[1880-3], [W1859-11], [Essays1-31] [Part 2]
[Full version first published in this BackToLuther blog post]
The Lutheran Doctrine of Justification,
[by C.F.W. Walther]
a presentation over the following points:
1. That the pure doctrine of justification was entrusted alone to the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
[ § 1.: That the doctrine of the justification is the most important doctrine of the whole divine revelation, this is the common confession of our church in its symbols as well as in the private writings of its pure faithful teachers.]
[ § 2.: Those are gravely mistaken who think that understanding and teaching the doctrine of justification is a light matter, or even well suppose that they have long since learned this doctrine.]
[ § 3.: Because by God’s grace Luther came to a pure and clear understanding of the article of justification, he was born from above, anointed, and equipped to become the Reformer.]
[ § 4.: Luther already complained that in his day only a few thoroughly understood and taught the pure doctrine of justification, that many had become weary of it, and that therefore this doctrine would be obscured and lost after his death.]
[ § 5.: The papal church not only falsifies the article of justification, but also condemns and curses the same.]
[ § 6.: ... most so-called Protestant churches ... through their doctrine of the means ... overturn this doctrine again.]
2. How did it come about that this consciousness to a great extent has faded even within the Evangelical Lutheran Church?
3. What are the measures to be taken to bring back this diminished consciousness?
[ Endnotes]
That the pure doctrine of justification was entrusted alone to the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Motto: Jer. 9:24
That the doctrine of the justification is the most important doctrine of the whole divine revelation, this is the common confession of our church in its symbols as well as in the private writings of its pure faithful teachers.
So it is called among other things in Article IV of the Apology of the Augsburg Confession – Of Justification: “But since in this controversy the chief topic of Christian doctrine is treated, which, understood aright, illumines and amplifies the honor of Christ [which is of especial service for the clear, correct understanding of the entire Holy [1880-4] Scriptures, and alone shows the way to the unspeakable treasure and right knowledge of Christ, and alone opens the door to the entire Bible], and brings necessary and most abundant consolation to devout consciences, we ask His Imperial Majesty to hear us with forbearance in regard to matters of such importance..” [Article VI, 2 - from the German text - Triglotta, p. 120-121; Tappert, p. 107]
So it is also said in the Smalcald Articles of the doctrine of the justification: “Of this article nothing can be yielded or surrendered [nor can anything be granted or permitted contrary to the same], even though heaven and earth, and whatever will not abide, should sink to ruin. For there is none other name under heaven, given among men whereby we must be saved, says Peter, Acts 4:12. And [W1859-12] with His stripes we are healed, Is. 53:5. And upon this article all things depend which we teach and practice in opposition to the Pope, the devil, and the [whole] world. Therefore, we must be sure concerning this doctrine, and not doubt; for otherwise all is lost, and the Pope and devil and all things gain the victory and suit over us.” (Part II, Art. I, paragr. 5, Triglotta pgs 460-463; Tappert, p. 292; Walther’s emphasis)
So Luther further writes initially in his private writings, namely in a letter to Johannes Brenz: “Such a gift of God, so special in you before others, is particularly dear to me and I honor you that you emphasize the doctrine of the righteousness of faith so faithfully and uprightly in all your books. Because this point is the centerpiece and cornerstone, through which alone God bears the Church, strengthens, builds, maintains and protects it and without which the church of God could not exist one hour; you yourself well know, dear Brenz, that you are one with me and for this cause such an article so powerfully advances. Because no one can uprightly teach something in the church or properly resist a foe, that this article or (as St. Paul [1880-5] calls in 2 Tim. 4: 3) the sound pure doctrine has not rightly grasped or, as Paul says, doesn't hold fast on this doctrine." (“Over Johannes Brenz Exposition of the Prophet Amos”, Walch W1 XIV 191-192., StL Ed. 14, col.168, not in Am. Ed.)
Furthermore Luther writes hereof on Genesis 21:17: “This is the chief article of our faith; and if you either do away with it, as the Jews do, or corrupt it, as the papists do, the church cannot exist. Nor can God keep His glory, which consists in this, that He is [gracious and] compassionate and wants to forgive sins and to save for the sake of His Son.” (Walch W1 I, 2163, paragr. 212; StL Ed. 1, col. 1441, # 212 ; Am. Ed. 4, 60])
Luther writes again on Isa. 53:4 [11]: “As long as the Church confessed this article, it remained in the faith; and the faith has at times been bright, at other times dimmer. He says himself in Matt. 28:20: ‘I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world’; without this article the church does not stand. Indeeed, Mohammed has devastated the church, and the pope has obscured the doctrine of faith, but where this article has remained, there God has preserved His church.” (Walch W1 VI, col. 1156, paragr. 200; StL Ed. 6, col. 721, paragr. 200; Am. Ed. vols. 16-17 are not the same but followed a later/earlier(?) Weimar Edition version)
Furthermore, in his “Warning to His Dear German People” Luther says: “This doctrine, I say, they [the papists] will not tolerate under any circumstances. We are able to forego it just as little; for if this doctrine [Essays1-32] vanishes, the church vanishes. Then no error can any longer be resisted, because the Holy Spirit will not and cannot dwell with us apart from this doctrine. For he is to glorify Christ to us [John 16:14]. The world has often gone to wrack and ruin over this doctrine by deluge, tempest, flood, war, and other plagues. On account of this doctrine Abel and all the saints were slain; on account of this, too, all Christians must die. Yet it has remained, and it must remain, and the world must continue to perish on account of it. Thus the world must also submit to it now and be overthrown on account of it. No matter how the world rages and rants, it must let this [1880-6, Part 3] doctrine stand, and it must fall into the depths of hell on account of it! Amen.” (Walch W1 XVI, col. 2015, paragr. 94 ; StL Ed. 16, col. 1664, paragr. 94; Am. Ed. 47, 54) [W1859-13]
Again, on Is. 42:22: “Therefore one should diligently study the article of justification, which we alone teach nowadays, and hold fast to it. Because if we have lost this, we would no heresy, no false doctrine, though they were ever so ridiculous and trifling, be able to withstand, as it has gone under the Pope, as we have believed such things, which we are now ashamed, and we repent. Again, if we stay in this article, so we are safe from heresy, and retain the forgiveness of sins that holds benefit for our weakness in conversion and faith.” (Walch W1, VI, 827, paragr. 44; StL Ed. 6, 521, pargr. 44; not in Am. Ed.)
Further, in his Table Talk: “This is the chief article of the whole Christian doctrine , namely, how we are to be saved. On this should all theological disputations look to and be judged; on this the prophets have all been driven by the most until they were blue. Because when this article regarding our soul’s salvation will be taken and kept with certainty and firmness of faith, so other articles come and follow naturally afterwards, as of the Trinity. Also has our God no article so publicly and clearly explained than this, namely that we are saved by Christ alone. Although he has also said much of the Trinity, yet he has always on this article, on the souls’ salvation, deigned. It probably is also that on others are many related, but on this is most of all related; for on that account are all the works of the papists instituted and conducted that they might thereby obtain eternal salvation. But they are deceived because without Christ there is no salvation, which one can apprehend and grasp alone through faith in the Word. Where this article remains pure, so the church keeps pure, but where it is distorted, or falls, [1880-7] so the church has been a whore, as we have seen and experienced in the Papacy. (Walch W1 XXII, 751-752; StL Ed. 22, 475-476, section 52; not in Am. Ed.)
In the introduction to his Exposition on the Letter to the Galatians [1535] Luther writes: “If the article which teaches how one becomes sinless and righteous before God is lost, so goes there all of Christian doctrine with it, and all mankind, the people on earth not having this doctrine, must be either Jews or Turks, papists or schismatics (Rotten) or heretics.... Through this doctrine alone is sacred Christendom both planted, and built and preserved.” (Walch W1 VIII, 1552—53, paragrs 19 & 22; cf. StL Ed. 9, cols. 24-25, paragrphs 19 & 22; [cf. Am. Ed. 26, 9 f.])
On Gal. 2:16: “As soon as we lose this sun, we shall surely turn back into darkness where we had been before.” (Walch W1 VIII, 1832, paragr. 209; StL Ed. 9, col. 186, paragr. 209; [cf. Am. Ed. 26, 136])
On Gal. 2:11: “St. Paul is not concerned here with a very insignificant thing, nor how one should earn his bread, but of the chief article of Christian doctrine, so central that if it is correctly understood and viewed, one would gladly forget and sacrifice everything else. For what is Peter? What is Paul? What is an angel from heaven? What are all creatures compared to this article which teaches whereby and how one can become free from sin, and righteous and blessed before God? Should we understand this doctrine in its truth and purity, so have we the true celestial Sun; but if we lose it, then we have nothing [W1859-14] other than utter hellish darkness. Therefore, if you note that someone is diluting and putting down this doctrine, do not hesitate to resist such a person, even though it be Peter or Paul or even an angel from heaven; because one can never sufficiently lift up and defend this doctrine.” (Walch W1 VIII, 1769, paragr. 102; StL Ed. 9, 147-148, paragr. 102; [cf. Am. Ed. 26, 106])
On Gal. 4:29: “Therefore should one before all things teach this article, how one must through faith in Christ become righteous before God; it [1880-8] alone can support and preserve us against all scandals, thereto comforting us in all kinds of trials and persecution.” (Walch W1 VIII, col. 2562-2563, paragr. 333; StL Ed. 9, cols. 590-591, paragr. 333; [cf. Am. Ed. 26, 453])
On Gal. 3:13: “Therefore should one, as I often admonish, with all diligence master the article that Christ, God’s Son, became man, so that for our sake He suffered, was crucified, died, etc. Since in this one article all other doctrines of our faith are contained; if this doctrine is pure and firm, then all the others will likewise be sound. Therefore, when we teach that people become just through Christ, that Christ has overcome sin, death, and the everlasting curse, we also then are teaching that He is by nature right and true God.” (Walch W1 VIII, col. 2180, paragr. 347; cf. StL Ed. 9, col. 376, paragr. 347; [cf. Am. Ed. 26, 283])
On John 6:53: “Remember during your entire life that all depends on this doctrine. I repeat this so often, and it cannot be overdone, so that this doctrine may be preserved and that we may faithfully retain this faith in the forgiveness of sin and in redemption from death and devil through Christ’s flesh. Wherever this doctrine remains in the pulpit, there is no danger from any heretics or errors. This doctrine does not tolerate any error near it. There the Holy Spirit is also present, and those who believe this will tolerate no error. But if people are misled, it is a certain indication that they [Essays1-33] have misunderstood this doctrine. If they had comprehended it correctly, they would not have been duped.” (Walch W1 VII, col. 2107, paragr. 347 ; StL Ed. 7, col. 2346-7, paragr. 347; Am. Ed. 23, 137])
After Luther had shown that Psalm 117 deals with justification alone by faith, although many might not see it that way, he thus continues: “My main reason for doing this is to move and instruct all who need it, [1880-9, Part 4] to search out and deal with the core of our Christian doctrine, wherever it may be found throughout the Bible, and the core is this: that without any merit, as a gift of God’s pure grace in Christ, we attain righteousness, life, and salvation, and that there is no other way or path, no other means or effort, that can help us to attain it. Every day I experience only too well how insistently the devil assails this core in an effort to wipe it out. And although tired “saints” consider it unnecessary to keep at this matter—they imagine that they know it inside out and have learned all there is to know— still I know how wrong they are, and that they know absolutely nothing about the importance of this point. If this one teaching stands in its purity, [W1859-15] then Christendom will also remain pure and good, undivided and unseparated; for this alone, and nothing else, makes and maintains Christendom. Everything else may be brilliantly counterfeited by false Christians and hypocrites; but where this falls, it is impossible to ward off any error or sectarian spirit. This I know indeed, and I have experienced it so often that without this teaching I could never refute what either the Turks or the Jews believe. And wherever sects arise, you may be sure that they have certainly fallen away from this principal teaching, regardless of the fact that they do a great deal of mouthing about Christ and put on much polish and finery. This doctrine permits no sects to arise, because without fail the Holy Spirit is there; He lets no sectarianism take root, but gives and maintains harmony.” (Walch W1 V, 1697-98, paragr. 94; StL Ed. col. 1170, paragr. 94.; Am. Ed. 14, 36-37; see also Der Lutheraner, Vol. 3, pgs 50-51, Baseley translation here; also see Der Lutheraner, Vol. 6-March 1950, pg 116, col. 2, Walther’s article on Absolution using this writing of Luther)
Finally Luther writes on John 16:3: “Therefore all depends on this article about Christ, and he who has this article has everything. In order to be able to abide by it, the Christians must be engaged in [1880-10] the most strenuous warfare and must fight constantly. That is also why Christ and the apostles also keep insisting on it everywhere. Although the other doctrines are also based on Scripture—for example, Christ’s birth from a pure virgin—it does not stress them as much as it does this one. When St. Paul champions this doctrine of Christ’s birth, he does not even call the mother by name; nor does he mention the honor of the virgin; he states simply (Gal. 4:4) ‘Natum ex muliere,’ i.e., ‘born of woman.’ But he is absolutely insistent on the point that it is not by work and Law but solely through this Mediator, Christ, that we receive grace and salvation from God. This is also the only doctrine that is constantly subjected to persecution by the devil and the world, as was announced about it at the very beginning in the first sermon God delivered to man after the Fall (Gen. 3:15): “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” That is the very same enmity of which Christ here asserts that His Christians, because of their confession and preaching of Him, will be both banned and killed. Other doctrines have also been attacked, but not one has caused so much bloodshed and produced so many martyrs as this one. For it started with the two brothers, Cain and Abel, one dying at the hand of the other, and will not end as long as the world remains. And it will continue as long as the world exists. Where this doctrine is proclaimed, there the devil is mad and insane, and the world is aflame with anger and raging. Throughout history we find that all heresy and error has arisen where this doctrine has disappeared, where people became smug, as though they knew it very well, and thus turned from it to something else [1880-11] and began to dispute about the Person of Christ, whether He was true God or just a human being, and with such speculations and questions they were [W1859-16] plunged into every kind of trouble. The one denied the divinity of Christ; the other, His humanity. Some denied the Person of the Holy Spirit; others, the virginity of Mary. But all of them, regardless of their number, had erred first of all in this primary doctrine. For all other doctrines stand and fall with this one; it includes all the others; it is all-important. He who errs in the others certainly errs in this one too. Even if he holds to the others, still all is in vain if he does not have this one. On the other hand, this article has the grace, if one diligently and earnestly clings to it, that it will keep [person] from falling into heresy; it will not allow [you] to oppose Christ and His Christendom. For the Holy Spirit is surely inherent in it, and through it illumines the heart and keeps it in the right and certain understanding, with the result that it can differentiate and judge all other doctrines clearly and definitely, and can resolutely preserve and defend them. We see this also in the ancient fathers. When they retained this article of faith and based their doctrines on it, or derived them from it, they preserved purity of doctrine in every detail. But when they veered from it and disputed without its guiding light, then they fell into error and strayed far afield, as happened at times to the oldest, to Tertullian and Cyprian. And this is also basically the failing not only of the papists but of our schismatic spirits, who rant against Baptism and other doctrines. They have already surrendered this article of faith and have paid no attention to it. Instead, they have put forth other matters. In this way they have lost a proper comprehension of all doctrines, with the result that they cannot teach anything about them that is right and can no longer preserve any doctrine with certainty. [1880-12, Part 5] One can easily see this in their books. And now they lapse from one error into another, until they finally lead themselves and others into perdition. For where this knowledge of Christ has vanished, [Essays1-34] the sun has lost its brilliance, and there is only darkness. Then one no longer understands anything aright and cannot ward off any error or false doctrine of the devil. And even if the Word concerning faith and Christ is retained—as it has remained in the papacy—the heart has no foundation for a single doctrine. Whatever remains there is merely froth, flimsy opinions or illusions, and a painted, tinted faith. They themselves call their faith fides acquisita et informis, that is, a general, lazy, empty thought that does nothing and is worth nothing, unable to resist or to fight when the battle begins and it has to maintain and prove itself. Indeed, by their refusal to tolerate this article concerning the knowledge of Christ and the true faith but by raging against it with excommunication and murder, they actually prove that their boasting of faith and of Christ is altogether false and contrary to the truth. On the other hand, wherever this Sun shines and illumines the heart, there you will find a sure understanding of all matters. Then one can take and maintain a firm position on [W1859-17] all articles, as, for example, on the fact that Christ is true man, born of the Virgin Mary, and also true and omnipotent God, born of the Father from eternity, Lord over all angels and creatures. Then one also believes and teaches correctly regarding the Holy Spirit, Baptism, the Sacrament, good works, and the resurrection from the dead. In other words, one proceeds in simple faith, does not split hairs or quibble with God’s Word, does not create arguments or doubts. And if someone assails one doctrine or another, a Christian is able to defend himself [1880-13] against these and to repel the attacks; for he has on his side the true Teacher, the Holy Spirit, who alone reveals this doctrine from heaven and who is given to all those who hear and accept this Word of Christ. Therefore such a person will not let himself be seduced into heresy and error. Even though he strays and stumbles in some place or other, he soon returns to the proper course, provided that he does not fall away from this doctrine. For this light disperses clouds and darkness and will soon direct him properly and restore him. But if he loses this light, he is beyond help. Where this knowledge is gone, it has taken everything with it. Then you might then keep and confess all [the other] articles, as the papists do, there will still be no conviction or true understanding. It is like groping in the dark or like hearing a blind man speak about color, which he has never seen. This is true of the best and the most pious among them. The others, the great majority, must fulfill the words spoken here by Christ. They oppose this doctrine headlong, blaspheme and persecute, excommunicate and murder the true Christians for no other reason than this knowledge. Those who do not have a knowledge of this doctrine, even though they strive earnestly for holiness and piety, become obsessed, blinded, and hardened; yes, they become veritable devils, just as those who do know and believe it become pure children of God.” (Walch W1 VIII, col. 502-506, paragrs. 44-49; StL Ed. 8, cols. 627-630 , paragrs 44-49; [cf. Am. Ed. 24, 319—22])
Although the more recent teachers of our church did not witness to the importance of the article on justification as intensely [as did Luther], nevertheless the sense of their witness is the same.
For example, Chemnitz, chief author of the Formula of Concord, writes thus: “This article is the pinnacle and chief bulwark of all teaching and of the Christian religion itself; if this is obscured, adulterated, or subverted, it is impossible to retain purity of doctrine in [1880-14] the other articles. On the other hand, if this article is securely retained, all idolatrous ravings, superstitions, and other corruption are thereby destroyed under almost every locus, as the parallel example in 1 Sam. 5:1-4 shows. When the ark of the Lord was set up in the temple of the Philistines beside the idol Dagon, immediately the idol was moved from its position and fell down, and although it was replaced several times, as long as the ark of the Lord stood there, the idol could not stand and was finally completely broken apart.” (Loc. theol., II, 200; 1615 edition, pg 216- page 216 w/ highlighted section here; Loci Theologici, 1989 edition, J.A.O. Preus translation - Locus [XIII] Justification, A. Introductory Remarks, page 443 w/ highlighted section)
Similarly Johann Gerhard also writes: “The highest dignity of this article is intimately linked with its equally great benefit and equally great necessity, because the godly and unfalsified treatment of it 1. accords to Christ His due honor, 2. provides stricken consciences with solid consolation, 3. impregnably fortifies the distinction between [W1859-18] Law and Gospel, 4. awakens the requisite certainty of faith in God-pleasing prayer, 5. inflames the hearts of the saints to earnest zeal for good works.” (Loc. theol., De justificatione, 2)
Balth. Meisner similarly writes: “This article is, as it were, the centrum (center point) of divine theology, toward which everything gravitates, the holy ocean into which everything flows, the ark of faith which preserves everything safe and intact.” (Anthropol., D. 3, disp. 24, p. 139) [Endnote A]
Those are gravely mistaken who think that understanding and teaching the doctrine of justification is a light matter, or even well suppose that they have long since learned this doctrine.
So Luther wrote in 1530 in his interpretation of Psalm 117: “Where you hear an unseasoned and immature [1880-15, Part 6] saint boasting that he knows very well that we must be saved without our works by God’s grace, and then pretend that this is a simple skill, well, then have no doubt that he has no idea of what he is talking about and probably will never find out. For this is not an art that can be completely learned or of which anyone could boast that he is a master. It is an art that will always have us as pupils while it remains the master. And all those who do understand and practice it do not boast that they can do everything. On the contrary, they sense it like a wonderful taste or odor that they [Essays1-35] greatly desire and pursue; and they are amazed that they cannot grasp it or comprehend it as they would like. They hunger, thirst, and yearn for it more and more; and they never tire of hearing about it or dealing with it, just as St. Paul himself confesses that he has not yet obtained it (Phil. 3:12). And in Matt. 5:6 Christ calls those blessed who hunger and thirst after righteousness. Whoever is interested may learn a lesson from my example, which I shall now confess. A few times—when I did not bear this principal teaching in mind—the devil caught up with me and plagued me with Scripture passages until heaven and earth became too small for me. Then all the works and laws of man were right, and not an error was to be found in the whole papacy. In short, the only one who had ever erred was Luther. All my best works, teaching, sermons, and books had to be condemned. The abominable Mohammed almost became my prophet, and both Turks and Jews were on the way to pure sainthood. Therefore, dear brother, be not proud or smug, and certain that you know Christ well. You hear what I confess to you, admitting what the devil was able to do against Luther, who is supposed to be a doctor in [1880-16] this art, who has preached, composed, written, said, sung, and read so much in these matters but must still remain a student and sometimes may not be either master or student. So take my advice, and do not celebrate too soon. Are you still standing? Then see that you do not fall (1 Cor. 10:12)! You can do anything? Watch out that your skill does not desert you! Be concerned, [W1859-19] be humble, and pray that you may grow in this art and be protected against the crafty devil, who is called “Smart Aleck” and “Quick Fist,” who can do anything and learn anything very quickly.” (Walch W1 V, 1698-1700, col. 97-100 ; StL Ed. 5, col. 1171-1172, paragr. 97-100. [taken largely from. Am. Ed. 14, 37-38])
Furthermore, Luther writes on Ps. 51:9 [11] as follows: “Throughout our life we need this petition so that from day to day this knowledge and this trust in mercy might grow, as Paul (Col. 1:10) and Peter (1 Peter 2:2) urge this growth of faith. You see the great danger that after we have read through one or another book, we persuade ourselves that we are doctors of theology. The examples of the sects are before our eyes. Though they have drawn hardly one drop of sound doctrine, still as the teachers of the world they have filled everything with false ideas of Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, obedience to the Law of God, obedience to magistrates, and the like. Because they have never gone through these struggles of spirit nor grasped this teaching about trust in the mercy of God, it was easy for Satan to subvert them with false ideas. Therefore let us be warned by these horrible examples, pray with David for the growth of this faith, and say, “Lord, turn away Thy face from our sins, and blot out all our iniquities so that our peace and our joy may be full. This same petition [1880-17] proves that the doctrine of justification is the kind of thing that can never be learned completely. [Yes, may all of us remain lifelong students of this doctrine.] Therefore it is true that those who have persuaded themselves that they know it fully have not even begun to learn it.” (Walch W1 V, cols. 841-842, paragrs 264-266; StL Ed. 5, col. 571; [taken from Am. Ed. 12, 375])
Further writes Luther on Isaiah 53:7[4]: “So true it is that he has suffered for us, so must we all our righteousness, good works and merit, wherein we put our trust, regard as nothing (yes, as St. Paul says in Phil. 3:8, for dung) and so we must step outside of ourselves, give way, and with all our hearts trust and rely on a foreign righteousness and boldly that we same as between heaven and earth suspended with firm faith and cleave to the righteousness, that one neither can see nor feel, which are alone by the Word offered to and bestowed on us. And this is the reason that no one can comprehend or understand this doctrine of Christian justification without the right master and teacher, the Holy Spirit. (Walch W1 VI, col. 996, paragrs. 20-21; ref. StL Ed. 6, col. 621; not in Am. Ed.)
Further, Luther writes on Gal. 2:17 [1535]: “From this one sees clearly that all those who do not properly understand the article of justification can do no other than to confuse Law and Gospel.” (Walch W1 VIII, col. 1855, paragr. 238; StL Ed 8, col. 197 , paragr. 238; [cf. Am. Ed. 26, 144]) But in another place he testifies at the same time: “Therefore he who has the skill to distinguish Law from Gospel, put him at the top and call him a doctor of Holy Scriptures. Because without the Holy Spirit [W1859-20] it is impossible to make this distinction. I experience it in myself, and see it daily in others, how hard it is to properly distinguish between Law and Gospel. The Holy Spirit must here [1880-18, Part 7] be our master and teacher or no man on earth can be able to understand it still teach it. This is why no pope, no false Christian, no enthusiast is able to separate these two [teachings].” (“Sermon on Gal. 3:23-24,” 1538; Walch W1 IX, 415. 416., paragr. 8; StL Ed. 9, col. 802, paragr. 8)
Finally, Luther writes on Gal. 4:15-16: “It is very heavy and precarious to teach that without works through faith alone we become righteous, and nevertheless at the same time teach that we should do good works. If you don’t have faithful and wise servants of Christ, stewards of the mysteries of God, who know how to dispense the Word of truth correctly, then will soon be faith and works mixed with each other. Both doctrines, faith and works, should and must be diligently and faithfully taught and compelled in Christendom, but then that you do not go too far with either one. Otherwise if you teach works alone, as happened in the papal system, so one loses faith; but if one teaches only [Essays1-36] about faith, the course, carnal people will straightway dream that works are not necessary.” (Walch W1 VIII, 2705-2706, paragr. 191; StL Ed. 9, col 675, paragr. 191) [Endnote B]
Because by God’s grace Luther came to a pure and clear understanding of the article of justification, he was born from above, anointed, and equipped to become the Reformer.
So Luther writes himself about this in the year 1545 in the foreword to the first part of his Latin: “I truly had a hearty desire and yearning for understanding St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, and so far nothing else prevented such an understanding except these single little words: Justitia Dei (the righteousness of God) in Romans 1:17, as Paul says: ‘The righteousness of God is [1880-19] revealed in the Gospel.’ To these words ‘God’s righteousness’ I was very hostile! And as was the use and custom of all teachers, I had been taught nothing else than that I had to understand this in a philosophical way, that it was the righteousness in which God for Himself is righteous, does and works what is right, and punishes all sinners and unrighteous people. This righteousness is called the essential (formalem) or actual (activam) righteousness. So now it stood this way for me: Although I was living as a holy monk without reproach, I still found that I was a great sinner before God, and thereto a fearful and restless conscience. I also knew that all my satisfaction and merits would never reconcile me with God. Therefore I did not at all love this righteous and angry God who punishes sinners. Instead, I hated Him and (so this was not blasphemy or paid attention to) secretly angry and with genuine earnestness against God. Frequently I said, ‘Isn’t it enough for God that He has burdened us poor, miserable sinners, already condemned by original sin to eternal death, with every kind of grief and sorrow in this life, in addition to the terrors and threats of the Law—that He now comes along with the Gospel and multiplies these sorrows and heartaches even more [W1859-21] through its preaching and voice, threatening us even more with His righteousness and earnest wrath? Here my troubled conscience often made me furious; nevertheless, after sober reflection, I clung to dear Paul, wondering what he meant with that reference, and I had a deep thirst and desire to understand [that passage]. I spent days and nights with such thoughts until, by God’s grace, I noticed how the words hung on each other, namely in this way: the righteousness of God is revealed in the Gospel, as it is written: ‘The just lives by his faith.’ Hereafter I learned to understand this righteousness of God in which the just person, by God’s grace and gift, lives alone through faith. [1880-20] And I noticed that the apostle’s meaning was this: it would be revealed through the gospel the righteousness which avails before God, in which God, by grace and pure mercy, justifies through faith. “In Latin this is called justitiam passivam, as it is written: ‘The just shall live by his faith.’ Now I felt for once that I had been completely and newly born and had found a wide-open door leading into Paradise itself. And now the dear holy Scripture looked quite different to me than before. I soon ran through the whole Bible, as much as I could remember of it, and gathered together according to this rule all its interpretations also of other terms, such as: God's work, that means what God Himself works in us; God's power, with which He makes us strong and powerful; God's wisdom, with which He makes us wise; likewise the others: God's strength, God's salvation, God's glory, and the like. Now, just as I had before earnestly hated this little word, "God's righteousness," so now I began, on the contrary, to esteem the same highly, as my very dearest and most comforting word, and that place in St. Paul was for me the very gate of Paradise” (Walch W1 XIV, col. 460-462, paragrs. 31-36; StL. Ed. 9, cols 446-XXX; [cf. Am. Ed. 34, 336-337])
Luther makes the same witness on Genesis 27:38 as he writes: “When we were monks, we accomplished nothing with our self-inflicted tortures, for we did not want to recognize our sinful and godless nature; indeed, we knew nothing about original sin and did not understand that unbelief is sin. Yes (which is even more) we went so far as to believe and teach that one must be uncertain about God’s grace and mercy. Therefore the more I tried and desired to come to Christ, the farther He withdrew from me. After confession and when I had held Mass, I could be never satisfied in my heart, because the conscience can find no true, [1880-21, Part 8] certain consolation in works. “I worked hard and fearfully to understand how I should understand Paul’s statement in Rom. 1:17, as he says: ‘The righteousness of God is revealed in the Gospel.’ There for a long time I sought and knocked at [see Matt. 7:7] that statement, trying to comprehend it, for the phrase ‘the righteousness of God’ was a stumbling block to me. It was usually interpreted in this way: The righteousness of God is a virtue whereby He is holy in Himself and condemns sinners. Also all the doctors of theology had explained this passage in such a way, excepting Augustine, that they said: ‘The righteousness of God is the wrath of God.’ But so often as I read the passage, [W1859-22] I always wished that God had never revealed the Gospel. After all, who could love a God who is angry, judges, and condemns? Until finally, by illumination of the Holy Spirit, I considered more carefully the passage of the prophet Habakkuk 2:4: ‘The just shall live by his faith.’ From this I extracted and concluded that life must come from faith, and thus pulled the abstractum into the concretum (as one calls in the schools), that is, I related the word ‘righteousness’ to the word ‘just’, namely that man would be justified before God through faith, etc. There for me opened all of Holy Scriptures and also heaven itself.” (Walch W1 II, 467-469. paragrs. XXX-183; StL Ed. 2, cols 320-321, paragrs 181-183; [cf. Am. Ed. 5, 157-158])
From that time forward Luther underwent a major [Essays1-37] change that he also describes thus in the introduction to his commentary on Galatians: “In my heart reigns alone and shall also prevail this article, namely faith in my dear Lord Christ, who is the only beginning, middle, and end of all the spiritual and godly thoughts I may have day and night.” (VIII, 1524)
When, therefore, after presentation of the Augsburg Confession in 1530, and the Evangelical Lutherans were [1880-22] menaced by an imperial Recess, Luther wrote a so-called Comment on the Supposed Imperial Edict, wherein he, among other things, makes the following confession: “Because I see that the devil must always blaspheme this chief article through his swinish teachers, and cannot rest or cease, therefore I, Dr. Martin Luther, unworthy evangelist of our Lord Jesus Christ, declare that this article: that faith alone, without all works, makes just before God — should let stand and remain the Roman emperor, the Turkish emperor, the emperor of the Tartars, the Persian emperor, the pope, all cardinals, bishops, priests, monks, nuns, kings, princes, lords, all the world, including all the devils; and shall the fires of hell descend on their heads and they shall have no thanks for it. That is my, Dr. Luther’s, inspiration from the Holy Spirit and [is] the true, holy Gospel. There stands the article which the children pray: ‘I believe in Jesus Christ, crucified, died,’ etc. It is indeed that no one died for our sins except Jesus Christ, God’s Son. once again I say, only Jesus, God’s Son, has redeemed us from sin; that is most certainly true and is the whole of Scripture; and should all devils and the whole world were to tear themselves to pieces and explode, it still remains true. But if it is He alone who takes away sin, so we certainly cannot be the ones doing it by our works. Thus it is impossible that I could cling to this one and only Savior from sin or come to Him except through faith and it remains that with works He is and remains beyond grasp. Since faith alone, before any works follow it, can lay hold of such a Redeemer, so must it be true that it is only faith, before and without any works, that is capable of laying hold of such redemption, which can be nothing else but become just/righteous. For being redeemed from sin, or having sin forgiven, can be nothing else than being or becoming just [or righteous], etc. But after such faith or reception of salvation from sin, and forgiveness or righteousness, thereupon will follow good works as the fruits of such faith. That is our doctrine [1880-23] and also [W1859-23] is what teaches the Holy Spirit and all of holy Christendom, thereby we remain in God’s name. Amen!” (Walch W1 XVI, cols. 2046-2048, paragr. 47-48; StL Ed. , col. 1688-1689, paragr. 47-48; [cf. Am. Ed. 34, 91]) [Endnote C]
Luther already complained that in his day only a few thoroughly understood and taught the pure doctrine of justification, that many had become weary of it, and that therefore this doctrine would be obscured and lost after his death.
So he wrote in the year 1525 in a sermon on St. John’s day: “We who cleave to Christ, who have based our confidence on this Rock alone, know that the Word is not to be considered unimportant nor to be discarded; as we, alas! however see how even now there are so few who cling to and remain with the pure Word. How many there are who want to write books, under which barely three or four maintain God’s Word in its purity! *) It decays among them, and the sects spring up, the Word becomes contaminated and so fully darkened that we hardly recognize it; so few of them keep it in its purity even among those who imagine that they have grasped it well and are standing firmly; but before one looks around, so they lie in mud up to their ears. ‘Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall’ (1 Cor. 10:12), for the treasure is too priceless and is entrusted to but a few.” (Walch W1 Xl, 3023, paragr. 7; StL Ed. 11, cols. 2270-2271, paragr. 7; not in Am. Ed.)
So writes Luther also in 1535 on Gal. 3:19: “Here I plead with and admonish all who love godliness and especially those who should teach others, that they this article, which teaches what the proper and distinctive work of the Law rightly is and
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*) In 1539, Luther declared the three, Rhegius, Brenz and Amsdorf, the "highest and foremost theologians" of his time. (Walch W1 XXII, 2235; StL Ed. 22, 1527 “On Wittenberg University”; [cf. Am. Ed. 54, #5126, pg 391])
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[1880-24, Part 9] is its own work, and how one should properly applied it, as St. Paul’s epistles well teach with all diligence. learn from Paul’s letters to understand this article which teaches what the proper and distinctive work of the Law is and how it is to be properly applied; which, as I have great concern, after our time [this doctrine] will again become obscured and even fully suppressed. Because also now while I’m still alive and diligently teaching why both Law and Gospel, are to serve particular uses, each serving its special purpose—even now there are nevertheless very few who, while confessing the Gospel and giving it due honor, really understand the proper role of the Law. What do you think will happen when I have laid my head down [and die]?” (Walch W1 VIII, 2257-2258, paragr. 456 ; StL Ed. 9, cols. 413-414, paragr. 456 ; [cf. Am. Ed. 26, 312])
Further writes Luther in the year 1530 on John 17:21: “I say it to my soul, I have seen and experienced so much, with but few exceptions, where both preachers and writers who want to be and should be the best (with few exceptions) however know nothing of this point; and if on occasion they do get close to the truth, it is still as something they’ve seen or heard in a dream. They can all adeptly scold the pope, monks, and priests, but the right reason, so that one must overthrow the papacy and all kinds of false doctrine, they truly know little of. That is why I also have to so diligently admonish that indeed a passage like this, and the whole chapter, be studied so carefully; because I know of no other place where this central point of all Christian doctrine is so richly summarized and taught in such powerful words, namely that in Christ we have everything what we should have, and nothing in ourselves [W1859-24] nor in some other man. The words are simple-minded and silly; [Essays1-38] that is why the clever spirits rush about them and despise them like drunkards, as though they had understood them from childhood on up, and meanwhile with writing and preaching fill the world with their dreams and own thoughts.” (Walch W1 VIII, 788-789, paragrs. 211-212; StL Ed. 8, col.833-834, paragrs. 211-212; not in Am. Ed. ) [1880-25]
On John 6:57 the dear man writes: “I handle this article not in vain so diligently, for I fear that this doctrine will not remain. Unfortunately there are many among us already who despise and make light of this article. So fights the pope and the bishops hard against it. And there will again come preachers who will preach and teach this article drowsily and lazily: so will it happen soon and will come one error after another. For even now, under the dominion of our prince, there is arising such a contempt of the Gospel, such ingratitude and forgetfulness, that my heart is about to break. I would never have dreamed that people would so soon forget and ignore the misery and the wretchedness which afflicted us in the papacy. We are living smugly as though we have always had such freedom. No one wants any longer to support churches, seminaries, and schools. If preachers could be made to die of hunger, people would gladly do it; they persecute the preachers, and if they could, they would prefer to banish them from the land as well. But it has gone this way for the Gospel before and will be so in the future. The children of Israel were so grievously plagued in Egypt that their infants were drowned and they were totally suppressed; but when the Exodus came, and they were freed from the Egyptians, all was soon forgotten. The only thing they remembered were the onions and fleshpots. Such things are still happening today; we think only of what serves peace and pleasures. Well then, that will bring every type of trouble! Hard times will oppress the poor, pestilence will choke the rich, yes, also blood will be shed, many tyrants and sectarian spirits will arise, the Word of God will again fall. But as for me, I shall continue to study and teach this article as long as I [1880-26] live; it shall be persistently stressed in my sermons, for I know full well what blessings this article produces wherever it is taught, and what damages is caused where it is not.” (Walch W1 VII, 2129-2130, paragrs 387-388; StL Ed. 7, 2363-2364, paragrs 387-388 [cf. Am. Ed. 23, 152])
So speaks Luther finally in his last sermon, (*) preached at Wittenberg: “So far you have heard the true and genuine Word; now be on your guard against your own ideas and intelligence. The devil will light the light of reason and rob you of your faith; as it happened to the Anabaptists and Sacramental Enthusiasts and now there are even more founders of heresies. I was confronted by more than 30 factious spirits who presumed to teach me, but I refuted all their arguments with this passage of Matt. 17:5: ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye Him!’ And with this passage have I been able to defend myself up to now through God’s grace. Otherwise I would have had to accept thirty different kinds of faith. The heretics are always looking for schemes to put us on the defensive, [W1859-25] to get us to retreat, to make us give in; but with God’s help we will not do it. They say: ‘You are proud simpletons!’ I’ll be glad to put up with all kinds of nasty names, but I will not depart so much as a finger’s breadth from the mouth of Him who says: ‘Listen to Him!’ I see before my eyes that if God does not provide for us faithful preachers and church-servants, so will the devil through sectarian leaders tear our church to pieces, and he will never cease until he has accomplished it. That is simply what he has in mind. If he can’t do it through the pope or the emperor, then will he do it through those who still are in accord with us in doctrine.” (Walch W1 XII, 1534—35, paragrs. 13-14; StL Ed. 12, paragrs. 13-14; [cf. Am. Ed. 51, 377 f.])
As an appendix, M. Stephanus Tücher adds to this last sermon of Luther at Wittenberg: “Dr. M. Luther, of sacred memory, had often before many other believers and also to Dr. Augustin
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*) From Steph. Tücher (in Magdeburg) heard and wrote about, as he testifies “in Christ”.
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[1880-27, Part 10] Schurff said these words: ‘After my death none of these theologians will remain constant.’” (Ibid., 1538; StL Ed. 12, 1177 [not in Am. Ed.])
These prophetic words of Luther had gone deep into the heart of [Martin] Chemnitz. He thus writes: “We must devote far more effort to retaining the genuine meaning and apostolic purity of the doctrine of justification, to handing it on to our posterity, and to preventing its being torn away from us or being adulterated by sophistic trickery or fraud. With the aid of God we can prevail more easily because we "have inherited the labors of others," John 4:38, For it was a labor far greater than those of Hercules to rescue the true light from the unspeakably dense darkness and the putrid filth and cesspools of the Antichrist and to restore the apostolic purity to the fountains of Israel. Nor could it have been done if the Holy Spirit had not led the way in kindling the light of the Word. Therefore it would be shameful and ungodly cowardice on our part if these teachings, which as a result of such great labor and the marvelous blessing of God have in this article been handed down and shown to us from the foundations of the prophets and apostles, were to be lost to us because of negligence in learning and cold formality in teaching, or that we would allow even a grain of it to be taken from us in controversy. Nor must we think that with this great light we need not fear the shadows. For we have this treasure not in iron or brass vessels but in earthen ones, 2 Cor. 4:7, and the road on which we walk has many stumbling blocks where we may easily fall in our weakness. I am often horrified that Luther with some kind of foreboding often repeated this statement in his commentaries on Galatians and Genesis: [Essays1-38] ‘After my death this doctrine will again be brought into obscurity.’" (Loc. theol. II, 201.; 1615 edition, pg 216; Loci Theologici, 1989 edition, J.A.O. Preus translation - Locus [XIII] Justification, Introductory Remarks, [see page 443 w/ highlighted section]) [Endnote D] [1880-28]
The papal church not only falsifies the article of justification, but also condemns and curses the same.
So it is called, e.g., in the chief symbol of the papists, in the Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent, in the sixth session: “Justification .. . is not only a remission of sins but also the sanctification and renewal of the inward man through the voluntary [W1859-26] reception of the grace and the gifts. .. . The single formal cause is the justice of God, not that by which He Himself is just, but that by which He makes us just, that, namely, with which we being endowed by Him, are ‘renewed in the spirit of the mind,’ and not only are we reputed but we are truly called and are just, receiving justice within us, each one according to his own measure, which the Holy Ghost distributes to everyone as He wills, and according to each one’s disposition and cooperation. For though no one can be just except he to whom the merits of the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ are communicated, yet this takes place in that justification of the sinner, when by the merit of the most holy passion, ‘the charity of God is poured forth’ by the Holy Ghost in the hearts of those who are justified and inheres in them; whence man through Jesus Christ, in whom He is ingrafted, receives in that justification, together with the remission of sins, all these infused at the same time, namely, faith, hope and charity. For faith, unless hope and charity be added to it, neither unites man perfectly with Christ nor makes him a living member of His body.... For as no pious [1880-29] person ought to doubt the mercy of God, the merit of Christ and the virtue and efficacy of the sacraments, so each one, when he considers himself and his own weakness and indisposition, may have fear and apprehension concerning his own grace, since no one can know with the certainty of faith, which cannot be subject to error, that he has obtained the grace of God.” (Translation from Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent, by H. J. Schroeder, B. Herder Book Co., 1941, pp. 33-35 with Walther’s emphases) (*) [W1859-27]
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*) Luther writes concerning this teaching of the papacy: “Even if everything else in the papacy were proper and good, as it however is not, yet the fact that they teach the people to doubt (Latin: “monster of uncertainty”) God’s grace and will would be such a tremendously injurious error that it is unspeakable. ... Therefore we should thank God to all eternity that we have been freed from that heresy of doubt [in Latin “monster of uncertainty”] and that we can indeed know and confess that, as St. Paul says, ‘The Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered’ [Rom. 8:26]. And this is our firm foundation. The Gospel calls us not to look to our good works or perfection, but to look to God, who makes the promise; again, to Christ, who completed and brought to light what had been promised long ago. Against this the pope tells us not to look to God who makes the promise, nor to Christ, who is our Mediator and High Priest, but to our works and merits; there cannot otherwise follow than one is made uncertain whether God is truly gracious, and finally to despair. For [then] the matter is based on our own good works, merits, and righteousness, etc. But if it is based on God’s promise and Christ, the true and immovable Rock, then is one certain of the matter and confident and joyful in the Holy Spirit, for it rests on God, who is true and can neither lie nor deceive. Because so He says, ‘Behold, I give my own Son into death, that by His blood he might have redeemed thee from sins and death.’; there I cannot in this matter be uncertain, unless I were totally to deny God. This is the basis by which we know for sure and can prove that our theology or teaching is correct and certain, namely, that it does not let us rest on our own actions for a foundation nor to build on it but rather leads us away from our own [works] and sets us on another fortress foundation (Grundveste), which is outside ourselves, so that we do not rely on our own powers, conscience, feelings, person, or work, but on what is outside of us, that is, on God’s promise and truth, on Christ, who sits at the right hand of God and is our Righteousness, which the devil cannot knock down or take from us. The pope and his mob know and understand nothing of this. That is why he denies and blasphemes so horribly with his mob, gives us the notion that no one can know, not even those who are pious and wise, whether he be in a state of grace or of disgrace with God.” (On Gal. 4:6, Walch W1 VIII, 2419-2420, paragrs 101-103; StL Ed. 9, , paragrs. 101-103 ; Weimar Ed. 40I, 588-589 – “Monster of uncertainty” phrase here- monstro incertitudinis; [cf. Am. Ed. 26, 386-387]) [Endnote E] [1880-30]
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[W1859-27][1880-30, Part 11] [Continuing Walther’s quotation from the Canons and Decrees:]
“But no one, however much justified, should consider himself exempt from the observance of the commandments; no one should use that rash statement, once forbidden by the Fathers under anathema, that the observance of the commandments of God is impossible for one that is justified. For God does not command impossibilities, but by the commanding admonishes thee to do what thou canst and to pray for what thou canst not, and aids thee that thou mayest be able. ‘His commandments are not heavy, and his yoke is sweet and burden light’ [Matt. 11:30].” (Schroeder, pp. 36-37) (*) — “Those who through sin have forfeited the received grace of justification, can again be justified when, moved by God, they exert themselves to obtain through the sacrament of penance the recovery, by the merits of Christ, of the grace lost. For this manner of justification is restoration for those fallen, which the holy Fathers have aptly called a second plank after the shipwreck of grace lost.” (Schroeder, p. 39) (†)
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*) Luther says on the passage Matt. 11:30: “The truth is that in itself the Law is an unbearable burden, as Peter says in Acts 15:10. For the Law requires such things which the natural man could not hold to nor fulfill, and so it multiplies sin; then it condemns those sins and so threatens us with death. Therefore the law has an office [Essays1-40] of sin and death (2 Cor. 3:9). But the yoke of Christ is an encouragement to take up the cross that thereby the old man should be put to death. But the cross is light when the burden of the Law has been removed, i.e., sin and death .... Those greatly err who interpret this yoke of Christ to mean the evangelical Law, i.e., the Commandments, insofar as they are given by Christ, ... .O what blindness! It is well prepared for those people who because of disdain do not want to read the Gospel. They should have taught instead how wonderful the power of Christ is in His saints, that through faith in the hearts of men, it transforms death into a laughter, punishment into a joy, hell into a heaven. For those who believe in Him, they ridicule and despise all these evils which the world and the flesh flee in horror and aversion. That Christ calls a sweet yoke and a light load, that is, to carry the cross with joy, even as St. Paul says: ‘We glory in tribulations’ – Rom. 5:3.” (Walch W1 VII, 213-214,, paragrs. 58-59; StL Ed. 7, 142-143, paragrs. 58-59; not in Am. Ed.) [Endnote F]
†) About this writes Luther in his book The Babylonian Captivity of the Church: “Although the devil was unable to destroy the power of Baptism in children, he nevertheless did get the upper hand by destroying its power in all adults, so that hardly anyone remembers that he has been baptized, let alone ... (cont’d on [1880-31] footnote)
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[1880-31] “For on behalf of those who fall into sins after baptism, Christ Jesus instituted the sacrament of penance when He said: ‘Receive ye the Holy Ghost, whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them, and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.’ Hence, it must be taught that the repentance of a Christian after his fall is very different from that at his baptism, and that it includes not only a determination to avoid sins and a hatred of them, or ‘a contrite and humble heart,’ but also the sacramental confession of those sins, at least in desire, to be made in [W1859-28] its season, and sacerdotal absolution, as well as satisfaction by fasts, alms, prayers and other devout exercises of the spiritual life, not indeed for the eternal punishment, which is, together with the guilt, remitted either by the sacrament or by the desire of the sacrament, but for the temporal punishment which, as the sacred writings teach, is not always wholly remitted, as is done In baptism, to those who, ungrateful to the grace of God which they have received, have grieved the Holy Ghost.” (Schroeder, p. 39) (*) “It must be ...
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[footnote cont’d from 1880-30 footnote] … glories in it, after so many other works have been invented for the remission of sins and entry into heaven. To this opinion have they been What led them to this opinion is a dangerous speech by Jerome, which was either an unfortunate statement or was badly interpreted, namely, that he called repentance the second plank after shipwreck. Just as if repentance were no repentance. That is why, having fallen into sin, people despair of the first plank or ship, as if they had lost it, and begin to rely on and try to save themselves only with the second plank, namely penance. That is the source of the countless burdens of vows, clerical ranks, works, satisfactions, pilgrimages, indulgences, and sects, their innumerable books, questions, opinions, and man-made laws which no one in the world can now understand. This tyranny plagues the church of God far worse than the Jewish synagogue or other individual nations under heaven ever plagued it. But the bishops should have abolished all this and diligently directed the people only to Baptism, so they would understand what they are and what Christians must do. But their only concern now is to lead people far away from Baptism and to plunge them into the flood of their own tyranny.” (Walch W1 XIX, 65-66, paragrs. ; StL Ed. 19, [cf. Am. Ed. 36, 57-58 f.]) [Endnote G]
*) The Apology [of the Augsburg Confession, [XII, 13] says hereof: “The third part of this play is the Satisfactio or satisfaction for sins. Here their teachings … (cont’d on [1880-32] footnote)
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[1880-32] … maintained that the grace of justification once received is lost not only by infidelity, whereby also faith itself is lost, but also by every other mortal sin, though in this case faith is not lost; thus defending the teaching of the divine law which excludes from the kingdom of God not only unbelievers, but also the faithful (who are) ‘fornicators, adulterers, effeminate, liers with mankind, thieves, covetous, drunkards, railers, extortioners,’ and all others who commit deadly sins.” (Schroeder, p. 40) (*) “Hence, to those who work well ‘unto the end’ and trust in God, eternal life is to be offered, both as a grace mercifully promised to the sons of God through Christ Jesus, and as a reward promised by God Himself, to be faithfully given to their good works and merits. ..... We must believe that nothing further is wanting to those justified to prevent them from being considered to have, by those very works which have been done in God, fully satisfied the divine law according to the state of
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[footnote cont’d from 1880-31 footnote] … are still clumsy, confused, cast hudreds into thousands, so that not a tiny drop of good or necessary comfort can be found for a poor conscience. For there they trump-up for themselves that for God eternal punishment is commuted to the punishment of purgatory, and that a part of the punishment is forgiven and remitted through the office of the keys, but that a part is to be redeemed by means of satisfaction by works.” [From the German text of the Apology to the Augsburg Confession, XII, 13; cf. Triglotta, pg 256-257; Tappert, p. 184] [Endnote H]
*) Luther writes on 1 Peter 1:5: “When God creates faith in man, this is as great a work as if He had created heaven and earth again. Therefore those fools don’t know what they’re saying when they declare: ‘Ah, how can faith alone do it, however it does no good work?’ They imagine their own dreams to be faith and that faith can well exist without good works. But we also say as Peter declares: That faith is a power of God. Where God works faith, there the man must be born again [Essays1-41] and has become a new creature; then such faith naturally must be followed by nothing but good works. … Therefore one must not say to a Christian who believes: ‘Do this or that work’; because he does good works by himself and unbidden, he will do nothing but good works. But one must say to him to not deceive himself with a false, fictitious faith. Therefore let go the “rag washers” (Lumpenwäscher) who talk loudly about it but say nothing but foam and useless babble. (Walch W1 IX, 643-644, paragrs. 22-23; StL Ed. 9, 972, paragrs. 22-23; [cf. Am. Ed. 30, 14f.]) [Endnote I]
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[1880-33, Part 12] this life and to have truly merited eternal life.” (Schroeder, p. 41) — “[Canon 9.] If anyone says that the sinner is justified by faith alone, meaning that nothing else is required to cooperate in order to obtain the grace of justification, and that it is not in any way necessary that he be prepared and disposed by the action of his own will, let him be anathema.” (Schroeder, p. 43) — “[Canon 10]. If anyone says that men are justified without the justice of Christ, whereby He merited for us, or by that justice are formally just (per eam ipsam formaliter justos esse), let him be anathema.” (Schroeder, p.43) — “[Canon 11]. If anyone says that men are justified either by the sole [W1859-29] imputation of the justice of Christ or by the sole remission of sins, to the exclusion of the grace and ‘the charity which is poured forth in their hearts by the Holy Ghost,’ and remains in them, or also that the grace by which we are justified is only the good will of God, let him be anathema.” (Schroeder, p. 43) — [Canon 12] If anyone says that justifying faith is nothing else than confidence in divine mercy, which remits sins for Christ’s sake, or that it is this confidence alone that justifies, let him be anathema.” (Schroeder, p. 43) — [Canon 24] If anyone says that the justice received is not preserved and also not increased before God through good works, but that those works are merely the fruits and signs of justification obtained, but not the cause of its increase, let him be anathema.” (Schroeder, p. 45) — [Canon 28] If anyone says that with the loss of grace through sin faith is also lost with it, or that the faith which remains is not a true faith, though it is not a living one, or that he who has faith without charity is not a Christian, let him be anathema.” (Schroeder, p. 45) — [Canon 30] If anyone says that after the reception of the grace of justification [1880-34] the guilt is so remitted and the debt of eternal punishment so blotted out to every repentant sinner, that no debt of temporal punishment remains to be discharged either in this world or in purgatory before the gates of heaven can be opened, let him be anathema.” (Schroeder, p. 46) — “[Canon 32]. If anyone says.. . that the one justified by the good works that he performs by the grace of God and the merit of Jesus Christ, whose living member he is, does not truly merit an increase of grace, eternal life, and in case he dies in grace, the attainment of eternal life itself. . . let him be anathema.” (Schroeder, p. 46) [Endnote K]
Luther’s final judgment on the whole doctrine of the papists on justification is: “Where else the papists in all other matters had won, nevertheless they are lost in this chief article, because they teach that one must doubt God's grace, where we are not worthy enough through our own satisfaction or merit and the intercession of the saints. That is the aim of their books, letters and seals, cloisters, monasteries, and also their tonsures and masses. But because they teach this article, that they stand on their works and doubts, as they cannot do otherwise: so it is certain, that they must be the devil’s church. For there are not, and could not be, more than these two ways: One, relying on God’s grace; or the other, to build on our own merit and work. The first is the way of the ancient church and of all the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, as Scripture testifies; the second is the way of the pope and his church. That is something no one, not even all the Heinrichs and all devils, can deny.” (Writing Against Duke Heinrich of Braunschweig, Walch W1 XVII, 1681, paragrs. 59-60; StL Ed. 17, 1340-1341, paragrs. 59-60; [cf. Am. Ed. 41, 213])
Finally, Luther remarks in his warning letter to those at Frankfurt: “After they (the papists) realized that their hideous abomination had come to the light of day, when they openly damned our Savior Christ and His faith and to trust in their own works the people were taught and all but screamed at, [1880-35] they are now backing down, also using [W1859-30] the word ‘faith,’ preaching about faith and good works. But secretly they remain with their old abomination under the word ‘faith’. Because they say: ‘It is true, one must be justified through faith, provided at the same time the works go along with it; since before and without works faith is nothing.’ With these words they name faith as that which justifies, but nevertheless give to the works the righteousness and faith alone gets precisely nothing; hence they try to polish this by saying: ‘It is faith that justifies, provided it is accompanied by good works; otherwise it is nothing.’ That is hot and [Essays1-42] cold blowing from the same mouth when I say: Faith justifies, and is nevertheless nothing without works.’ For if it is nothing without works, it must be the works [that count,] even though they are accompanied by that Nothing (faith). That is their secret meaning and the same old abomination, clothed in new words, the same old idol clothed in a new dress.” (Walch W1 XVII, 2438, paragr. 6, StL Ed. 17, cols. 2009-2010, paragr. 6; not in Am. Ed.)
To be sure, also besides the Evangelical-Lutheran Church, most so-called Protestant churches also confess the statement: “Man is justified before God alone by grace, through faith, for Christ’s sake, and not through the works of the Law”; and yet through their doctrine of the means through which man becomes just before God, they overturn this doctrine again. First of all, they teach falsely about the means of grace, or the means by which God gives His gifts, namely from the Word and the holy sacraments; and second, about the instrumental means or the receiving means on man’s side, namely from faith. These errors, in turn, have their basis in false doctrines about Christ’s work of redemption and His person, as well as about God’s will of gracious and gracious call.
So writes Luther on Deut. 4:28: “Behold, [1880-36, Part 13] what otherwise do our new schismatics and enthusiasts do than that they lead the people to trust in works? The Anabaptists, what do they do, what do they teach? They say that Baptism is nothing; they take away grace from Baptism, saying that it does not offer the grace and mercy of God, no forgiveness of sins; but only a sign, that you are devout, and you must be devout before you become baptized, etc., or that Baptism is a sign that you already have this godliness. They separate grace from Baptism and leave me a mere outward sign; there is no spark of grace, but have completely cut it out. When the grace of Christ is thus removed from Baptism, so remains only a work. Also, in the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper the Enthusiasts take away the promise offered there; saying it is bread and wine that you eat or drink. There also is the grace that is offered to us cut out and denied. For so they teach: ‘You are performing a good work just by confessing Christ alone; and if you only eat and drink the bread and wine in Communion, so must there be no grace.’ So it goes: When one breaks the First Commandment, he soon directs himself to an idol and a work on which he trusts. Therefore Moses says: ‘Dear children, take heed to yourselves that you remain faithful to God; follow Him, otherwise it is inevitable that you shall fall into idolatry, you will inevitably fall into idolatry; [W1859-31] you cannot resist it yourself.’ For grace is constantly being attacked by the devil; no heresy can suffer the grace of God.... Also today’s Enthusiasts all put forth the First Commandment saying: We also proclaim grace and mercy through Christ and do not reject the article of the First Commandment; and they say that I, Luther, lie about them. But see them out: They confess that Christ died, that He hung on the cross and that He saves us, that is true; [1880-37] but they deny that by which we receive Him, i.e., the means, the way, the bridge and path, that they break up. “The Jews also believe that there is a God, but the way by which one comes to God, namely through Christ, through Christ’s humanity, that they deny. The Turks also confess God, but deny the way, the means, the bridge on which one comes to God, that is the grace of God, Christ will they not have, also no sacraments by which one enters a state of grace. It is just as if I would preach to someone: Here I have a treasure; and nevertheless did not hold out to him in front of his nose the treasure, also did not give the keys thereto, what would this help him to this treasure? They lock up this treasure which they should set before the nose, and swing me on a monkey’s tail: the access and presentation, the usage and possession of the treasure they refuse and take from me. Therefore the Enthusiasts speak much about God, about the forgiveness of sins and the grace of God, also that Christ died: but how I can receive Christ and how grace comes to me, so that I might receive them, that we come together, on this they say: the Spirit alone must do it; they swing me on a monkey’s tail: saying that the outward and spoken Word, Baptism, and the Sacrament are of no use, and yet they preach about grace.” (*) [W1859-32]
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*) So writes e.g. Zwingli, in his Augsburg Confession: “I believe, yes know, that all sacraments, far from imparting grace, cannot even transmit or administer it. This may strike you, Mightiest Emperor, as being too bold. But that is my position. Since grace is produced and given by the Holy Spirit (I am using the word ‘grace’ in the Latin sense, designating forgiveness, clemency, and gracious favor), therefore the aforementioned gift is received only from the Spirit. But the Spirit has no need of a driver or a wagon, for He Himself is the Power and the Bearer by whom all [things] are carried, He [Himself] having no need of being carried. We have never read in Holy Writ that material things, such as the sacraments, unfailingly bring the Spirit with them. Instead, whenever material things did accompany the Spirit,... [cont’d on 1880-38 footnote]
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[1880-38] [W1859-32] That calls me to show the treasure and speaks well of it; but the key and the bridge to how I can come to the treasure are taken away. Now God has so ordered it that this treasure is given and presented to us through Baptism, the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, and the external Word. Those are the means and instruments by which we come to God’s grace. That they deny. I say this because the devil is quick and confesses these words, but he denies the means by which we come to the treasure, that is, they do not deny the treasure but the usage and profit of the treasure; they take away and deprive us of the manner, the means, and the way we come to this treasure and enjoy it, and how we should and may attain to grace. You must, they say, have the Spirit; but how I can have the Spirit, that is what they will not let me have. Now,
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[cont’d from 1880-37 footnote] … the Spirit who brought nonmaterial gifts was already present. So, for example, when a mighty wind blew, the gift of tongues accompanied it, being brought by the wind, not the languages bringing the wind.... In short, the wind blows where it wills, i.e., the wind blows as is its nature, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it is going. That is how it is with everyone born of the Spirit, i.e., he is enlightened and given insight in an invisible and nonmaterial manner. That is the truth. [Essays1-43] The grace of the Spirit is therefore not imparted by this immersion, nor by this drinking of wine, nor by that anointing with oil. For if that were the case, one would know how, where, whereto, and whereby the Spirit was being imparted. For if the presence and efficacy of grace were tied to the sacraments, they would work wherever they are brought; where they were not being used, everything would wilt away. From this we conclude—which in the case of the sacraments I’m willing and glad to agree to—that the sacraments are given as a public sign of that grace which each individual has in advance. So Baptism is given by the church to the person who, without prior Baptism, either confessed the religion of Christ or already had the word of promise, from which it is evident that he belongs to the church. The church therefore accepts such a person publicly in Baptism, [recognizing that] he had previously been received by grace. So it is not Baptism that confers grace, but it witnesses to the church that grace was previously received by him to whom [the Baptism] is administered. I believe, therefore, O Emperor, that the sacrament is a sign of a holy thing, i.e., of received grace, etc. (See Cyprian’s Condensed Instruction Concerning Union of Churches, Appendix, pp. 19-22) [Endnote L]
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[1880-39, Part 14] how can I receive the Spirit and believe, if someone does not preach to me the Word of God and hand to me the sacraments? I must have the means; for ‘faith cometh by hearing, and hearing comes by the oral word’ (Rom. 10:17). “To sum it all up: No sect can arise without running head-on into the First Commandment and taking offense at Jesus Christ; all heretics are lumped together in this one doctrine. Therefore let us remain by this article: ‘Thou shalt have no other gods.’; and keep diligent attention to this purpose and scope. For if we lose sight of it, then all the gates and doors are unlocked to every kind of factious spirit. God would never have His worship without external means in the world. In the Old Testament He gave the Jews a way thereby which one should find Him; there was the specific place of the Tabernacle, the altar, the candlestick, the Levites, and God did not let Himself be found except through these external means and ways. He always provided for them an external means by which they were to find Him; He did not let them wander around in error, without direction and external means. But just as our Enthusiasts now run around, deserting this way provided by God for us in the New Testament, so also the Jews deserted this same way and looked for other ways. God cannot be our God without providing us with something external by which we can find Him, such as the spoken Word and the two sacraments. If I do not lay hold of God through external things, how can I then find Him? Therefore all heretics have been against the First Commandment and in the process have stressed all sorts of man’s works and have cut out the promise and grace of God inherent in it, yes, they deny God himself, discard the benefits and usage so that one may not come to grace.” (Walch W1 III, 2502-2504, paragrs. 74-86; StL Ed. 3, 1691-1694, paragrs. 74-86; not in Am. Ed. vol. 9)
Further writes Luther in his exposition of Psalm 117: [1880-40] “Therefore in Scripture Christ is called a cornerstone on which everything must be built and based, if it is to stand in the sight of God. But Whatever is not founded and built on Him, but without Him, will be destroyed and cannot endure. And what [W1859-33] is the primary error of the sects and great “saints” except this, that they have forsaken this cornerstone and slipped back into works again? From them they cannot escape, but must continue and also turn Baptism and the Sacrament (which are God’s Word and command) into nothing more than man’s works. “Example: The Anabaptists say that Baptism has no value unless a person is godly prior to being baptized. They refuse to become godly through and from Baptism, but through their piety make Baptism holy and good. As I see it, that is rejecting this cornerstone, wanting to be saved not by the grace of Christ offered in Baptism but by themselves first becoming holy, with Baptism giving nothing, creating nothing, bringing nothing, but we ourselves bringing and giving everything to Baptism beforehand, so that Baptism is nothing but an unnecessary sign by which one is supposed to be able to recognize such pious folk; so Baptism can not be such a permanent sign or mark by which one might recognize someone, for it is done once, after which you can see it no more. Also that is what the Enthusiasts do with their Sacrament that must not make one pious, nor give grace, but is merely a sign pointing out how pious, and holy they are without such a sacrament.” (Walch W1 V, 1701-1702; [cf. Am. Ed. 14, 38 f.; see Der Lutheraner, vol. 3- Dec. 1846, pgs 50-51, Joel Baseley translation here; also see Der Lutheraner, Vol. 6-March 1950, pg 116, col. 2 –Walther’s article on Absolution using this writing of Luther])
So Luther further writes in his House Postil, on the Gospel for the 19th Sunday after Trinity: “as our dear Lord Jesus addresses the paralytic man and forgives him his sins, the [Essays1-44] scribes began thinking to themselves, ‘Christ blasphemes God that he can forgive sins!’ This is an important point, which we must duly note. For one notes about Enthusiasts and sectarians that [1880-41] they all err by failing to understand in what way forgiveness of sin comes about. If you ask the pope and all his doctors, they will not be able to tell you what it is that absolution accomplishes. For the whole papal system rests on this teaching: Grace is infused into people through a mystical working, and whoever wants to have it must be sorry, be contrite, and make satisfaction. But if you ask, What is it that absolution and the keys do?, they say that it is an external ordinance that is kept by the church. So, forgiveness of sins is not grounded upon the Word and faith, where it ought to be, but upon contrition, confession, and making satisfaction. But that teaching is [a lie] from beginning to end, a lie by which the people are misled and directed to the wrong way. Also the Anabaptists say the same thing: What can baptism do for the forgiveness of sins? After all, it is just a handful of water! The Spirit has to do it, If we are to be truly free from sin; water can’t possibly do it. In other words, they pull forgiveness of sins away from the Word. And they are not satisfied to leave it at this, that (as the pious peasants here say) such power has been given to men. The Enthusiasts and Sacramentarians say the same thing, that in the Sacrament there is only bread and wine, and therefore one cannot find forgiveness of sins there; the Spirit must give it, ‘the flesh [of Christ] is no use’ [John 6:63]. In short: No fanatical spirit, no priest or monk, was able to discern that forgiveness of sins is a power given to people, as stated in this Gospel. Therefore learn from this that you can [W1859-34] speak of the matter in this way: I know very well and confess that God alone can forgive sins; but I must also know and discern the manner, or the means my sins are forgiven. The Scriptures teach every one of us Christians, that if I want forgiveness of sins, I need not go into a corner somewhere and say: My God, forgive me my sin, and then, as it were, [1880-42, Part 15] wait for an angel from heaven to come down and say to me: Your sins are forgiven. For God has promised, that He will personally come down and will Himself assure me of the forgiveness of my sins. This takes place, first of all, in Holy Baptism; for there is his command that everyone is to be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And this command is backed up by the promise: ‘He that believes and is baptized shall be saved,’ Mark 16:16. Yes, you say, but the baptism is only water! True it is; but it is not such water alone that is present, for God’s Word is connected with it. So when you go to your parish pastor, who has a special command for this, or to a Christian asking that he comfort you and absolve you from your sin, and he says to you, In the stead of God, I declare to you the forgiveness of all of your sins through Christ, here you should be certain that your sins are really and truly forgiven by that external Word, for Baptism and the Word cannot lie to you.... Accordingly, the Anabaptists and other sects have all lost forgiveness of sins, Baptism, Lord’s Supper, the Christian church, and all Christian works, because they discard the Word spoken by their neighbor, considering it as of no more value than a cow’s bellowing. Even if God chose to speak through a cow or some other animal, as He once spoke through a ass, one should nevertheless not despise His Word, but let it be valid; how is it that one despises it, that people speak it by God’s command and order? For though you well hear a human voice, you nevertheless hear God and in doing so certainly find forgiveness of sins there when you accept it with faith.” (*) (Walch W1 XIII, 2078-2 080, 2083-2084, paragrs. 15-20, 31; StL Ed. 13b, 2437-2438, 2441, paragrs. 15-20, 31; see also Eugene Klug’s Sermons of Martin Luther: The House Postils, vol. 2, pgs. 83-84, 86; not in Am. Ed.) [Endnote M] [W1859-35]
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*) Also this is not to be understood as though in the speaking of the formula of absolution by an ordained preacher the mysterious power was built in, to remove from a person the guilt of his sin. Luther [cont’d on 1880-43 footnote]
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[1880-43]
Melanchthon writes in his Disputation on the Power of the Keys and the Absolution: “The keys are the office (Amt) of binding and loosing sins. In other words, they are the office of the Gospel itself, for the Gospel is the binding and loosing of sins. Some understand
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[cont’d from 1880-42 footnote] ascribes rather from the basis of Scripture such greatness to absolution, because he ascribes such greatness to the Gospel. He writes in his evangelical Church Postil in the sermon for Easter Tuesday: “Absolution is nothing other than simply the preaching and pronouncement of the forgiveness of sins, which Christ here commands men to both to preach and to hear. Since, however, it is necessary to retain such preaching in the church, we must also preserve the absolution; For there is no other difference between these than that the Word, which is otherwise publicly preached in a general way, and in general to all in the preaching of the Gospel, the same is spoken in particular in the absolution to one or more individuals who desire it. For Christ has ordered that such preaching of the forgiveness of sins is to go out and be made at all times and places, not only to a whole assembly, but also to individual persons, wherever there are people who stand in need of it, as He says in the Gospel for the following Sunday: ‘Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them.’ [John 20:23] … For to preach the forgiveness of sins means nothing else than absolving or declaring free from sins, which is done also in Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which were also instituted to point out and assure us of such forgiveness of sins. Thus to be baptized or to receive the communion is also an absolution, where forgiveness is, in Christ's name and at his command, promised and communicated to each one in particular. This forgiveness you should hear wherever and whenever you are in need of it, and should accept and believe it as if you were hearing it from Christ himself. For, because it is not our absolution, but Christ’s command and Word, so it is just as [Essays1-45] good and effectual as though it were heard from His own mouth.” (Walch W1 Xl, 985-987, paragrs. 67, 69; StL Ed. 11, 721-722, paragrs. 67, 69; see Lenker’s Sermons of Martin Luther: The Church Postils, vol. 2, pg 349-350, paragrs. 67, 69; not in Am. Ed.) –– In the sermon for the following Sunday [Quasimodogeniti], Luther writes the following on the words: “As My Father has sent Me, even so send I you. Receive the Holy Ghost, whosesoever sins you remit,” etc. [John 20:22-23]: This is what Christ wants to say: When you speak a word concerning a sinner, it shall be spoken in heaven and is as valid as if God in heaven were speaking it; for He is in your mouth, therefore it is as much as if He Himself were saying it. Now, it is always true that when Christ speaks a word, since He is Lord over sin and hell, and says to you: Thy sins are gone; then they are gone, and nothing can prevent it. Again, if He says: Your sins shall not be forgiven you; then they remain unforgiven, so that neither you nor an angel nor a saint nor any creature can forgive them, even if you were martyred to death. That same power belongs to every Christian. ... And this is the power we have from his resurrection and ascension. … But in this matter one must proceed carefully,, [cont’d on 1880-44 footnote]
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[1880-44] the keys not in general of the office, but of the jurisdiction in the church to bind or absolve individuals. But whether one understands them of the office or the jurisdiction, it is certain that the Gospel can be proclaimed generally as also to individuals; as Christ absolved many individually and commands Peter to forgive the brother who had sinned. Private absolution is therefore valid and is the true voice of the Gospel, because the Gospel is equally valid, whether it be announced to many or to individuals. He is an unbeliever who thinks that the Gospel is uncertain when applied to individuals. This is not offset by the fact that some cry out that man cannot forgive sins;
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[cont’d from 1880-43 footnote] lest we do what the pope does. For they have reached the point to have the power, that however and whatever they say, so it must be, because they say it. Nay, this power you have not, but the divine Majesty alone has it. They say thus: When the pope speaks a word and says: Thy sins are forgiven; so then they are put away, even if you have no repentance nor believe. By this they mean that they have the power to bestow and withhold heaven, to open or to close it, to place into heaven or to cast into hell; far from it that it should be so. For it would follow that our salvation depended on human works, powers, and might. Since that is against the entire Holy Scriptures, so it cannot be true that when you close or open, therefore it must be closed and opened. Therefore we must rightly understand Christ when he says, ‘Whose soever sins you remit, they are remitted,’ etc., that this does not establish the power of him who speaks but of those who believe.” (Walch W1 Xl, 999—1002, paragrs. 14-20; StL Ed. 11, 730-733, paragrs. 14-20; see Lenker’s Sermons of Martin Luther: The Church Postils, vol. 2, pg 359-362, paragrs. 14-20; not in Am. Ed.) –– In another place Luther writes: “It follows further that the forgiveness of guilt does not rest in the earthly power or office of a pope, bishop, priest, or any [other] human being, but only on the Word of Christ and your own faith. For He did not intend to base our comfort, our salvation, our confidence on human words or deeds, but only on Himself, on His words and deed. The priests, bishops, and popes are only servants, who hold before you the Word of Christ, on which you should depend and rely with firm faith, as on a solid rock. Then that Word will save you, and thus your sins must be forgiven. That, too, is why the words are not to be honored for the sake of the priests, bishops, popes, but the priests, bishops, popes for the sake of the Word, as those who bring you God’s Word and message:: you are loosed from your sins.” (Walch W1 X, 1482, paragr. 8; StL Ed. 10, 1235, paragr. 8; Am. Ed. 35, pg 3-22, “The Sacrament of Penance.”)
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[1880-45, Part 16] for since it is certain that men have the command to preach the Gospel, it is evident that men have the commission to forgive sins. And these very same people confess that they forgive sins in general when they publicly proclaim the Gospel. Or when they deny that they then proclaim the forgiveness of sins, so they neither understand what the Gospel is nor what the forgiveness of sins is.” (Corpus Ref., vol. XII, p. 492, paragrs. 5-13)
Luther writes in his book on the keys: “Subsequently [W1859-36] consider that the keys or forgiveness of sins does not rest on our repentance or worthiness, as they teach and operate; for that is entirely Pelagian, Turkish, heathen, Jewish, Anabaptist. enthusiastic, and anti-Christian; but again, on the contrary, that our repentance, work, heart, and what we are, should build on the keys and with full consideration confidently depend thereon, as on God’s Word, and at the risk of losing both body and soul on no account doubt that what the keys say and give is just as certain as if God Himself speaks, as indeed He himself certainly speaks; for it is His command and Word and not man’s word or command. But if you doubt, you call God a liar, pervert His order, and base His keys on your repentance and worthiness. You should repent (it is true), but that thereby the forgiveness of sins is to be made certain and the work of the key confirmed, that means abandoning faith and denying Christ. He wants to forgive your sin, not for your sake but for His own sake, out of pure grace through the key, and bestow…. Christ says: Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, etc. Notice here that He assuredly, indeed assuredly promised that what we bind and loose on earth shall be bound and loosed, here is no faulty key. He does not say: What I bind and loose in heaven, this you shall also bind and loose on earth, as the teachers of the faulty key foolishly mock. How could we find out what God [1880-46] binds and looses in heaven? Never, and the keys would be vain and profit nothing. Nor does he say: You ought to know what I bind and loose in heaven; [Essays1-46] who would or could know that? Rather he says this: As you bind and loose on earth, so will I bind and loose in heaven; when you do the work of the keys, I will also do it. Yes, when you do it, so shall it be, and it is not necessary that I do it after you. What you bind and loose (I say), I will neither bind nor loose but it shall be bound and loosed without my binding or loosing. There shall be one work, mine and yours, not two; one set of keys, mine and yours, not two. When you do your work, mine is already done; when you bind and loose, I have already bound and loosed. He obliges and binds himself to our work, yes he commands us to do his very own work; why then, should we make it uncertain or reverse it and pretend that he must first bind and loose in heaven? Just as if His binding and loosing in heaven were different from our binding and loosing on earth, or as if he had different keys up there in heaven from these on earth, whereas he distinctly and clearly says they are heaven’s keys and not the keys of earth. … But such ideas about two kinds of keys come about because people do not hold God’s Word as God’s Word, but because it is spoken through men, it is regarded just the word of men, and think, God is way up high overhead in heaven and far, far, far from such Word that is on earth, and stare heavenward and invent still other keys. … Do not let yourself be led astray here by the pharisaic babbling by which some deceive themselves by mocking, how a man can forgive sins even though he can bestow neither grace nor the Holy Spirit. You just keep to the words of Christ and be assured [W1859-37] that God does not forgive sins in any other way [1880-47] than through the spoken Word, as he has commanded us men. If you do not look for forgiveness in the Word, you will vainly gape at heaven for grace, or, as they say, for inner forgiveness. But if you speak like the factious spirits and sophists also do: After all, many hear about the binding and loosing of the keys, but they disregard it and remain unbound and without being loosed, therefore there must be something else beside the Word and the keys: the Spirit, the Spirit, the Spirit must do it. Do you however think that he is not bound, who does not believe the binding key? In due time he shall learn that because of his unbelief the binding has neither been in vain nor has failed. Likewise also one who does not believe that he is free and his sins forgiven will in time also truly find how very surely his sins were now forgiven him, but he refused to believe it. St. Paul says in Rom. 3:3 that God will not fail because of our unbelief. So we are not discussing now who believes and who doesn’t; for we know very well that few believe—but we are talking about what the keys do and give. One who refuses to accept it, of course, has nothing. That does not cause the key to fail. Many do not believe the Gospel, but that does not cause the Gospel to fail and lie. A king gives you a castle; if you do not accept it, then it is not that the king lied nor failed, but you have deceived yourself, and it is your fault, the king certainly gave it.... For it is God’s command and Word, that those speak and these hear; both are convictable, by their soul’s salvation, to believe this as certainly and steadfastly as all other articles of faith.” (Walch W1 XIX, 1172-1177, paragrs. 82-89; StL Ed. 19, 943-948, paragrs. 82-89; [Am. Ed. 40, 364-368])
So wrote Luther in 1530 on John 17:10: “Glorifying Christ or to believe in Him is nothing other than, as we heard, [1880-48, Part 17] holding certain indeed for a fact that whoever has Him has the Father and all grace, divine goods, and eternal life. The worldly saints, the pope, and the factious spirits cannot do that. For though several speak about Christ and lead us to the Word that says that He is the Son of God, has redeemed us, etc., however they never learn and experience how He must be received, used, sought, found, and held, and how one must apprehend the Father in and through Him; meanwhile they travel in the clouds and go according to their own ideas. Notice this in several factious spirits among us, though they learned from us to talk about Christ and faith, how seldom do they compel this doctrine, yes, how coldly and clumsily they talk about it when they should stress this chief doctrine, and how they rustle and flutter over such texts, regarding it as a minor art that now everyone for a long time could well do. In short, they are full of other thoughts so that, even though they occasionally hit on something [right], they themselves don’t understand anything about it and quickly abandon it for their dreams. However a true pastor compels this article most of all, yes, without ceasing, since all that pertains to knowledge of God and to our salvation relies on it, as you see everywhere in the evangelist John and epistles of St. Paul. For here is it true the saying for both sides, that one says: [W1859-38] ‘Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh’ [Matt. 12:34].” (Walch W1 VIII, 740-41, paragrs. 125-126; StL Ed. 8, 798, paragrs. 125-126; not in Am. Ed.)
On Gal. 3:19 Luther writes: “I will now say nothing about the Anabaptists, the Neo-Arians, and the Enthusiast spirits, who blaspheme and dishonor the holy sacrament of the body and blood of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, all of them together as a mob, understand and know the particular function and purpose of the Law just as little as do the papists themselves, despite their many disclaimers. For they long ago fallen from the pure doctrine of the Gospel to the doctrine of the Law; therefore they also do not teach Christ. They are so good, that they with great [1880-49] cry boast, and may dearly swear, that they only teach and with their doctrine seek and intend nothing but God’s glory, the salvation of the brethren, and that God’s Word be spread and maintained pure and unadulterated; but if you carefully examines by the light and foundation, you find that they falsify and twist God’s Word into an erroneous misunderstanding, so that it is forced to tell and mean for them what they imagine and what [Essays1-47] they please. Therefore they teach under the name of Christ their own dreams, under the name of the Gospel mere laws and ceremonies; so therefore they are and remain what they have always been from the beginning, namely: monks, works-saints, teachers of the Law and of ceremonies, only that they invent new names for their ways as well as different or new works.” (Walch W1 VIII, 2258, paragr. 457; StL Ed. 9, 414, paragr. 457; [cf. Am. Ed. 26, 312])
Similarly Luther wrote on John 6:53: “All other doctrines (even when they use the words we do) are nevertheless about nothing but good works; if one sees the schismatic spirits in the light of day, they teach only about good works, like the factious spirits in our midst, they do not understand that life, grace, and salvation come to us without our works, only that we believe.” (Walch W1 VII, 2107-2108, paragr. 347; StL Ed. 7, 2347, paragr. 347; [cf. Am. Ed. 23, 137])
On Matt. 5:16: “The true teaching and confessing of Christ is not possible without faith. As St. Paul says in 1 Cor. 12:3, ‘No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.’ For no false Christian nor schismatic spirit can understand this doctrine. How much less will he rightly preach and confess it, even if he takes up and repeats the words but still does not hold to them nor keep them pure; always preaches in such a way that one can tell he does not have it straight, and smears on it his drivel by which he steals the glory from Christ and attributes it to himself. Therefore only this, that the most certain work of a genuine Christian is to so praise and preach Christ [1880-50] that the people learn how they are nothing and Christ is everything.” (Walch W1 VII, 623, paragr. 149-150; StL Ed. 7, 420, paragr. 149-150; [cf. Am. Ed. 21, 66])
On Gal. 2:17: “Therefore can it also be never otherwise; all papists, Anabaptists, together with all others who know nothing about or do not rightly understand the righteousness of Christ, make Christ into a Moses and Law and make Moses and the Law into a Christ. For this is what they teach: Faith in Christ does indeed justify, but, for all that, not without performance of the commandments of God. It is true, the commandments of God must be fulfilled, as indeed it [W1859-39] is written in Matt. 19:17: ‘...if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.’ But they have no idea how this fulfillment comes about. For they think it happens simply by our works. But with that Christ is immediately denied and faith destroyed, because it ascribes to God’s commandments, or the Law, what belongs to Christ alone. … But this is rather Christ’s own particular ministry, that He graciously embraces in the most friendly way the one whom the Law has made a sinner and unjust, and declares him free and absolved of his sins through the Gospel, when and so he believes it. ‘For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth’, Rom. 10:4. He is ‘the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world’, John 1:29. But the papists and Enthusiasts turn this upside down and cannot do otherwise, because they do not understand the doctrine of how and whereby a person must become righteous. Therefore this is the foundation of the chief article of their teaching, though they try to cover it up with flowery words, namely, that they see Christ for Moses and preach Him as such, and in turn Moses for Christ, etc., and mock us for teaching faith so actively and diligently, and they say, Ha-ha! Faith, faith! -- wait awhile until you come toward heaven by faith; you must, truly! go higher and further; you must fulfill the law of [1880-51, Part 18] God, as it is written in Luke 10:28: “This do, and thou shalt live.” You must suffer much, shed your blood, give up your house, property including wife and children, and follow the example of Christ; with your preaching of faith, you only make that the people become secure, lazy, and sleepy. So they fall from Christ to Moses and become pure Mosaists, teachers of the Law and its works, and so lead the people from Baptism, faith, and the promises of Christ to the Law and works, thus turning Law into grace and grace into Law. … So far as the words are concerned they make the distinction well, as I have said; but in fact they confuse them and make a right cake out of it. For they do not concede that faith alone, without works, can justify; but if this were true, Christ is of no use to me. For even though I have true faith, I cannot yet, according to their definition, be justified by it, unless I also have love at the same time. So Christ does not make righteous, even if He is apprehended by faith, nor does grace help in any way, so also can faith without love not be true (or, as the Anabaptists say, without cross, suffering, and shedding of blood); but if love is present together with works and suffering, then faith is genuine and it justifies. With this doctrine the godless, crazy Enthusiasts and factious spirits are presently again obscuring the grace and blessings of Christ, robbing Him of His proper glory, so that He not alone justifies, and making Him nothing more than an agent of sin; therefore they have also learned from us nothing more than only to slander our words, and understand the matter of which they want to speak not one iota. They indeed want to be respected and regarded as if they taught the Gospel and faith in Christ purely and clearly, [W1859-40] just as [1880-52] we do, but in fact they are mere teachers of the Law in all articles, just as the false apostles were. … Therefore among them all there is not even one who rightly and thoroughly understands what the difference is between Law and grace, no matter how learned and wise they fancy themselves. For experience proves that when they should use and apply [these] matters properly, they have no proper foundational understanding of them.” (Walch W1 VIII, 1852-1857, paragrs. 234-240; StL Ed. 9, 195-198, paragrs. 234-240; [cf. Am. Ed. 26, 143, 144, 145]) [Endnote N]
In the Church Postil’s Gospel for the 14th Sunday after Trinity we read: [Essays1-48] “The second characteristic of faith is that it does not desire to know, nor first to be assured whether [a person] is worthy of grace and will be heard, like the doubters do, who grasp after God and tempt Him. Just as a blind man gropes for the wall, so these people also grope for God and would like first to feel and surely have Him, so that He does not escape from them.” (Walch W1 XI, 2122, paragr. 10; StL Ed. 11, 1577, paragr. 10; Lenker’s Church Postils, vol. 5, pg 66; not in Am. Ed. )
In the same book of sermons, on the Gospel for the first Sunday after Epiphany: “God will not suffer that we should rely on something else or with the heart cling to something that is not Christ in His Word, no matter how holy or filled with the Spirit it might be. Faith has no other foundation on which it can stand. ..... We must seek Christ in the things of the Father, i.e., we must cling simply and alone to the Word of the Gospel, which directs us Christians in the right way and gives us correct knowledge. And be sure to learn in this and all spiritual trials when you want real comfort for others or for yourself, to say with Christ: Why is it that you run hither and thither and so torment yourself with anxious and sorrowful thoughts, as if God were no longer willing to be gracious to you and as if no Christ could be found? And why do you refuse to be at peace unless you find Him by [1880-53] your own effors and feel holy and without sin; that does nothing; it is all lost effort and work. Do you not know that Christ refuses to be or be found anywhere except in that which is his Father's? Not in that which you or all other men are or have. It is not the fault of Christ and his grace, he indeed is not nor does he remain lost, he may always be found. But the fault is yours, because you do not seek Him rightly where He is to be sought, since you judge according to your own feeling and think you can apprehend Him with your thoughts. You must come to this point, that neither [in] your works and control nor [in] any [other] human being’s, but that of God is, namely, His Word, there you shall meet, hear, and see Him, and that there is neither wrath nor displeasure there, as you fear and dread, but pure grace and sincere love for you.... But it becomes heavy before (the heart) can attain and grasp this: it must first encounter and experience that everything is lost and Christ is sought in vain, and finally no counsel is to be had, unless you submit yourself, apart from yourself and all human comfort, to the Word alone.” (Walch W1 XI, 623-625, paragrs. 28, 30-31; StL Ed. 11, 453-455, paragrs. 28, 30-31; Lenker’s Church Postils, v. 2, pgs 43, 44, 45; not in Am. Ed.)
On 1 Cor. 15:2: “So this has happened to all heretics in this exalted article on Christ. As well it is also still happening to our Schismatics over Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, for they do not simply believe the Word but speculate and brood with their reason, which cannot but say [W1859-41] this: Bread is bread, water is water; how can bread be the body of Christ or water be a washing of souls? Because they can and will not remain in the Word, still give themselves captive to it, but want to give their cleverness a voice for their understanding and mastery etc. And because it sees that [this doctrine] is so directly counter to understanding and all senses and feeling, and also contrary to experience, so it abandons this doctrine and even denies it, or, when it cannot get around it, it distorts and fluffs God’s Word with glosses, so that it must agree with reason and [so that] faith is displaced, having to yield and submit to reason. [1880-54, Part 19] But against all that our reason suggests or wants to measure and investigate, yes, against everything that the senses feel and grasp, we must learn to hold to the Word.... Though I feel sin oppressing me sorely and my conscience smiting me so that I cannot ignore these, yet faith must counterattack and hold fast to the Word on both these points. For if you want to judge according to what you see and feel, and if you are confronted with God’s Word you want to counter with your feeling and say: You are indeed telling me much, however my heart tells me something much different; and if you felt what I feel, then you too would say something else etc.: thus you have then not God’s Word in your heart, but it is subdued and extinguished by your own ideas, reason, and contemplation. … Therefore these two must remain: that we are lords over the devil and death and yet at the same time lie beneath his feet: one must be believed, the other is felt.... So you say: What then do you preach and believe, since you yourself confess that one neither feels nor perceives, so your preaching must indeed then be nothing and clearly a dream? For should there be something, so must indeed the experience also show something there! Answer: This is what I say, that contrary to our experience, what is humanly unbelievable is simply to be believed beforehand, and we must feel what we do not feel; so that in the very thing in which the devil, with respect to feeling, is my lord, he must be my servant, and when I am lying prostrate and the whole world lies on top of me, then I am on top. How so? If that is to be true, [you say,] then experience must follow and be felt! Yes, that is right! but this is how it is: Feeling must follow, but faith must be previously there without and above feelings.” (Walch W1 VIII, 1166-1169, paragrs. 27-29, 32-33; StL Ed. 8, xxxx-xxxx, paragrs. 27-29, 32-33; [cf. Am. Ed. 28, 69, 70, 71])
On John 3:11: “In all Christendom we have nothing higher nor greater than the Word. . . . What happens [1880-55] to us is like a person who has dizziness in the head; should that person climb up a high tower or cross a bridge over deep waters flowing underneath, he must be blinded, led blindfolded, or have his head covered with a cloak, and led or carried across; otherwise he will fall from the tower and break his neck or he will fall into the water and drown. Thus too we, if we would be saved, also follow our leader; for then we are sure. We must here also close the eyes and follow our guide, the divine Word, and say: I will let myself be wrapped in swaddling cloths, have a cloak cover my head and let myself be led so that I [Essays1-49] believe and do not see; and on this I will live and die. We will [W1859-42] not feel it in any other way, even if we would tear ourselves to pieces over it.” (Erlangen Ed. XLVI (46), 296-97; StL Ed. 7, pgs 1882-1883; [cf. Am. Ed. 22, 304, 305]) [Endnote O]
In regard to doctrine of Zwingli and the Zwinglians on the Person of Christ, Luther writes in 1528 in his Great Confession: “He (Zwingli) calls it alloeosis when something is said about the divine nature of Christ that belongs to his human nature, or vice versa; in Luke 24:26: ‘Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?’ Here he flutters around this, that ‘Christ’ is to be taken for his human nature. Beware, beware, I say, of this alloeosis, it is the devil’s mask; for in the final analysis it will finally construct a kind of Christ for whom I would not want to be a Christian, namely a Christ who is and does no more in his passion and his life than any other ordinary saint. For if I believe that only the human nature suffered for me, then Christ would be a poor Savior for me; so he himself would need a Savior. In short, it is unspeakable what the devil attempts to do with this alloeosis.” (Walch W1 XX, 1180, paragr. 122; StL Ed. 20, 943, paragr. 122; [cf. Am. Ed. 37, 209-210]) Further below it says: “Especially little Zwingli is henceforth not worth answering anymore, unless he disavows [1880-56] his blasphemous alloeosis. For, as the proverb says: ‘An open lie is worth no reply.’ So also is anyone who denies a recognized article of faith to be avoided as a recognized heretic. Now, Zwingli denies not only this highest, most necessary article, ‘The Son of God died for us,’ but he blasphemes it besides and says, ‘That is the most horrible heresy that there ever was.’ His conceit and the damned alloeosis leads him to divide the person of Christ and leaves us no other Christ than a mere human being, who is said to have died for us and saved us. What Christian heart can hear or tolerate that? For the whole Christian faith and the salvation of the whole world is thereby destroyed and condemned. For whoever is saved only by human nature is certainly not yet saved and will never be saved.” (*) (Walch W1 XX, 1206-1207, paragr. 177; StL Ed. 20, 964, paragr. 177; [cf. Am. Ed. 37, 230-231]) [W1859-43]
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*) What Zwingli with his alloeosis asserted, is not only his teaching, but that of all the so-called Protestant fellowships outside of the Lutheran Church. They all claim, when Scripture says, that the Lord of Glory was crucified [1 Cor. 2:8], so this is called so far as: ‘The human nature of the Lord of Glory was crucified.’ Thereto Gerhard says: “If the mere human nature suffered, then it follows that the Person did not suffer for us, because the mere human nature is not the Person. If the Person did not suffer for us, then also the Son of God did not suffer for us, because God’s Son is the Person.” But to the Son of God is suffering and death attributed [Calvin proceeds], “not as if He had undergone some kind of change or suffering in the divine nature itself, but (1) personally, in so far the assumed flesh (human nature), which endured the pains and torments, assumed into the person of God’s Son, constitute one person with it; (2) by way of appropriating [the human nature] (zueignungsweise); (3) in that the Son of God supports the suffering human nature and, by His divine and infinite power, made the suffering precious before God and enough for the sins of the whole world.” (Exeg. IV, 195-197; [see CPH book On Christ - Theological Commonplaces – probable English translation]) Calvin goes so far that he wrote: “I admit that were Christ opposed simply, and by himself, to the justice of God, there could be no room for merit, because there cannot be found in man a worth which could make God a debtor … Therefore when we treat of the merit of Christ, we do not place the beginning in him, but we ascend to the ordination of God as [cont’d on 1880-57 footnote]
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In his writing On the Councils and the Churches Luther says with regard to the same subject: “Oh, Lord God, with such a blessed, comforting article should one in true faith, without contradiction or doubt, always be happy, sing, praise, and thank God the Father for [His] inexpressible mercy in allowing His dear Son to become a human being like us, and [our] Brother. Yet the accursed devil brings on such apathy, through proud, ambitious, [and] desperate people, that our precious and blessed joy is impeded and spoiled. May God have pity. For we Christians must know this: where God is not also in the scale and tips the balance, we on our side will sink to the bottom. So this is what I mean: where it should not say: God died for us, but only a man, then we are lost; but if God’s death and God deceased lies in the scale, then He sinks and we rise like a light empty balance scale. He can also ascend on high again or leap out of His scale. But He could not enter the scale without becoming a man like us, so that it could be said: God’s dying, God’s martyrdom, God’s blood, and God’s death. For, by His nature, God cannot die; but now that God and man are united in one person, it is correctly called ‘God’s death’ when that man dies who with God is one thing or one person.... I have indeed also had before me Nestorians, who fought very stubbornly against me that the divine nature of Christ could not suffer, and as a trademark symbol, Zwingli also wrote against me on this passage: ‘Verbum caro factum est (The Word was made flesh, John 1:14), and simply would not have that “was made” [or “became”] should apply to “Word.” [or Verbum (the Word) be called factum (made)]
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[cont’d from 1880-56 footnote] first cause is [to be].” (Cf. Instit. II, 17, 1; Institutes of the Christian Religion, CCEL) Luther, however, says on John 3: “For the sake of the high majesty of his person, his sleep and his fasting for a moment, or for hours, is better than all the works and fastings of all the saints on earth.”
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[1880-58] but wanted it to read “The flesh was made word,” (Verbum caro facta est) [Flesh (i.e., man) became the Word (i.e., God)]. Reason: God could not become anything. But at that time I did not know that this was the arrogance of Nestorius.” (Walch W1 XVI, 2728, 2730, paragrs. 169, 171; StL Ed. 16, 2231-2232, paragrs. 169, 171; [cf. Am. Ed. 41, 103-105]) [Endnote P]
To be sure it was first through Calvin [Essays1-50] these doctrines were admitted by part of the Reformed: that God unconditionally determined one part of mankind for salvation, the others to damnation; that God has a twofold dissimilar will, the secret and the revealed, the latter opposed by the former; that Christ died only for the elect and that He calls only these earnestly, that is, with the intent of making them believers and saved; that a believing, chosen person cannot lose the faith – but not only had Zwingli already taught this, even among the Lutherans those errors, at least in part, showed up as a result of misunderstood sayings of Luther. (*)
For evidence that the Calvinist-Reformed really cherish these teachings, may it suffice here the third chapter of the Presbyterian confession of faith, “Concerning the Eternal Counsel of God.” It reads as follows: “1. From all eternity, according to the exceedingly wise and holy counsel of His own will, God has freely and unalterably ordained everything that [W1859-44] happens; yet in such a way that neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence done to the free will of [His] creatures, nor is the freedom or contingency of second causes removed, but rather established. 2. Although God knows what may or can happen under all given circumstances, He has not predetermined anything because
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*) So taught, for example, a pastor at Kahla that the elect remain righteous and keep the Holy Spirit, even if they fall into manifest sins. Luther wrote of him: “He has been warned against this with chastening words, and we hope he will think better of it.” (Erlangen Ed. LV, 166)
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[1880-59] He foresaw it as lying in the future or as something that would happen under such circumstances. 3. According to the counsel of God, for the revelation of His glory, some human beings and angels are predestined to eternal life and others foreordained to eternal death. 4. These angels and human beings who are thus predestined and foreordained are in particular (in regard to their person) and unalterably predestined; and their number is so certain and limited that it can neither be increased nor decreased. 5. Those people who are predestined to [eternal] life, God chose for everlasting glory before the foundation of the world was laid, according to His eternal and unalterable purpose, according to the hidden counsel and pleasure of His will, out of His free grace and love, without any preconsideration of faith or of good works or of continuance in them or of any other thing in the creature, such as stipulations and causes that [might] move Him to do this; and all this to the praise of His glorious grace. 6. Just as God has predestined the elect to glory, so He has, according to an eternal and completely free purpose of His will, foreordained all [necessary] means to this end. Therefore those who—fallen in Adam— have been elected are redeemed by Christ, are truly called to faith in Christ by His Spirit at the proper time, are justified, receive the adoption of sons, [and] are sanctified and preserved by His might through faith to salvation. Nor is anyone else redeemed by Christ, effectively called, made righteous, received into sonship, sanctified, and saved, but only the elect. 7. It pleased God according to the unsearchable counsel of His will, by virtue of which He grants and denies grace as He pleases, to pass by the remainder of mankind, to the praise of His sovereign might over His creatures, and to ordain them to dishonor and wrath because of their sins, [1880-60, Part 21] to the praise of His glorious righteousness. 8. The doctrine of this sublime mystery of predestination must be treated with special wisdom and caution, so that the people, heeding His will as revealed in His Word and in obedience to Him, might, through the certainty of their effective calling, be assured of their eternal election. Thus this doctrine will become the object of praise, reverence, and admiration of God, and of humility, zeal, and overflowing comfort to all who truly obey the Gospel.” (See The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. Philadelphia, 1840, pp. 21—27; [cf. http://www.reformed.org/documents/wcf_with_proofs/])
As said before, these errors appeared already at Luther’s time even among the Lutherans – errors by reason of which overthrow the doctrine of justification, therefore Luther already earnestly witnessed against them. [W1859-45]
He writes in the year 1536 in a theological opinion: “Human reason composes a disparate will of God, as if God were a tyrant who has several assistants whose conduct pleases him, be it good or bad, and on the other hand he hates the others, regardless of what they do. So should one not think of God’s will in that way. This passage is eternally true (Ps. 5:4): Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness or sin. When he accepts the saints who still have sin in them, yet he yet does not accept them without a large payment. Christ had to be a sacrifice for whose sake God accepts and spares us, so long as we remain in faith and when we are in faith.”
Shortly before he had written: “On the basis of these and many other testimonies have we always in all churches unanimously taught thus: If a saint knowingly and willingly acts against God’s command, then he is no longer holy and has disavowed the true faith and the Holy Spirit; but if he turns around and repents, then [1880-61] God keeps His gracious oath in which he says, ‘As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live’ [Ezek. 33:11]. Therefore God, for Christ’s sake, accepts this convert, again to ignite in his heart, through the Gospel and the Holy Spirit, true faith. And we are not commanded to ask for a moment if we are elect, but it is enough that we know: Whoever finally remains in his repentance and faith, that is most certainly elect and saved, [Essays1-51] as Christ saith: Blessed are they who persevere to the end.’” (Erlangen Ed. LV, 165 f.; [Walch W1 X, 2000-2001, paragrs 8-7; StL Ed. 10, 1709-1710, paragrs. 8-7; not in Am. Ed.] )
Luther also writes in his House Postil, 1544 edition, on the Gospel for Septuagesima Sunday: “From the last sentence: ‘Many are called, but few are chosen, [Matt.. 20:16], the meddlesome heads derive various absurd and ungodly thoughts; they think: Whom God hath chosen, he shall be saved without means; but again, whom he has not chosen may do what he will, be as pious and devout as he will, yet it has been so ordered by God that he must fall, and he cannot be saved. Therefore, let happen what will. If I’m to be saved, it will happen without my cooperation; if not, whatever I do or carry out is in vain anyway. Anyone can easily gather by himself what kind of disobedient, secure people grow from such thoughts. … Some draw for themselves other ideas and interpret the words thus: Many are called, that is, God offers His grace to many; but few are chosen, that is, He permits His grace to be received by only a few, because only a few of them will be saved. That is an especially godless understanding. For how can it be possible for someone who thinks and believes nothing else about God not therefore to hate God, whose will alone is at fault that we won’t all be saved? But if you consider this opinion with that which emerges when you first learn to know the Lord Christ, [1880-62] you will find that they are pure devilish blasphemies. Therefore this passage has a far different meaning: ‘Many are called,’ etc., because the sermon of the gospel goes forth generally and in public, for whoever only hears and wants to accept it; and that is also why God lets the Gospel be proclaimed so commonly and publicly, so that everyone should hear, believe, and [W1859-46] accept it and be saved. As hereafter follows in the Gospel: ‘Few are chosen,’ i.e., few hold themselves with the Gospel that God has pleasure in them.” (Walch W1 XIII, 473-476, paragrs. 16-xx; StL Ed. 13, 199-20X, paragrs. 16-XX; not in Klug’s Sermons of Martin Luther: The House Postils; not in Am. Ed., old Series)
Here is another example of how different Luther’s doctrine of predestination is from that of Calvin. Commenting on the Lord’s words in Matt. 11:25, “ I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes,” – Calvin adds by way of explanation: “That few come to faith (and] others remain blinded and hardened—this is accomplished by his free election, because He draws some, whereas He passes the rest by, and he alone makes a distinction among men, whose condition by nature is alike.” (*) Luther, on the other hand, writes on the same words: “Christ here praises the fact that God is right in concealing his mysteries from the wise and prudent, because they want to be above, not under, God. Not that he concealed it in deed and truth or by his will, inasmuch as he commands that it be preached publicly under all the Heavens and in all lands; but he has chosen such preaching from which the wise and prudent by nature have a loathing, and that it is hidden from them because of their own fault, since they will not have it.”
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*) Cf. J. Calvini in N. T. Commentarii. Ed. Tholuck, vol. I, p. 274; [see CCEL ref. here]
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[1880-63, Part 22] (Walch W1 VII, 201, paragr. 35; StL Ed. 7, 133, paragr. 35; not in Am. Ed.) Furthermore, on the words in Matt. 13:13 and 15: “Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not … For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them..”— on these words writes Calvin: “He says that He speaks obscurely to the masses because they are not partakers of the true light. However, when He says that the blind are covered with a blanket so that they remain in their darkness, He does not ascribe to them the guilt for this situation, but rather thereby praises the grace the apostles experienced, because it is not equally common to all. So He gives no reason except the secret counsel of God, although the reason for it, hidden from us, is nevertheless known to Himself.... For this purpose the Lord actually wants His Word to be preached, that the hearts of men might be renewed and that they might be reconciled with Him. In regard to the rejected, however, Isaiah here proclaims to the contrary that their stony hardness remains in them, so that they attain no mercy and that the effect is withheld from the Word in their case so that it does not soften their hearts to repentance.” Over the same words Luther writes: “These words: Lest at any time they should see with their eyes ... and should be converted, and I should heal them,’ seem to be spoken out of jealousy, just as if He did not want them to see and to be helped. But the whole passage must be read as a relationship of one after another , that it hangs together as on a chain, as follows: These people have a hardened heart and ears that are dull of hearing and eyes that are closed, etc., that is why they cannot be converted and why they cannot be helped. As if He would say: ‘The [W1859-47] hardness of their heart stands in the [1880-64] way, that they do not see and that I cannot help them. I would gladly help them to be sure, He says, that is why I am sending My Son; but the hardness of their hearts stands in the way of My will and their salvation.” (Walch W1 VII, 295-296, paragr. 20; StL Ed. 7, 195, paragr. 20; not in Am. Ed. )
Of the universality of grace and reconciliation writes Luther on John 1:16: “Just as the dear sun does not darken or be eclipsed that it must shine on many people, indeed the whole world glories in its light, brightness, and luminousness; nevertheless it keeps all its light [and] loses nothing; it is an extremely bright light, could well illuminate even ten worlds…: thus Christ our Lord (to which we must have shelter and ask everything) [Essays1-52] is an unending wellspring and main source of all grace, truth, righteousness, wisdom, life, that is without measure, limit or bottom; so that even if the whole world were to draw from it so much grace and truth that all would be transformed into complete angels, still it would not lose as much as a drop; this fountain overflows forever, full of grace. Now whoever, no one excluded, wants to enjoy its grace, let him come and receive it from Him.” (Walch W1 VII, 1597, paragr. 322; StL Ed. 7, 1685-1686, paragr. 322; [cf. Am. Ed. 22, 134]) Further writes Luther on these words: “Behold the Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world”, John 1:29: “It is beyond measure the fine and comforting preaching about Christ our Savior; we can nevermore attain it with words, nor indeed also with our thoughts. In the life beyond we will forever find our joy and delight in this, that the Son of God so deeply abased Himself that He takes my sin on His back; yes, not only my sins, but also those of the whole world, from those of Adam down to the very last man, these sins will He take upon Himself; for these He is willing to suffer and die for them, so that I may be without sin and obtain eternal life and salvation. ... On this now stands the [1880-65] basis of all Christian doctrine; whoever believes this is a Christian; whoever does not believe it is no Christian, he will also find his portion. Indeed it is stated clear enough: ‘This is the dear Lamb of God, that bears the sin of the world, and this text is God’s Word and not our word, nor is it conceived by us that this Lamb was sacrificed by God for this reason and that the dear Lamb, in obedience to the Father, took upon Himself the whole world’s sin. But the world will not have this, it does not want to concede the honor to this dear Lamb that our salvation depends entirely on His bearing our sin. The world also wants to be something and the more it wants to do and atone for sin, the worse it makes things.... “The Lamb Himself preaches to us, saying: Behold, how I bear your sin, but no one will accept it; and if we believed and accepted it, no one would be damned. What more should the Lamb do? He says: You are all condemned, but I will take your sins upon Myself; I have become the whole world; I have taken on all people since Adam into My person, with the result that though we have inherited sin from Adam, He wants to give us righteousness in exchange. There I should say: I will believe this, that my dear Lord, the Lamb of God, has taken all sin upon Himself. Yet the world refuses to believe or to accept it, and if it did believe, no one would be lost. … That one but does not believe [W1859-48] is not from a lack of the Lord Christ, rather the guilt is mine. If I don’t believe it, so I lie in my condemnation. I must simply say that God’s dear Lamb has carried the sin of the world; and I am earnestly commanded to believe and confess it, also to die in it. — Yes, you may say, who knows whether He also carries my sin? I well believe that He bore the sin of St. Peter, St. Paul, and other saints; they were devout people; Oh, that I were like St. Peter or St. Paul! Do you not hear, [1880-66, Part 23] then, what St. John is saying here: This is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world! Now, you indeed cannot deny that you are also a part of the world. ... So you (now) are in the world and your sins are a part of the world’s sin, so stands here the text: All that denotes sin, world, and the world’s sin, from the beginning of the world until the end, all this rests solely on the Lamb of God; and because you are also a part of the world and remain in the world, so will you indeed enjoy thereof what is said at this place of the text.” (Walch W1 VII, 1639-1640, 1642, 1648-1650; paragrs. 385, 389, 398, 399, 400-401; StL Ed. 7, , paragrs. 385, 389, 398, 399, 400-401; [cf. Am. Ed. 22, 162-165, 168 f.])
How the Calvinists, with their doctrine of unconditional predestination and related errors, no troubled conscience can truly comfort and make certain of his salvation, shows Gerhard. (*) He
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*) So just here the essayist read from the Erlanger Zeitschrift (in the first issue of the year 1859) the following judgement by Eberle, well known to have eagerly studied Luther: “The eternal election to salvation is what Calvin rests on; it should offer him the objective certainty of his state of grace. And what did Luther want with his doctrine of the means of grace? ‘Christ in Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, or in the preaching of the divine Word — there will I find Him’ he explains himself. In the Word, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper he sees the means to partake of Christ, of becoming objectively certain of his share in Him. That is the common ground in the diversity; Calvin’s doctrine of predestination [and] Luther’s doctrine of the means of grace are only different approaches to one and the same goal: to become objectively certain of one’s state of grace. … As to which of the two ways of arriving at objective certainty is the right one, Luther’s or Calvin’s, one could scarcely remain in doubt. If I am from eternity elected by God to salvation, then, to be sure, I have therein the strongest possible objective assurance: but if I am elected? — on that I have no immediate certainty; I can gather it only from this, that by Gods power I believe in Christ. But the vacillations to which faith is subject have been discussed above. So Calvin, while trying to lead [us] beyond subjective certainty, leads [us] back to it. ... But in order to be able to rejoice in my eternal election, I must first, by another and more direct route, be certain of my state of grace. “Luther found precisely this more direct route to certainty with his statement cited: ‘Christ in Baptism, in Communion, or in the preaching of the divine Word— that is where I will find Him.’... Calvin demands without further ado that I should believe that I as an individual have from eternity been elected, whereas thousands of others around me are supposed to have been [cont’d on 1880-67 footnote]
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[1880-67] writes: “It is easy to see that that [W1859-49] system of an unconditional rejection is not the golden chain of salvation, but is rather the rope by which one falls into the ruin of despair. For what can they present a man for his consolation who is distressed either because of the sense of sin, or complains of the weakness of his faith, or is troubled by the thought that he belongs to reprobate? Maybe they will refer him to the infinite mercy of God? But the contested one is barred by the horrible decree of rejection, as Calvin calls it, through which God’s mercy is not little or insignificantly
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[cont’d from 1880-66 footnote] consigned to eternal damnation. That is overburdened; for to what should I hold to? I find in Scripture no special promise made out to my name or person [Essays1-53] spelled out. Here is missing is a connecting tie, if it is not, as already noted, to be a subjective but wavering faith. Otherwise is Luther. He requires of a Christian only faith in a general truth: that wherever Word and sacrament are, there is Christ. That is not hard, for it is a hundred times easier to believe a general truth than to personally appropriate to oneself what it says, as everyone knows. But if I have learned the Word: Where Word and sacrament are, there is Christ — and for this statement I have a foothold in Scripture, whereas I have no evidence in Scripture for my personal election from eternity — so have I not far to go for the personal application: ‘Christ is in Word and sacrament also for me.’ … But, there is another point to be considered, [a point] that unfortunately is usually overlooked, to which we must therefore pay all the more attention: ‘As you believe, so it comes to pass for you.’ That is a keynote in Luther’s faith, and a truth that conforms equally with Scripture and with experience. The measure of what we receive depends on the measure of our faith. (See, e.g., 2 Kings 13:14,19; Ps. 81:10, and the word of the Lord: ‘Be it unto you according to your faith.’) The author is not afraid to repeat the statement made elsewhere: A congregation sustained by the consciousness that God can be heard and is really present among us in Word and sacrament—such a congregation is sure to have its own Pentecost Day. Whoever and however often one believes this: Where Word and sacrament are present, there Christ is also present, that person will possess Christ not only in the age-old faith but also in living experience—[and] with Him the direct assurance of grace. That is how Luther leads a Christian by a direct and easy way to the objective certainty of his salvation—and [he does] this in a way that protects him against carnal security, for he does not hold out for him any unconditional promise for the future, but bids him daily to renew his assurance of salvation in faith” (p. 116, 123, 124-125. [cf. Zeitschrift für Protestantismus und Kirche, vol. 37-1, “Zur Unionsfrage: Calvin's Prädestinationslehre, Luther's Lehre von den Gnadenmitteln”, PDF scan copy, marked pages in PDF here]).
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[1880-68] made shaky. – Or to the merit of Christ? But the contested one will object that Christ died only for the elect, but that he doesn’t know if he is in the number of the elect; indeed, because he was taught in the schools of the opponents, that only the human nature, not the person, of Christ died, he will answer from Calvin: ‘I confess that if one were to oppose the judgment of God with Christ, in and of Himself, no merit would accrue, for the worthiness that might earn God’s favor would never be found in a man!’ – Or to the calling through the Word? But the contested one will object that the inner call is one thing, the outward is another; that many are called outwardly by the Word, but God has inwardly rejected them by an unconditional decree, and of which he therefore did not want them to come. – Or to the promises of the Gospel? But the contested one will object that they are not universal but apply only to those who are elect, that grace is effectively offered only to a few with the purpose that it be conferred on them, as Piscator writes. – Or to his Baptism, in which he had been washed of sins, born again through the Holy Spirit, and included into the covenant of God? But the contested one will object from Beza, that neither all children, nor any, in deed and truth, are born again in the moment of being baptized, but that the blessing of rebirth only follows that act of baptism in due time, as God ordained it, when the children follow in their hearing of the Word; and, with Piscator, that it really is not even true of the elect that God has appropriated them in His covenant by circumcision itself. – Or on the use of Holy Communion, which was instituted to strengthen the faith? But from this they have removed and outlawed the sacramental union of the body and blood [1880-69, Part 24] of Christ long ago and only kept a figurative presence, i.e., only lets remain the presence of a far, far absent body of Christ.
Or to the goodness of Christ the Mediator? But they hold so sure that same is present for us only according to His divine nature (which is a consuming fire), but that the human nature of Christ, according to which He is our Brother, is as far distant from us as the [W1859-50] highest heaven is from the lowest earth.
Or to the feeling of faith? But the feeling of faith often disappears in our hearts, especially in time of temptation. The distressed one will therefore conclude: I don’t feel faith, so I do not have faith, therefore God doesn’t want that I have faith, so I am in the number of the reprobate.
Or to the hallmarks of faith? But what hallmarks are cited by the opponents as signs of faith can also be pointed out in those who have fallen from the grace of God; but, now, according to the assumption of the opponents, the latter have never had the true faith; so no one can be sure that he has the true faith of the elect. [Essays1-54]
Or to the office of the Word and the Sacraments? But the distressed one will answer from Beza: He offends against God which holds that God either to men by whose mouth God speaks, or to the outward Word of God itself, or the sacramental signs even the slightest part of this His divine truth for the renewal of people and for their preservation ascribes to eternal life in Christ. If we want, hence, that the purity of the heavenly doctrine and the basis of our faith remain unscathed, we may absolutely not allow dreaming of religious co-mingling, or disguise these heresies as unimportant, but must defend the truth with all our power.” (Loci theologici, Locus de bonis operibus. Epist. dedicator.) [Endnote Q]
[1880-70]
How is it that the consciousness that the Evangelical Lutheran Church alone is entrusted with the pure doctrine of justification is often faded away even within this our church?
The short answer to this question is: Because most of the teachers of the same have themselves lost this gem.
1. A portion of them still pay homage namely to the vulgar rationalism and the Pelagian so-called supernaturalism. [Endnote R]
2. Another part preaches a modified Christianity with many principles of modern philosophy and, in consequence of that, newly warmed over with all sorts of rehashed old heresies. [Endnote S]
3. A third part has drunk from the cup of delirium with the spirit of unionism of our time and, intoxicated by it, this part considers purity of doctrine unimportant and sets true Christianity [1] in a love that is not zealous for the truth, even indifferent to it, and [2] in external common works for the extension of the kingdom of God and for remedying also certain carnal distresses of our time. [Endnote T]
4. A fourth part seeks salvation in fanatical excitement of feelings through all sorts of new measures in contempt of God’s means of grace. [Endnote U]
5. A fifth part consists of those who have indeed recognized the ungodly nature of unionism (der Union), but now, in opposition to the Reformed, instead of on the pure doctrine of justification, lays the main stress on outward ecclesiasticism, on the visibility of the true church, on its ceremonies, orders, and constitution, on the office of the ministry as [W1859-51] a special level generated by ordination [1880-71] and its privileged intermediation of grace, on the effect of the sacraments ex opere operato (i.e., by the mere use apart from faith), and so forth. And in part, besides all this, they either are themselves given to various favorite errors that have become fashionable in our time among the so-called “faithful,” e.g., chiliasm, the hades doctrine [see LuW 1871 Oct., Nov. Dec.; pgs 289 ff.], etc., or at least want particularly these heresies to be tolerated in the church as relating to open questions [see LuW April 1868 pgs 100 ff.], and not infrequently in a driven way try to create and preserve (treiberisch) a legalistic godliness. [Endnote V]
What measures should be taken to wake up that lost consciousness again?
Should that consciousness come to life again in our church, so it is necessary:
1. On the part of the servants of the church, that they before all study diligently, next to God’s Word and especially the epistles of Paul, the precious Confessions of our church with humble and heartfelt desire for knowledge of the pure evangelical truth; and, among all our fathers in instruction, to choose Luther, in order to learn from him, with fervent invocation for the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, the true preaching of the righteousness that is valid before God and, what is most dearly connected thereto, the proper distinction between Law and Gospel; and then, that they, the pastors, proving all faithfulness in this better knowledge thus attained by God’s grace, untiringly compel the pure doctrine of justification as the basic and chief doctrine, imprint it in their hearers, and conform all their sermons, catechism instruction, private teaching, exhortations, punishments, consolations, counseling, in short, their whole care of souls and congregational leadership to the pure doctrine of justification [1880-72, Part 25] as the root, the central point, and the crown of all doctrine. *) [Endnote W] [W1859-52]
2. On the part of the listeners, however, it will be necessary above all that they be introduced to this pure pasture of the sweet Gospel, which alone makes one willing and cheerful for good works, also in particular that they be established in Luther’s writings and have awakened within them the joy of reading the same, the understanding of them
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*) Hereby, we finally notice, it is in no way meant that also the Law should not and must not be preached in all its sharpness, rather the pure doctrine of justification puts such preaching ahead, without which preaching of the Law it can not be pure at all. The justification preached in the fullness of its comfort is in no way the saltless sweetish Herrnhutish [see Moravian Church] playing with comforting features of the Gospel. In fact, even the constant prominence of comforting [truths] is not the essence of pure, uncurtailed preaching of the doctrine of justification. Not every preacher can, given the differing natures of the congregations, give consolation to the same extent as Luther did in his early writings. He speaks of this himself as follows: “Therefore the antinomians (Law strikers) justly deserve to have everyone hostile towards them as they would try to remain and defend with our example; even though it is manifest why we taught about God’s [Essays1-55] grace in the beginning as we did. The cursed pope had fully suppressed poor consciences with his man-made traditions, had taken away all true means, help, and comfort with which poor, fearful hearts might have been saved from despair: what, then, should we have done at that time other than again to raise up the oppressed and burdened hearts and hold out true consolation? But we also know well that one must speak differently to those who are flush, tender and fat. At that time we were all cast out and exceedingly miserable. The water in the bottle was gone, that is, there was no comfort available. We were lying there dying, just like Ishmael under the shrub. Therefore we needed such teachers who presented the grace of God to us and taught us how we might be refreshed. But the antinomians would have it that one must begin the doctrine of repentance simply with grace; but I myself did not proceed in this manner. For I well knew that Ishmael was first driven out and despondent before he was comforted by an angel. Therefore I followed that example and comforted no one except only those who first felt remorse and sorrow for their sin and had despaired of themselves, whom the Law had frightened, whom Leviathan had crushed and totally stunned.” (On Gen. 21:15-16, [Walch vol. 1, cols 2144-2145, paragrs. 174-176; StL Ed. vol 1, cols. 1428-1429, paragrs 2144-2145; cf. Am. Ed. vol. 4, 50 f.]) But since it is not the essayist’s issue to show how justification is to be rightly preached, he breaks off this matter, leaving the solution of this important task to one more experienced and to another time.
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[1880-73] be conveyed and developed, be shown, without exception, the essential distinction and advantage between them and all other human devotional tracts, and pointed to the proper use of the treasures contained therein of luminous knowledge and deep Christian experience.
The essayist does not doubt that if this happens, not only would soon return to its members the faded consciousness that the Evangelical Lutheran Church alone has been entrusted with the pure doctrine of Justification, but with the return thereof by the repossession of this most precious doctrinal jewel, the blessing would be renewed like the age of the Reformation which was so rich, comparable only with that of the apostles.
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There were in-depth discussions, whose summary is included in the following on the reading of each point. Everyone will readily see that the Synod did not only let Luther, etc., speak, but that the presenter’s own heart has played a part. The well-disposed reader will want to remember that in such a completely open conference the comments on this or that point in the essay often anticipated what really belonged to one of the following points. Still it will be dear to many and they will be served toward better understanding by the fact that we have shown through back and forth looking references with roman letters, the points of the essay referred to by the relevant comments.
[A] It is mostly a matter of tradition to praise the article of justification by faith alone as the main doctrine: but very few fully appreciate the wealth of wonderful testimonies of our fathers on this point and the incomparable confession contained therein; yes, for the most part they do not understand what justifying [1880-74] faith is, and often take the word faith for the whole Christian religion, as everyone imagines it in his own way. If the sects read these testimonies, so they agree well with the praise of faith, but they take their devotion, their feelings, and their activity to be faith, while Luther by it understands nothing else than the sole vision towards God’s promises and seizing and appropriating them, despite the fact that the heart sees nothing but sin and wrath, death and damnation, but he understands the faith of the sects as a dream and foam faith. We ourselves are far from understanding the pertinent testimonies in their full power, so that we have continued to study on it, how Luther drew forth this article of justification from the well of God’s Word, where he will then become so new to us again every day, as if we never heard him before. [W1859-53]
[B] ^ One often does not know why Luther calls the article of justifying faith difficult, which nevertheless seems so easy to many; but such one does not understand Luther. For many it may, through God’s grace, not be so difficult to have a good sermon on justification: but Luther speaks here about the whole nature and way of treating the work of Christ in such a way that not only every other doctrine is influenced by the doctrine of justification, but that it appears as its necessary component. That is hard — so hard that no fanatical spirit, no one who does not have the Holy Spirit can somehow do it. Incidentally to note, we can and should learn from this to judge Luther differently than it usually happens today, since in many cases what is called his weakness is just his strength. — Luther wants to know all other doctrines drawn from the depths of the doctrine of justification; whatever does not flow from it is for him a shameful denial of Christ. If we compel the doctrine of justifying faith in this way, it will [1880-75, Part 26] become evident that the sects (Methodists, followers of [Jacob] Albright [Albrechtsleute, see Evangelical Association], etc.) are the bitterest enemies of the doctrine of justification, and that we will really begin to bear the reproach of Christ and will be [Essays1-56] persecuted as the most horrible seducers that ever walked the earth, just as Luther also testifies that blood was first shed on earth because of this doctrine and so indeed also the last will certainly flow over of it. Both the Pietists of earlier times as well as the so-called “modern theologians” often show how hard this doctrine is can be seen in that they teach it purely in itself, but then in the application and the many warnings, – indeed not to access it before one has first found oneself especially prepared in many respects – they take back from aggrieved sinners all that was given, as if the thirsty one were first offered delicious grapes and then given a shock when he now wants to take them. Where else does the resistance to the comforting doctrine of absolution come from, as today the opposition goes on and on, except since they have not grasped our main article? God grant that our proceedings on this subject might be the trumpet to awaken the hearts of many also among ourselves, so that we may smite us on the forehead and realize how we ourselves are still so clouded over in it and how, though indeed by the grace of God we have been led on the right road from the beginning of the existence of our Synod, but still here are many previously unsuspected treasures. By our fathers at the time of the Reformation, God already had them drawn from the mine of the Word. He does not show such a grace twice. Therefore, if we do not want to draw from the them, and especially from Luther, so we will have to starve. As God gives food to a child through its father, and it must perish if it does not want to take it from him: so God has entrusted the Bread of Life to our father Luther therewith to feed us. If we despise this grace of [1880-76] God and want be a Luther ourselves, so we must waste away.
[C] One can see in Luther so purely what it means to have a solid heart, of which our unionistic time so does not know anything. He confers all, however high, glorious, great and powerful they are, to the devil, as soon as they argue against our doctrine of justification, and namely, as he says, from “inspiration of the Holy Spirit.” Such courage only a [one?] [W1859-54] man can have, who who has been given a rich measure of the Holy Spirit. Whom else can be found one who had, in addition to joyfulness of heart, such formidable earnestness and holy wrath?! Remember that Luther wrote this when all papal powers had conspired to exterminate Luther and our church. On that he writes that the mighty emperor Charles, whose kingdom was so great that the sun did not set on his lands, and all the emperors and princes of the whole world should let stand our church and its basic doctrine; and therefore he defies them before their eyes, without any other weapon than God’s Word. The whole of world and church history gives us no example of a similar courage. Indeed the tyrants would have brought him to the stake if God had not held their hands, — if he would not have needed him as the Reformer. Everyone else would have been torn in such circumstances into a thousand pieces. Luther himself was in spirit on the funeral pyre for nearly 30 years, whose death he would have endured with gladness and rejoicing: but it was not God’s will that he should teach by his death at first, but in and through his life. But as he kept the field against his enemies only because the doctrine of justification lived in his heart, and he accordingly taught it ever and again: so also our Synod can be victorious against the sects and all other enemies only if a fire, lit by a correct [1880-77] knowledge of the doctrine of justification, starts to flare up in us as it burned in dear Luther.
[D] It is a consolation for our time, though a sad one that Luther complains about the terrible lack of a right knowledge of our article already in his lifetime and in the middle of the Lutheran Church, that even in 1530, also the year of the handing over of the Augsburg Confession, he testified that only very few understood it rightly, while although most pastors could indeed thoroughly scold very well against the popes and the priests, it was at best that they managed to fall into an expression of the doctrine of justification correctly and they spoke of it like a dream. With all [his] complaints about the blatant contempt for this doctrine, Luther nevertheless, after being very mercifully freed from the papal yoke, was willing to teach and preach it with all his might till his death—and indeed, you know, faithfully did so. It is fitting for us to note this to our salutary shame. We—alas!—only too often want to hold back the full comfort of the Gospel from our congregations when we are faced with a lack of fruit from it; then the poor people must remain lying in their misery, and no more help is for them. We often still lack the proper compassion and love of Christ for these poor souls that Luther abundantly had that he neither would nor could hide the riches of divine grace, although and precisely because his heart was ready to break because of the prevailing contempt of these riches. It is also strange how fearfully his prophecy was fulfilled that after his death things would come to the point at which none of the Wittenberg theologians would remain faithful to the true doctrine of justification. Especially it is to be remembered finally that Chemnitz, deeply moved by Luther’s complaints, cites negligent learning and cold teaching of this article as the reason for its eclipse and its final downfall.
[E] The most simple-minded Christian will readily recognize the voice of the Antichrist in the main symbol of papists, in the decisions of the Council of Trent, when here no justification is recognized that consists only in forgiveness of the sinner by imputation of the merit of Christ, but only such an imaginary justification as supposedly consists in the fact that one has a new heart, is devout, and has love and good works. So teaches the papal church still teaches at the present day. Because although a Jesuit may now also say [Essays1-57] that one is justified by grace alone, so this means to him nothing else as that Christ is the cause that man can become virtuous. He preaches thereby basically nothing more than the old pagan doctrine. Thereafter justification would not be a judicial action, after which God sees the poor sinner, for Christ's sake, as has he no sin; but rather a medical action, after which God works over man’s heart, senses, and mind for the treatment. Since justification in the latter sense should happen according to the measure of one’s own acquired holiness, so certainly can no one thereby become sure of his state of grace, whereas by the pure doctrine no measurement is spoken of, rather God makes us all equally holy and just by imputation of the merit that Christ won for us. — Here one can rightly see how the Enthusiasts are basically as much like the papists as one egg is like the other, in which only their way of speaking is different. Enthusiasts comfort no sinner if he does not first say that his heart has been changed. For them the sanctification comes from the justification just so little as the papist, but it is to them the same reason. If the Spirit of God is not also there where they prevail, prove faithful and finally yet lead at least a few to Christ, so there could not one soul be saved.
Indeed he sects differ from the papists in that they want to be certain of their state of grace: however hereby they come here again entirely back to the [1880-79] papistic principle of justification, since they do not base their certainty on the eternally constant Word, but on their own shaky feelings, wherefore they are either hypocrites or often must complain that they have lost Christ. Hence also their efforts by all sorts of means excite their feelings their emotions and that the cheerful today boasts often one or the other of his conversion, and yet so soon without comfort must step up again to the mourners’ bench. As no heathen attains the Holy Spirit except through God’s Word, so also all who really have Him, originally obtained Him only through the Word; to separate Him from it and rely on having the Holy Spirit without the Word is extremely sad and means nothing otherwise than the testimony of the Spirit lost again.
[F] Also therein are the Methodists, etc., like the papists in that they say that the justified can keep the commandments of God. If the pertinent remarks of the Council of Trent were presented to them, without them knowing where they came from, they would declare them to be pure doctrine. The only difference is that the papists are better than they at supporting this false doctrine with spurious reasons. But, of course, only with spurious reasons. Since when they say that God demands of us nothing that we cannot perform, indeed that he has no right to do this, it is indeed true that he demands nothing but what we could do if we had kept [W1859-56] what he gave us at Creation; but now, after we have fallen, should God have less right herein than a creditor who confronts debtors with his demands though he probably already knows well that they are unable to pay — merely to remind them of their debt and bring them to a confession of it? Just so false is their proof from Matt. 11:30, because here the yoke and the burden, as Luther also proves, are not the Law, but the cross of the believers. To the Christian as a Christian, to be sure, also [1880-80] the Law is light, not only so far as Christ has fulfilled it for him, but also because his own whole life is a fulfilling of the Law, flowing unbidden from faith: but so far as the Christian still has his flesh, the Law remains for him an unbearable burden. Love is the fulfilling of the Law [Romans 13:10]; but we indeed find within us no perfect love, rather at most drops of it. Christ, as Christ and as Savior, does not lay on us the Law: he is not a lawgiver, but only an interpreter of it, and that also not after his true office, but rather — as indeed also Moses goes on in his prophecy of Christ — performing, as it were, a function not really His own. — That he meanwhile does so interpret the Law, provides us with a splendid proof for the third use of the Law, according to which it should be a rule for the lives of the children of God.
[G] A further likeness of the Methodists and the papists is that Holy Baptism is for those as for these only a ship (that breaks up later) for the start of the journey to heaven, but a person’s own repentance is the second plank, whereon they want to reach it.
[H] Oh, what a world of difference there is between the papists’ absolution and ours! We say: ‘God has in Christ already absolved all sinners; the pastor — as well as everyone else who consoles the sinner with the Gospel — brings him only this absolution, and whoever believes this, has it. To the papists, it is quite different. As surely as there is true remorse, true confession, true works of satisfaction, true ordination of the priest, etc., so certain become the sins forgiven. That means, however, that no one is certain, as no one can ever be certain whether in all these parts everything is ordered and quite perfect. Everything is built here on man, so on sand, on mud. Hereby is also not to lose sight of the fact that a distinction is to be made between absolution and indulgence.
[1880-81, Part 28] In the former only the eternal punishments of the confessed sins, in contrast all temporal sins and church punishments are by other means: works of satisfaction, Masses, church building, with the indulgences attached to it, in short: through money they should become remitted. Moreover, the temporal punishments only cease with the Judgment Day, so that also the torments of purgatory are reckoned in addition, since most cannot carry all the unpaid temporal punishments already before their death, which is why it is again said: “Money here, so the torment of purgatory be abbreviated!”
Unfortunately! it is also in the Lutheran Church in many cases falsely taught and believed regarding absolution, in that one wants to rely on their [Essays1-58] repentance and so absolution is not believed where the repentance is not perfect. While Pope and Enthusiasts condemn our pure doctrine on this, man generally does not want to place his salvation on something [W1859-57] outside, but only in himself. How many temptations arise for the believers precisely from the fact that they do not always quite believe from the heart that God is already fully reconciled! Faith is the confident appropriation of what happened in Christ and through Christ. It does not make reconciliation, but grabs it. Therefore the apostle does not say, e.g., “Let God be reconciled to you!” but says, “Be reconciled to God!” [2 Cor. 5:20], i.e., believe that through Christ’s merit death is swallowed up, the fire of hell has been extinguished, heaven has been opened. In absolution we apportion what Christ has acquired. Now, He has perfectly acquired everything for everybody, so that it now says: “all things are ready!” [Matt. 22:4]. While lying in sins it is admittedly not possible to trust God, since the Holy Spirit has been forced to yield; could but all believe, then all would also be equally saved, for there is only one sin that hurls to hell: unbelief, — as our Lord Christ, among others, so clearly attested in the Gospel of Cantate Sunday [John 16:5-15]. [1880-82]
[I] Truly frightful it is that the papists will have for believers who are so little saved as unbelievers — believing fornicators, thieves, and those living in other vices. For them, as for the Methodists, faith counts for nothing, for no other cause than that they know not the true faith. Quite significantly Luther calls them ‘rag-washers” that one thus lets go, because they want to whitewash themselves before God with their own holiness. But we, should learn that faith is no small thing — learn this without ceasing, that God has laid all our sin on Christ. Then we will certainly also experience that faith is a power of God. If we think, however, that we are able to believe only if we previously have become changed people, then we will never arrive there.
[K] The many curses our doctrine of justification in the Tridentine Confession, which indeed are loud curses on Christ and His believers, testify quite clearly to the fury and deep maliciousness of Satan and his Antichrist because of God’s graciously bestowed revelation of the blessed Gospel through the Reformation.
[L] What Zwingli said in his 1530 presentation of the Augsburg Confession on the Sacrament [of Holy Communion] was not accepted. He says namely that it does not bring the Holy Spirit and the forgiveness of sins and it also applies to the Reformed Church in regard to the Word of God. He held that not through the Word is the Spirit obtained, but beside it and in the instances when it is proclaimed. His confession is that the Word is a mere invitation to the Spirit that he may come. Therefore also the terrifying, blasphemous interpretation of Zwingli's John 3: 8, in which he appears as a very common rationalist. So the difference between the Lutheran and the Reformed Churches consists not only, as we often think, that individual Scripture passages are viewed and interpreted differently, but [1880-83] lies in the deepest essence of faith, in that the Reformed Church “rips apart the bridge and path” by which the Lord will come to the poor sinner, and makes the free grace of God into an achievement of human power. The means of grace are to the Reformed sects not means for the administration of God’s grace, but only means to motivate themselves to pray for grace. — Our church teaches now indeed in its confessional writings [W1859-58] and through its faithful witnesses that God provides for us so faithfully that the grace acquired by Christ will also be given us, in fact through Word and sacrament, after the clear testimony of Holy Scripture, as we have it, e.g., in 1 John 5, where the three witnesses on earth are nothing more than the Word of God, Holy Baptism, and Lord's Supper, and where it does not say: Christ is already there, before or without these means of grace, but: He comes by water and by blood” [1 John 6 in the German]; but dear God! how is it that the Reformed error has invaded so many many of our church, so that prevails even there where, by the grace of God, the pure doctrine resounds? Why else do some in our congregations every now and then fights against confession and absolution after the sermon each Sunday, since one indeed, if they believed that in the announcement of absolution one receives the forgiveness of sins, should then willingly run 100,000 miles for it? — Furthermore, whence is there aversion against private absolution, as because one does not believe that everyone is already redeemed, also those are redeemed that are sweating in hell, and that now it is only necessary that man knows and believes this, and that the treasure acquired through Christ of redemption is imparted, just what happens so comprehensibly in private absolution, where God calls out to each individual, “You are meant!”? Our congregations often believe that they are in good standing: now that they are indeed Old Lutherans, because they have a pastor of our Synod; and yet the outlook of their faith is so saddening. [1880-84, Part 29] The faith is difficult but even that not everyone clings to the pure doctrine herein is the misery of all miseries, and it reigns there still so often. We ourselves should take this more to heart than we have until now. We should make the chief doctrine also our chief business! What does God aim for finally with all preaching? Nothing else than to give us the certainty of the forgiveness of our sins. Where we have that, everything is good and pure. However God daily provides that every day this be newly preached, because we are so shamefully unbelieving people. Many a one probably says, “If God would tell me personally that [Essays1-59] my sins are forgiven, as he said it to the paralytic, then would I believe it; but what can that help me that the preacher says it, since he doesn’t know how my case stands, in that he no doubt holds me more penitent than I am?” Where else does this come from than that one does not believe, that Christ has acquired everything, that God has indeed spoken actually and directly, and that Word, that everything for our good is done, — that, as Christ hung on the cross, one died for all, then were all dead [2 Cor. 5:14], all have been atoned the penalty for their sins at the cross, — that Word God has sealed in that He raised His Son Jesus from death, and that now forgiveness from Him is placed in the Word we speak. But whoever does not believe this denies the resurrection of Christ. To bring the forgiveness of sins is now not so very difficult; but well to believe it. It says: “According to your faith be it unto you!” [Matt. 9:29]. But would the forgiveness not be in the word that we speak, there would be nothing to believe. As surely as God regards faith in us, so surely is forgiveness in the words. And this is the greatest grace, that God has directly linked forgiveness to the Word, because no one could certainly know whether God really spoke to him — as indeed when also the sects cannot with certainty know [W1859-59] from whom of what they experience on the mourners bench. It now misses [1880-85] only the mark that one believes, that to faith alone is everything situated. That we now in so many ways are papists without a pope, and that, instead of seizing forgiveness freely through faith, we first with our repentance want to earn it, we owe in large part to Zwingli’s accursed doctrine and other learned gentlemen of his peers.
Here, however, some might well ask: “If your pastors always forgive sins, then why do you turn some back from the Sacrament [of the Lord’s Supper]?” Answer: For this reason, that their wicked life is to us a sure sign that they cannot believe they are redeemed, even though they truly are. A wicked one indeed does not once seriously believe a just God: how can he be expected to believe a gracious God? Now we are given the commandment that we should not misuse the name of God. But to use it for absolution in relation to those of whom we know that they cannot believe, is misusing Him. That is why we turn back such people, and not perhaps as though we thought the Word, when spoken over the unrepentant, did not bring forgiveness. Therefore the sinner may be in any kind of condition; if all the devils cried out that he was damned and he himself saw nothing in himself, as a Judas: but can he seize forgiveness in faith, so he may do it confidently, and as he believes, so it is done for him [cf. Matt. 8:13].
[M] Luther masterfully captures the spiritual disease of our time. How marvelously he contrasts forgiveness through the Word with the “inner light” of the Enthusiasts. They regard everyone that yet bases forgiveness of sins on the Word as unconverted, and they call only him converted who can boast of so-called experiences and builds on them. These experiences or special happenings and feelings in the soul and spirit they call the grace of God, while Holy Scripture presents grace as that which is in the heart of God-His favor, mercy, and love, which [grace] is [1880-86] set forth in the Word and now should only be believed, and on the other hand calls the experiences gifts. And indeed these are even wonderful gifts; but whoever bases the forgiveness on them has built on sand, because God sometimes lets sweet feelings arise also in hypocrites, and should he be saved, so must the Holy Spirit first lead him away from that and to trust in the Word. [see Christian Dogmatics 2, pg 17, Christliche Dogmatic Band 2, pg 16]
[N] How one earlier put in place of the Gospel such things as monastic life, pilgrimages, and such things, so nowadays they are mourners’ bench, camp meetings and class meetings, temperance movements, and anti-smoking unions. So, e.g., whoever puts away his pipe. that is applied to conversion; whoever does not do it, must be of the devil. So is the sweet Gospel, which itself mirrors Heaven with all its glory, inverted into the Law, and miserable dirty tricks where nothing of the love of God is situated, adorns one with the precious words of Scripture, the poor souls thereby plagued unto their death, only to plunge with them into the abyss of hell. And before such false saints we ourselves have often great respect: simple-minded Christians hardly dare ever to speak against their miserable stuff and, in contrast, to boast about the righteousness of Christ obtained in Holy Baptism. God help us improve it! The sects know how to lead nobody to trust in the Word; at most they can direct poor sinners to prayer with the false [W1859-60] consolation that they finally may thus obtain grace from God. However this is nothing else than a denial of Christ, because no one acquires grace for themselves through prayer: It is already there in the Word, and in prayer we call God now only to give us faith in this Word. The more we draw here, and so from the fountain of grace, so much more will we find then also the gift itself, that more and more the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, which then ignites our love as a true fruit within us. Only faith alone brings true love. Why is there so [1880-87, Part 30] little of it, except because of the false doctrine about faith? Whoever stands truly in the faith despises no sinner: once he confesses Christ and adheres to Him, he is dearer, higher, and more precious to him than all the emperors of the world, and even were he the least person of all; when one reckons others as fellow guests at the table of Christ's grace, there is true love. Indeed, the believer will be without much complaint when put upon, because: “he to whom much is forgiven, he loveth much” [cf. Luke 7:47]. In contrast, the alleged love by the sects is nothing else than a bare complimenting [Essays1-60] of the holiness in each other. We ourselves even see — unfortunately! — also only too often first the holiness and great works in the neighbor and bow before them. So long as our heart has not become sure of the love of God, again it cannot love: it cannot burn with love so long as its fire has not been ignited through the Gospel. All modern Christianity does not want to believe God on His bare Word, — wanting only to believe if first one feels the grace within himself and thinks one can be certain by himself. That is in fact nothing else than to suffer shipwreck of faith, and is glorified however as the highest humility and piety.
[O] Stroke by stroke Luther paints the Christianity of our time. Only in himself does one want to look for Christ and will not rather be content until he allegedly finds him there. It is customary only to ask,, “Do you have Christ in your heart? do you feel how he works in it?” If he says the answer “Yes!” only then will there be comfort and hope, then one will believe, as indeed for example a Methodist comforts no one until he says that he feels Christ in the heart. But what one thus calls faith is not faith, but a pure illusion or, at best, a fruit of faith. Woe to him who trusts on that! because this means making a false Christ for oneself [1880-88] and rejects the Christ who hung on the cross and gives himself to us in the Gospel. A tree remains a tree, also in winter when it shows no fruit, indeed no blossoms or leaves, and seems quite dead: so a Christian remains a Christian so long as he seizes the merit of Christ by faith in the Gospel, even if he feels nothing of Christ, indeed nothing but death in the heart. — Incomparable is Luther's use of the word, that Christ is to be found only in that which is the Father’s, i.e., in the Word of God, is in direct opposition to such a Christianity whereby one wants to look for Him within oneself and, in contrast, condemns as literal and dead faith the faith in the Word, assent to the divine promises for the person of the individual Christian, despite all feelings of personal unworthiness. Only then is the power of faith right when one feels that he lies completely under the devil, yet knows [W1859-61] that he triumphs over him by faith in the Word. Only so is the First Commandment fulfilled and God given all glory, and precisely for this to be done, God does not take us to heaven right after Baptism, but lets us suffer crosses, tribulations, temptations from within and without, and finally also death, and yet withal bids us to firmly believe that Christ, righteousness, peace, life, and salvation are ours. This is then also the true holiness, if one can speak so in faith, “I am nothing but an accursed speck of dust: but my God gives me, in Christ, all in all.”
[P] The Reformed sects also overturn the doctrine of justification by their false doctrine on the person of Christ according to Zwingli’s shameful example. How they deny to this day that God suffered for us, that God’s blood was shed for us! Where Scripture expressly testifies to this, they only want to see a rhetorical figure, which would put it another way than it was meant. So one stamps the language of Holy Scripture [1880-89] to that of a rogue language. A mere man should have died for us on Golgotha. There is no telling how someone who wants to be a Christian, can come to such ungodly teaching. Admittedly it is indeed true that God as such cannot die, but Christ, who is true God, could die because He had taken on human nature, so that now the divinity and humanity in him form one person. The human soul as such can indeed also not die: yet the dies the whole person, consisting of body and soul,, and indeed the soul is thereby most affected. So is it also for us the main thing that the One who died for us is true God. Had not God not died for us, then no one would be redeemed. But while we now can sing to our great comfort in life and in death: “O great distress! God himself is dead. on the cross he has died,” [see The Lutheran Hymnal, No. 167 “O Darkest Woe”, verse 2, music here; or No. 122 in Lutheran Worship, music here)], so is just this hymn an abomination to the true Reformed. — Completely in accordance with the coarse rationalism of Zwingli, according to which he does not seriously believe that Christ was true God and man in one person, Calvin says it would help no one if he would simply hold up Christ before God, but that God accepts Christ’s work as fully valid only because of eternal election. Also for him is only that a man died. “Christ is God’s Son and true God” means therefore even now nothing more to the Reformed Church nothing more than that God dwelt in the Lord Jesus in a higher measure than in other people, about how he dwelt with his glory particularly in the temple at Jerusalem. But even if the Reformed say that the whole God dwelt in Jesus, so they still know of a God outside him. Thank God! that there are simple-minded souls among the Reformed, who hold that it is seriously meant when still there the words are used, Christ is true God and man in one person, and faith be founded on it. [1880-90, Part 31]
Should the question be raised here by someone how the truth that there is no God outside of Christ harmonizes with the article on the Trinity? thus is to be answered to it: There is no difference in the nature of the three persons of the Godhead, which is why it also cannot be divided. Nevertheless, what appears three times in the Trinity, namely the personhood, occurs only once in Christ. Whoever but for this cause still wants to acknowledge God apart from Christ, removes the consubstantiality between Son [W1859-62] and Father and must take several gods or deny the real essence of the complete fullness of the divinity [Essays1-61] in Christ [see Col. 2:9]. When Christ lay in the manger and hung on the cross, there was no other God than just whom was in the crib and on the cross. Admittedly one may not come here with mathematical calculations; when the mystery of the Trinity should cease being a mystery to us, we must first understand what the words "born" and “assume” mean as used of the persons of the Godhead. If one objects against us, how the Godhead could have become so small as to live in the flesh [incarnate] in the man Jesus? so we answer: No change went on in the Godhead through the personal union with human nature: it did not thereby become smaller, but human nature became greater. Human nature did not take on the divine nature, but conversely, the divine nature has taken on the human nature. When, however, Zwingli did not want that the Word became flesh [John 1:14], but held that it only meant that: “the Word is the flesh that it has become” (das Wort ist gewordenes Fleisch), i.e., through the incarnation of Christ he ceased to be God, and his divinity was, so to speak, transformed in Jesus into humanity (for only so was He said to be able to die), and only after that did He again become great and God: so here we hear today’s ill-formed theology.
[Q] In view of the Reformed doctrine of God’s gracious will and call of grace, at last it becomes also quite clear that [1880-91] every thought must vanish of an essential unity of the Lutheran and Reformed Church, of which so many today let themselves dream. A Calvinist surely overturns the doctrine of justification and can give no afflicted one certainty of divine grace, but must according to his teachings and so far as is in him, leave one to despair. If it is not certain that Christ has redeemed all, then can the individual not without extraordinary direct revelation become certain of his personal redemption as, conversely, if Christ has redeemed all, then also everyone can confidently make use of it for himself.
[R] There could be a great historical work written about how the consciousness that the Evangelical Lutheran Church alone was entrusted with the doctrine of justification has dwindled even within this our church, beginning with the period right after Luther’s death, just as he also foretold that the shameful ingratitude over against the gracious revelation of the Gospel would turn God’s grace into anger. And from there on, how an always growing apostasy has occurred, awakened again only now and then by God's grace. Here we should meanwhile give just those reasons for this which everyone can see without having to take the word of others.
It needs no special proof that now initially at the beginning about 100 years ago when reigned such preachers of our church which paid homage to rationalism and supernaturalism, almost all the voices of orthodoxy fell silent. Their number has, thank God! since 1817 and especially since 1830 rather abated; but there still are too many such rationalists and supernaturalists, especially in Germany, and here as the main constituent in the united synods. [W1859-63]
[S] Preachers that displace a Christianity with new philosophical [1880-92] principles and leaven it with old heresies are now the so-called believers where the “reason faith” of rationalists is simply too unreasonable. And they therefore trim down a Christianity to that which will please even the philosophers, whereby they use biblical words to dazzle the poor people. Of such is now Germany full, and locally in the united synods one finds such also here and there.
[T] The “United” people cry over us that our mouth is always full of praise for purity of doctrine and not first of all for love. They want to reap love from among their people without spreading the seeds of pure doctrine, from which alone it can grow, indeed, without considering that true love, above all, wants to save his neighbor, and that this, in turn, can be done only through the pure Word of God. Their constant talk of works shows that they have fallen away from Christ. At the same time they themselves sin so grossly against love that they condemn our persons, whereas we condemn only all false doctrine, and in reference to doctrine cannot forgive, because it is not our property, but God’s, and we gladly hold everyone as pious while recognizing ourselves for poor sinners. A United preacher is like a man who has been placed as steward by a rich man over his goods, and then steals from the goods entrusted to him and most generously distributes them in order to be praised by the people as exceedingly caring. The entrusted treasure is the Word of God, dearly bought by the blood of Christ. The preacher is accursed who draws at his pleasure from this treasure to be pleasing to men! He will stand at the last day as the wicked servant, because he has declared that it is indifferent whether one understands this or that word one way or another. After our flesh we also would indeed [1880-93, Part 32] prefer the people’s approval, rather than have their displeasure, but we fear the wrath of our God, whose possession the Word is. That is why we strive not only to make known to all men the true gentleness, but also fight in obedience to the divine command for the faith which was once delivered to the saints, while Satan by the Union wants to make the Word of God uncertain, so that poor despairing sinners are without consolation, and [Essays1-62] others may cover their spiritual poverty with miserable works.
[U] The General Synod here in America has excluded itself from the title of Lutheranism by taking in Methodism. It is itself “United” because it recognizes as legitimate members people with Reformed doctrine, which, as has been shown sufficiently, cannot stand with the doctrine of justification [see account of Dagon in 1 Samuel 5:2-5]; and portrayed itself also as such in a letter sent to Germany about 14 years ago; this synod is more dangerous than those who always know themselves as “united,” in that it ensnares many with the Lutheran name. Many of their members indeed would still yet be pure Lutherans: but that is just the most dreadful abomination, when these now raise no serious witness in their Synod out of wretched fear of man.
[V] It is apparent that by the doctrine of the visible church outside of which there is no salvation (as many now put the Lutheran Church to be such) and by the pretense that the validity of absolution depends on the [W1859-64] ordination of the minster, etc. the truth cannot stand that faith alone brings salvation, that indeed the mere reading of Scripture can bring one to faith and therefore can lead to salvation, without regard to which church fellowship a person belongs to, or if he is a member of any church body. — But further, if a mere use of the sacraments has a salutary effect in man, then faith, which is conditional throughout Scripture for the salutary effect of the sacraments, is nothing. Whoever teaches that, certainly is no Lutheran. Chiliasm — namely [1880-94] the so-called subtle kind, since the coarse sensual kind does not come into consideration here — argues all the more against justification in that it expects, so does not yet have, not a kingdom in the flesh but a spiritual one of Christ, as we in fact have a spiritual kingdom through faith, that we already so possess forgiveness of sins, righteousness, peace, the seal of the Holy Spirit, sonship of God, and all spiritual goods that we know nothing more to wish for. — Finally, the hades doctrine, according to which the dying come to an intermediate place until Judgment Day, and that is basically the old doctrine of purgatory, can not exist with the doctrine of faith, because it accepts a conversion after death – which would thus be a conversion without faith – where faith is only possible here on earth.
[W] In his pursuits to try to awaken that lost awareness, the pastor must first make it his main task to learn to rightly divide Law and Gospel. For this purpose, in addition to studying the Holy Scriptures and our dear confessions, the writings of Luther and especially their use in preparing for the sermon can not be recommended enough. No one since Luther can make the heart of a poor sinner so certain of God’s grace, as also no one can so expose the detriment of one’s own heart as he. While others usually know only how to make one anxious, Luther lets no sermon leave a truly poor sinner uncertain whether he could be saved. The pastor who works to follow after him will soon experience that for himself when he himself otherwise has a broken heart. Luther draws the soul out of all misery and puts it on the solid rock foundation of the Word. He who felt himself most deeply the misery of human affliction, understands how to lovingly comfort, understands God’s work in us, and to always praise only this afresh. Whoever therefore would learn how to preach, preach according to Luther, on whom God poured out the highest gifts than on anyone since [1880-95] the prophets and apostles, and he has equipped His instrument to bring the world the pure Gospel again and to fatally chop the root of the 1,000-year-old oak of the papacy. Just don’t let yourself be deterred by the fact that it will be especially difficult in the beginning to work after him, nor the fact that you may not immediately gain a taste for him, because you will certainly experience that he is so highly praised not without good reason. We do not believe in Luther, do not make him our God, are not baptized in him; but where he brings us the Word of God, there we want to hear him, and we experience ever longer, ever more that he lights thousands of candles for us. Therefore the whole of Europe once sat at his feet; hence also it yet now comes that an iron monument of him is being built at Worms [W1859-65] in which we admittedly take no part, but rather we prefer to place a monument to him in our hearts by accepting his doctrine.
What further relates to the art of making the doctrine of justification the central point of all our work in the office of the ministry, so will it want to always keep us as its students. There is many a pastor who well knows how to preach admirably of justification, whose work in the rest of his pastoral duties is of a legalistic nature. It is this doctrine that should so dominate the whole attitude of the pastor that it makes him not only mild toward each poor sinner and afraid to use any other means to raise him up; but that it also gives him weapons to expel Satan from all those with whom he meets, as was the case with Luther, because all our hope to work something comes from this doctrine. If it does not come with us there, then the fault lies with us if the work of renewal in our congregations does not proceed. This is not, however, to say that we should teach and act so as to get favor from the unconverted and [1880-96] conceal the Law. Law and Gospel must go necessarily hand in hand. Then should we so preach the Law over against secure and obvious worldlings as if there were no Gospel, that it clearly announces only the anger of God over sin and brings them no consolation, nothing but the judgment of the curse and damnation. But as soon as they realize that God is serious with His Law, then they hear the Gospel, which gives no other counsel than: “Believe on the Lord Christ!” and not to first do this or that in order to be called a child of God. Thus and always that all our work be [Essays1-63] steeped in the doctrine of justification, it is especially necessary that our own heart become truly firm therein, and it becomes this first only under temptation, which is why a preacher who flees the cross and seeks good days will never rightly compel this doctrine.
The so-called awakened which come into our congregations are as a rule not satisfied when we preach the Gospel so sweet and comforting to poor sinners. However, this should not mislead us. When they think that we thereby make people lazy and sluggish for good works, so this is certainly only because they have not yet fully recognized their own misery of sin, because otherwise they would know that the certainty of the forgiveness of all sins, and this alone, makes the love of Christ burst forth in us and henceforth makes it impossible for us to live in the works of the flesh and without truly good works.
[Part 33]
