salvation. (23)
C. How can one know who the elect are? Who can comfort
themselves with this teaching? (25)
131
I. We should not judge by our reason or some outward

experience or try to explore the secret and hidden abyss
of divine foreknowledge. We must heed the revealed
will of God. (26)
2. God does not call without means but through the
Word. (27)
3. We must cling firmly to the fact that as the proclama-
tion of repentance extends over all men, so also does
the promise of the gospel. (28)
4. We should not regard this call which takes place
through the preaching of the Word as a deception. In
those he calls he will be efficaciously active through
the Word so they may be saved. (29)
5. God does not outwardly call people by the Gospel but
down in his heart intend it only for a few. (34)
6. We retain individual absolution and teach that it is
God's command that we believe this absolution. (38)
7. God has ordained in his counsel that the Holy Spirit
would call, enlighten, and convert the elect through
the Word. He has also ordained that he would harden
and reject all who spurn the Word and persistently re-
sist the Holy Spirit. In this sense many are called but
few are chosen. (41)
8. The reason for such contempt is not God's foreknowl-
edge but man's own perverse will. (41)
D. Election is a comforting doctrine.
1. It substantiates the article that we are saved without our
works by grace for Christ's sake. (43)
2. It refutes all false doctrine about the powers of the nat-
ural will, for God has determined before the world be-
gan that by the power of his Holy Spirit through the
Word he would create in us everything that belongs to
our conversion. ( 44)
3. It affords glorious comfort. God was so deeply con-
cerned about every individual Christian's conversion
that from eternity he ordained according to his purpose
how he would bring me to faith. (46) His eternal pur-
pose cannot fail. ( 47)
4. This doctrine will comfort us in times of trial. Before
the world began God ordained through which specific
cross he would conform each of his elect to the "image
of his Son." (49)
132
5. This doctrine gives a glorious testimony that the

church of God shall remain against all the "gates of
Hades." (50)
6. This article contains mighty admonitions and warn-
ings. (51)
E. We must distinguish between what God has revealed in his
Word and what he has not revealed. (52)
1. We are to adhere exclusively to the revealed Word. We
are not to pry into this mystery. (52)
2. Before the world began, God foresaw and still knows
who of those who are called will believe and who will
not; who of the converted will persevere and who will
not; who after falling away will return and who will be-
come obdurate. (54)
3. God has reserved this mystery to his own wisdom. He
has not commanded us to explore it through our spec-
ulations but has earnestly warned us against it. (55)
4. God also knows and has determined for each person the
time and hour of his call and conversion. Since he has
not revealed this to us, we must obey his command and
operate constantly with the Word, while we leave the
time and hour to God. (56)
5. God gives his Word at one place and not at another; he
removes it from one place but lets it remain at another;
or one becomes hardened while another in equal guilt is
again converted. In the case of one group we are to see
God's judgment. (58)
6. God owes us neither his Word, nor his Spirit. God per-
mits us to behold his judgment over certain lands so we
may learn to recognize and praise God's grace, since
we are in the same condemnation. (61)
7. Paul shows us we cannot and should not try to explain
everything in this article. (64)
F. We should consider God's election in Christ, and not apart
from Christ. (65)
G. No one who wants to be saved should burden himself with
thoughts if he has been elected to eternal life. Listen to
Christ, who testifies to all that God wants all who are bur-
dened with sin to come to him. (70)
H. Believers should exercise themselves in Christian virtues so
that the more they experience the power and might of the
133
Spirit within themselves, the less they will doubt their elec-
tion. (74)
I. Our election to eternal life does not rest on our piety or
virtue but solely on the merit of Christ and the gracious will
of the Father. (75)
J. No one comes to Christ unless the Father draws him. But the
Father will not do this without means, and he has ordained
Word and sacraments as the ordinances and means to ac-
complish this end. It is not the will of the Father or the Son
that anyone should refuse to hear or despise his Word. (76)
K. It is not God's fault that all who hear the Word do not come
to faith. It is man's own fault. (78)
1. Paul distinguishes between the work of God and the
devil. (79)
2. The devil and man himself are the cause of people be-
ing fitted for damnation. (80)
3. God is not the cause of sin, nor is he the cause of the
punishment, the damnation. The only cause of man's
damnation is sin. God does not will the death of a sin-
ner. (81)
4. God has prepared the vessels of mercy for salvation
(Ro 9:23). The vessels of damnation have prepared
themselves for damnation. (82)
L. God punishes sin with sin. God's revealed will tells us:
1. He would receive into grace all who repent and believe
in Christ. (83)
2. He would punish those who deliberately turn away
from the holy commandment. (84) Pharaoh rebelled
against all warnings. (85,86)
M. It is wrong when men teach the cause of our election is not
only God's mercy and Christ, but there is also in us a cause
of God's election (in view of faith). (88)
N. The doctrine of election never occasions either desponden-
cy or riotous life. (89)
1. This doctrine gives sorrowing people the abiding com-
fort of knowing their salvation does not rest in their
own hands but in the gracious election of God. (90)
2. If anyone sets forth this teaching so Christians can find
no comfort in it, or when impenitent sinners are
strengthened in their malice, it is evident this teaching
is not being set forth according to the Word and will of
God but according to reason and the devil. (91,92)
134
XII. OTHER FACTIONS AND SECTS WHICH NEVER AC-

CEPTED THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION
A. Erroneous articles of the Anabaptists
1. That our righteousness before God does not depend
solely on Christ but in renewal and in our own piety.
This piety rests mostly on their own peculiar precepts.
(10)
2. That unbaptized children are not sinners, that they will
be saved without Baptism which they do not need.
They deny original sin. ( 11)
3. That children should not be baptized until they have
reached the age of reason and are able to make their
own confession of faith. (12)
4. That the children of Christians are holy even without
and prior to Baptism. (13)
5. That a congregation is not Christian if sinners are found
in their midst. (14)
6. That one may not hear a sermon in those temples where
the papistic Mass had formerly been read. (15)
7. That no one is to have anything to do with ministers of
the Augsburg Confession. ( 16)
8. That in the New Testament government service is not a
godly estate. (17)
9. That no Christian can hold an office in the govern-
ment. (18)
10. That no Christian can use an office of the government
against wicked persons nor may a subject call upon the
government for help. (19)
11. That a Christian cannot swear an oath before a court.
(20)
12. That the government cannot impose the death penalty.
(21)
13. That no Christian can hold private property, but is
obliged to give his property to the community. (22)
14. That no Christian can be an innkeeper, merchant, or
cutler. (23)
15. That difference in faith is grounds for divorce. (24)
16. That Christ did not assume his flesh and blood from
Mary but brought it along from heaven. (25)
17. That Christ is not God but only possesses more gifts
and glory than other people. (26)
135
B. Erroneous articles of the Schwenkfelders

I. That no one has a true knowledge of Christ who be-
lieves that according to his human nature Christ is a
creature ... that the two natures of Christ have but one
kind of essence. (29)
2. That the ministry of the church, the Word proclaimed
and heard, is not a means by which God teaches men
the saving knowledge of Christ, etc. (30)
3. That the water of Baptism is not a means by which the
Lord works regeneration. (31)
4. That the bread and wine in the Holy Supper are not
means through which Christ distributes his body and
blood. (32)
5. That a Christian is able to keep the law of God perfect-
ly in this life. (33)
6. That a congregation in which orderly process of ex-
communication does not take place is not a true Chris-
tian congregation. (34)
7. That a minister of the church who is not truly renewed
cannot teach profitably nor administer the genuine and
true sacraments. (35)
C. Erroneous articles of the New Arians
I. That Christ is not true God, but is inferior to the Father.
(36)
D. Erroneous articles of the New Anti-Trinitarians
I. That there is not one eternal essence of the Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit, but that each person has a distinct
essence separate from the other two. (37)
2. That the three persons in the Trinity are unequal in their
essence and properties. (37)
3. That only the Father is truly God. (38)
136

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OUTLINE

NORTHWESTERN PUBLISH ING HOUSE

Library of Congress Card 94-67906

"Therefore, I once again implore all Christians, especially pastors anct

ARTICLES OF FAITH AND DOCTRINE

B. It is a means of grace. (1)

xv. CHURCH USAGES

1. The Anabaptists (Hans Denck, Melchior Rinck) who

J. We do not forbid good works but teach that good works

ARTICLES ABOUT MATTERS IN DISPUTE,

XXII. BOTH KINDS IN THE SACRAMENT

H. Pope Pius II (1458-1464) said that whereas there may have

D. Boys and girls were thrust into monasteries to provide for

1. Introduced new forms of worship

t >>>>>>>> • <<<<<<<<>>>>>>>> • <<<<<<<<

II. ORIGINAL SIN

2. Original sin: both a Jack ot ability to trust God, and

5. This is how God wants to be known and worshiped,

3. Rome supposes Christ is the Mediator because he mer-

K. Love and the Keeping of the Law

15. Works can never pacify the conscience; only the

9. We cannot pit our works against the wrath and judg-

M. Christ frequently connects the promise of forgiveness with

tions of glory in the saints. (355) Although keeping the

2. Some churches have excommumcatect omers oecau~t:

2. We do not prescribe a set time because not everyone is

4. They imagine that eternal punishments are changed

H. Amid these terrors the gospel of Christ ought to be set forth

3. If forgiveness is the "terminus ad quern" of penitence,

4. The word "satisfaction" is a relic from the rite of public

2. God is punishing when amid the terrors of contrition he

through the Word but because of their own preparations.

Christ's sake, it is an ungodly error to maintain that we

B. Lawful civil ordinances are God's good creatures and divine

XVIII. FREE WILL

E. Therefore we may profitably distinguish between civil righ-

C. We grant that the angels pray for us (Zee 1: 12). (8)

was manipulated like a puppet so that it seemed to nod

XXIII. THE MARRIAGE OF PRIESTS

nature does not change, there must remain that ordi-

a. A sacrament is a ceremony or act in which God of-

2. They do not teach that the Mass merits forgiveness.

3. The bitterest sorrow must seize all the faithful if they

3. They insult Christ when they say that by a monastic life

C. Nothing in this article can be given up or compromised. (5)

b. St. Augustine does not write that there is a purgato-

E. In short, we cannot allow but must condemn the Mass, its

G. The church cannot be better governed and maintained than

F. If such teachings were true, Christ would have died in vain,

5. In confession, everybody had to give account of all his

1. Thomas and the Dominicans, who forget the Word and

B. The lesser excommunication (that is, the truly Christian)

XIV. MONASTIC VOWS

tian and proposes by means of his work to help not only

These three articles we hold to be false.

I. TESTIMONY OF THE SCRIPTURES

greater part of the world, it is quite apparent that the

2. The doctrine of the pope conflicts in many ways with

1. This power belongs by divine right to all who preside