Christ Alone

Augsburg Confession Article XIV

Here is the link to Article XIV: https://bookofconcord.org/augsburg-confession/of-ecclesiastical-order/

This article is only one sentence long: “Of Ecclesiastical Order they teach that no one should publicly teach in the Church or administer the Sacraments unless he be regularly called.”

When the Roman theologians responded, they agreed with the article, but insisted that “regularly called” must be understood to mean a canonically valid ordination. In other words: a priest/pastor must be ordained by a Roman Catholic bishop who has valid apostolic succession.

In reply, Melanchthon observed that the Lutheran pastors would have gladly accepted canonical ordination: they had no wish to establish a new church. However, while church polity can be useful, this custom is not strictly necessary because it derives from human authority rather than scripture. The Catholic bishops refused to recognize the truth of the evangelical doctrine; instead of ordaining the Lutheran pastors, they condemned them. Hence, it was no longer possible to maintain the old procedures. (https://bookofconcord.org/defense/of-ecclesiastical-order/)

In later centuries, Article XIV would generate different kinds of controversy. At times, it has been used to keep laypersons from exercising their gifts. Some Lutheran churches interpret this quite strictly and insist that the pastor should even do all the scripture readings in the divine service. In the Lutheran Brethren, we have more of a history of lay involvement and even lay preaching.

I don’t claim to be an expert on this issue, but it appears to me that the article should not be read as an absolute prohibition on lay ministry. It is more of a recognition that there should be good order in the church, and that those who serve in a public teaching role should do so under authority. (This is Biblical: some relevant New Testament passages include Acts 14:23; Ephesians 4:11-12; James 3:1-4; 1 Timothy 3; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-4.)

However, if someone is particularly gifted in ministry, it seems to me that the congregation should affirm their gift and consider issuing them a “regular call” (a relevant case study might be Acts 18:18-28, where Priscilla and Aquila came alongside an itinerant evangelist and equipped him). Furthermore, while the pastor and elders are ultimately responsible for what is taught, it seems that in the New Testament, other people were sometimes given the opportunity to share during gatherings, within proper guidelines (see 1 Corinthians 14).

Additionally, we affirm the priesthood of all believers (see especially 1 Peter 2:5-9). Outside of the public worship service, every Christian has a responsibility to speak the word of God as they go about their ordinary vocation.

As for the sacraments:

  • For the sake of good order, baptism should normally be administered by the pastor. However, in an emergency (such as impending death), if there is no pastor available, any Christian can (and should) baptize.
  • In some other protestant traditions, it is fairly common for laypersons to baptize. Though we do not prefer this, so long as the baptism was performed with water and the words “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” we would recognize that it was valid. It’s the word of God that makes it so — not whether the baptizer was ordained or not. [There are some exceptions to this. For example, the Mormon church uses the correct words, but they have a false understanding of the Trinity and therefore mean something different by the words. Hence, Mormon baptism is invalid. Mormons are not Christian.]
  • For the sake of good order, holy communion should normally be administered by the pastor. In the Lutheran Brethren, elders are also ordained and have authority to administer communion. It’s not that a layperson can’t, but it would be presumptuous to do so without a calling.
  • In situations where there is no ordained pastor (for example, in a place where there are only a few Christians), my personal opinion is that the congregation has authority to delegate someone to read the words of institution. This would still be a “regular call.”
Christ Alone

Augsburg Confession Article XIII

Here’s the link to Article XIII: https://bookofconcord.org/augsburg-confession/use-of-the-sacraments/

Essentially, there are three points in this article:

1. When we receive the sacraments, it is indeed a public testimony of faith. However, the sacraments are much more than that. They are a gift of grace from God to us, and they have been given to us in order to awaken and confirm faith.

Baptism: When you are baptized, the world sees and knows that you are now a Christian. It’s a “mark of profession among men.” But beyond this, baptism is God’s gift to us. It unites us with Christ (Galatians 3:27; Romans 6:4), cleanses from sin (Acts 2:38-39), gives rebirth and renewal (John 3:3-5; Titus 3:4-7), and makes us part of the church (1 Corinthians 12:12-13).

Holy Communion: Every time you walk to the front of the church to receive the bread and wine, you declare to the church that you believe in Jesus. It’s a “mark of profession among men.” But it’s more than that. Holy Communion is a “participation” in Christ’s body and blood (1 Corinthians 10:16-17). The words “this is my body” and “this is my blood” (Mark 14:22-24) should be taken at face value. Jesus is really present in the sacrament.

2. The benefits bestowed in the sacraments are received by faith. A person can be baptized externally, but if they do not believe the gospel, they will be condemned (Mark 16:16). Likewise, a person who eats the Lord’s Supper “unworthily” does so to to their own harm (1 Corinthians 11:27-29).

3. Therefore, the outward act of receiving a sacrament does not in itself justify a person: faith in Christ is necessary. This reminds us of how important it is to continue instructing baptized people in the faith (see Matthew 28:19).

A few other comments:

– Some Christians raise the question: what if I didn’t believe at the time I got baptized, but I do believe now? Should I get rebaptized? The answer is no. God’s work in baptism was effective then and it’s still effective. Repent of your unbelief and trust in him.

– Private Confession and Absolution is another resource that’s available to us. In fact, Lutherans occasionally speak of Confession and Absolution as a third sacrament. Melanchthon does so in his defense of the Augsburg Confession (https://bookofconcord.org/defense/of-the-number-and-use-of-sacraments/). However, Confession and Absolution lacks an outward visible sign. Hence, we more often think of it as a personalized application of the gospel.

Christ Alone

Augsburg Confession Article XI

Here is Article XI: https://bookofconcord.org/augsburg-confession/of-confession/

Many Protestants believe that confession is simply “between me and God” and that there is no need to confess to another person. The idea of confessing sins to a priest is often dismissed as a Roman innovation.

But Lutherans have always maintained that Private Confession should be retained in our churches. To be sure, we can confess our sins privately to God and He will forgive (1 John 1:9). Further, we often make a general confession of sins during corporate worship. Yet the scripture also urges us to “confess our sins to one another” (James 5:16).

We have many Biblical examples of this taking place. Here are a few:

  • Joseph’s brothers confess their sins to him and he forgives them (Genesis 50).
  • In Leviticus 5:5-6, certain sins were to be remedied by confession to the priest and the making of a sacrifice.
  • Numbers 5:6-7 required the Israelites to confess their sins to people they had wronged and make restitution; if that was not possible, they could confess to the priest.
  • In 2 Samuel 12, Nathan confronts David about his sins of adultery and murder. David then acknowledges his sin, and although there are consequences, Nathan announces to David that the Lord has forgiven him (2 Samuel 12:13)
  • In Matthew 3:6, we find people confessing their sins to John at the time of baptism.
  • When the paralytic is brought to Jesus, Jesus tells him “your sins are forgiven” (Matt. 9:2; Mark 2:5; Luke 5:20).

Further, we find that Jesus gave the apostles authority to declare the forgiveness of sins:

  • In Matthew 16:19, Jesus establishes the Office of the Keys and gives this authority to Peter: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (ESV)
  • Later, he gives the same authority to all of the apostles: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” (John 20:23 ESV)

So what happens when you go to confession? You make an appointment with your confessor. You confess the things that are on your mind: “I confess that I have sinned against God and my neighbor in this way…”

Luther’s Small Catechism offers some suggestions of how to make your confession: https://bookofconcord.org/small-catechism/how-christians-confess/

Your confessor should then announce the grace of God to you. Your confessor cannot forgive your sins — only God can do that. However, God’s promise through Christ is forgiveness for repentant sinners, and he has authorized his church to proclaim this truth. Therefore, your confessor can declare the word of God to you. Luther suggests the traditional formula: “by the command of our Lord Jesus Christ I forgive thee thy sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.” (Source: https://bookofconcord.org/small-catechism/how-christians-confess/ ). This is a direct, effective, and personal application of the gospel. When absolution is pronounced, you can believe it!

So sure, you can confess your sins privately to God. But when your sins trouble you, the word of absolution will bring you great comfort.

Note that there is a difference between the way Lutherans and Roman Catholics have historically understood confession. In the Roman tradition, confession is required at least once a year, and should ideally include all the sins that you can remember.

In the Lutheran tradition, we see it as a gift rather than an obligation. You don’t have to wrack your brain and try to dredge up every sin you have ever committed. Admit that you are a sinner who sins in lots of ways, and then confess the specific things that are troubling you. Private confession to the pastor is not mandatory, but it is strongly recommended whenever you are burdened. This can bring assurance, and it helps break the power that sin has over your life.

When you confess your sins to another Christian, the presumption is that you are sincere, and therefore, your confessor should pronounce the absolution. However, there could potentially be cases where the person confessing clearly intends to continue rebelling against God (e.g., “I’m having an ongoing affair that I don’t intend to quit… I’m going to leave my family”). In such a case, the confessor should withhold forgiveness and urge true repentance.

Technically, your confessor could be any Christian. However, there are distinct advantages to confessing to a pastor/priest — especially your own pastor. Obviously, trust is required, and some pastors have broken that trust. However, a good pastor:

  • Already prays for you and cares for your spiritual well-being.
  • Will know when to announce forgiveness and when to provide further instruction.
  • Will keep your confidence. (In some jurisdictions, priest-penitent communications are even subject to legal protections similar to that of an attorney and client).
  • Will not be shocked or judge you. He knows that people are sinners!
  • Will not bring up your past next time you see him. (Though if you have asked for advice about an ongoing struggle, he might ask how you’re doing currently).
Christ Alone

Augsburg Confession Article X

Here is the link to Article X: https://bookofconcord.org/augsburg-confession/of-the-lords-supper/

This article is so short that I’ll reproduce the entire text here:

“Of the Supper of the Lord they teach that the Body and Blood of Christ are truly present, and are distributed to those who eat the Supper of the Lord; and they reject those that teach otherwise.”

In other words, the bread and wine of Holy Communion are not mere symbols. Jesus did not say “this symbolizes my body and blood.” He said “this is my body and blood.”

Further, we read in 1 Corinthians 10:16 that the “cup of thanksgiving” and the “bread” are a “participation” (koinonia) in the body and blood of Christ. Hence, we affirm that his true body and blood are present in, with, and under the bread and wine.

We believe that when the words of institution are joined to the physical elements, they become a sacrament — that is a vehicle for God’s grace — through which we receive forgiveness (Matthew 26:28).

We believe that all who receive the sacrament receive Christ’s true body and blood. However, a person who receives it “in an unworthy manner” does so to their own detriment (1 Corinthians 11:27-29).

It is important, then, that we only offer this sacrament to baptized believers. This custom goes back to the early church.

At our congregation, when baptized children begin to show interest in receiving communion, I first meet with them as a pastor to make sure that they have a basic understanding of their own sinfulness, their need for salvation through Jesus, and the meaning of Holy Communion.

Christ Alone

Augsburg Confession Article IV

Here is a link to the fourth article: https://bookofconcord.org/augsburg-confession/of-justification/

This is where we begin to see a significant difference between Lutheran and Roman Catholic teaching. Luther famously asserted that “justification is the doctrine on which the church stands or falls.”

To be clear, the Roman Catholic Church agrees that “men cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works.” Like Protestants, Catholics believe that salvation can be found only through faith in Christ.

The Catholic theologians who responded to the Augsburg Confession agreed with the bulk of this article. However, they added the following caveat: “Nevertheless, all Catholics confess that our works of themselves have no merit, but that God’s grace makes them worthy of eternal life.” (Roman Confutation, Article IV). In other words, an unbeliever cannot be saved. However, a Christian, through the power of the Holy Spirit, is enabled and empowered to do good works that please God and merit salvation. This concept is known as “infused grace.”

The problem with infused grace is that it weakens (or may even destroy) the assurance of the believer: I still have to do my part to ensure I get to heaven. At the time of the reformation, a concern was that many people were expending a great deal of time and money on works such as pilgrimages and fasting for the sake of their own salvation, while neglecting the needs of their neighbor.

As Lutherans, we find insufficient Biblical evidence for the concept of infused grace.

To the contrary, we believe the scriptural teaching is that justification is entirely the work of God. Because of what Christ has done, his righteousness is credited to us the instant we believe. If we believe, this too is a gift. There’s nothing more that needs to be done. This teaching come through clearly in Romans 3 and 4.

Another good passage is Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Of course, this doesn’t mean that believers will simply sit on our laurels! We will see in later articles that once a person is justified, they begin to do good works that please God. However, we hold that these works don’t earn us anything — rather, they are a response of gratitude — the fruit of a life transformed by grace.

Christ Alone

Augsburg Confession Article II

Let’s take a look at the second article of the Augsburg Confession: https://bookofconcord.org/augsburg-confession/original-sin/

This article deals with the issue of original sin.

The first humans, Adam and Eve, were created without sin. However, they disobeyed God and brought death into the world. From that point on, they and all their descendants have had a propensity for doing wrong.

Note the careful wording of the article: “all men begotten in the natural way are born with sin.” Apart from Adam and Eve (who were created directly by God), there is only one person who was not “begotten in the natural way,” and that is Jesus (who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary). Being fully God as well as fully man, he was born without sin and lived a perfect life.

With the exception of Jesus, all of Adam’s descendants have been born into sin.

Psalm 51:5: “Surely I was sinful at birth,
    sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” (NIV)

Romans 3:23: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (NIV)

Romans 5:12: “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—” (NIV)

Note, however that original sin is more than just a propensity to sin: it is sin, because it involves a lack of faith in God (see Romans 14:23). Hence, all people, even infants, need a saviour.

Christ Alone

This Day in History

On June 25, 1530, the Augsburg Confession was presented to the Emperor Charles V.

It became one of the most significant documents of the Reformation, containing a clear and concise exposition of what Lutherans believe, teach, and confess.

The Augsburg Confession contains 21 articles under the heading “Chief Articles of Faith” and another 7 articles highlighting abuses in the church that the reformers had corrected.

Our church adheres to the unaltered Augsburg Confession because we believe it is a faithful summary of Biblical doctrine.

Over the next several months, I’ll encourage you to read through the Augsburg Confession. Each week, I’ll provide a brief post with some introductory remarks and and a link to the relevant article of faith. Most of the articles are brief and will only take a few minutes to read.

This week, let’s start with the Preface. You can find the text here:

https://bookofconcord.org/augsburg-confession/preface/

You may also wish to do some further reading on the history of the Augsburg Confession and how it came to be written:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Augsburg-Confession

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augsburg_Confession