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Augsburg Confession | paragraph 1
Our Churches, with common consent, do teach that the decree of the Council of Nicaea concerning the Unity of the Divine Essence and concerning the Three Persons, is true and to be believed without any doubting;
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 2
that is to say, there is one Divine Essence which is called and which is God: eternal, without body, without parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness, the Maker and Preserver of all things, visible and invisible; and
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 3
yet there are three Persons, of the same essence and power, who also are coeternal, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. And the term “person”
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 4
they use as the Fathers have used it, to signify, not a part or quality in another, but that which subsists of itself.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 5
They condemn all heresies which have sprung up against this article, as the Manichaeans, who assumed two principles, one Good and the other Evil: also the Valentinians, Arians, Eunomians, Mohammedans, and all such.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 6
They condemn also the Samosatenes, old and new, who, contending that there is but one Person, sophistically and impiously argue that the Word and the Holy Ghost are not distinct Persons, but that “Word” signifies a spoken word, and “Spirit” signifies motion created in things.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 1
Also they teach that since the fall of Adam all men begotten in the natural way are born with sin, that is, without the fear of God, without trust in God, and with
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 2
concupiscence; and that this disease, or vice of origin, is truly sin, even now condemning and bringing eternal death upon those not born again through Baptism and the Holy Ghost.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 3
They condemn the Pelagians and others who deny that original depravity is sin, and who, to obscure the glory of Christ’s merit and benefits, argue that man can be justified before God by his own strength and reason.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 1
Also they teach that the Word, that is, the Son of God, did assume the human nature in
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 2
the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary, so that there are two natures, the divine and the human, inseparably enjoined in one Person, one Christ, true God and true man, who was born of the Virgin Mary, truly suffered, was crucified, dead, and
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 3
buried, that He might reconcile the Father unto us, and be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for all actual sins of men.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 4
He also descended into hell, and truly rose again the third day; afterward He ascended into heaven that He might sit on the right hand of the Father, and forever reign and have dominion over all creatures, and sanctify
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 5
them that believe in Him, by sending the Holy Ghost into their hearts, to rule, comfort, and quicken them, and to defend them against the devil and the power of sin.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 6
The same Christ shall openly come again to judge the quick and the dead, etc., according to the Apostles’ Creed.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 1
Also they teach that men cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works, but are freely justified for
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 2
Christ’s sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor, and that their sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake, who, by His death, has made satisfaction for our sins.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 3
This faith God imputes for righteousness in His sight. Rom. 3 and 4.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 1
Of Baptism they teach that it is necessary
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 2
to salvation, and that through Baptism is offered the grace of God, and that children are to be baptized who, being offered to God through Baptism are received into God’s grace.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 3
They condemn the Anabaptists, who reject the baptism of children, and say that children are saved without Baptism.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 1
That we may obtain this faith, the Ministry of Teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments was instituted. For through the Word and Sacraments, as through instruments,
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 2
the Holy Ghost is given, who works faith; where and when it pleases God, in them that hear
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 3
the Gospel, to wit, that God, not for our own merits, but for Christ’s sake, justifies those who believe that they are received into grace for Christ’s sake.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 4
They condemn the Anabaptists and others who think that the Holy Ghost comes to men without the external Word, through their own preparations and works.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 1
Also they teach that this faith is bound to bring forth good fruits, and that it is necessary to do good works commanded by God, because of God’s will, but that we should not rely on those works to merit justification
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 2
before God. For remission of sins and justification is apprehended by faith, as also the voice of Christ attests: When ye shall have done all these things, say: We are unprofitable servants. Luke 17:10. The same is also taught by
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 3
the Fathers. For Ambrose says: It is ordained of God that he who believes in Christ is saved, freely receiving remission of sins, without works, by faith alone.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 1
Also they teach that one holy Church is to continue forever. The Church is the congregation of saints, in which the Gospel is rightly taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 2
And to the true unity of the Church it is enough to agree concerning the doctrine of the Gospel and
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 3
the administration of the Sacraments. Nor is it necessary that human traditions, that is, rites or ceremonies, instituted by men, should be everywhere alike.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 4
As Paul says: One faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of all, etc. Eph. 4:5-6.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 1
Although the Church properly is the congregation of saints and true believers, nevertheless, since in this life many hypocrites and evil persons are mingled therewith, it is lawful to use Sacraments administered by evil men, according to the saying of Christ: The Scribes and
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 2
the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat, etc. Matt. 23:2. Both the Sacraments and Word are effectual by reason of the institution and commandment of Christ, notwithstanding they be administered by evil men.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 3
They condemn the Donatists, and such like, who denied it to be lawful to use the ministry of evil men in the Church, and who thought the ministry of evil men to be unprofitable and of none effect.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 1
Of the Supper of the Lord they teach that the Body and Blood of Christ are truly present, and are distributed
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 2
to those who eat the Supper of the Lord; and they reject those that teach otherwise.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 1
Of Confession they teach that Private Absolution ought to be retained in the churches, although in confession
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 2
an enumeration of all sins is not necessary. For it is impossible according to the Psalm: Who can understand his errors? Ps. 19:12.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 1
Of Repentance they teach that for those who have fallen after Baptism there is remission of sins whenever they are converted
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 2
and that the Church ought to impart absolution to those thus returning to repentance. Now, repentance consists properly of these
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 3
two parts: One is contrition, that is,
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 4
terrors smiting the conscience through the knowledge of sin; the other is faith, which is born of
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 5
the Gospel, or of absolution, and believes that for Christ’s sake, sins are forgiven, comforts
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 6
the conscience, and delivers it from terrors. Then good works are bound to follow, which are the fruits of repentance.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 7
They condemn the Anabaptists, who deny that those once justified can lose the Holy Ghost. Also those who contend that some may attain to such
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 8
perfection in this life that they cannot sin.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 9
The Novatians also are condemned, who would not absolve such as had fallen after Baptism, though they returned to repentance.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 10
They also are rejected who do not teach that remission of sins comes through faith but command us to merit grace through satisfactions of our own.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 1
Of the Use of the Sacraments they teach that the Sacraments were ordained, not only to be marks of profession among men, but rather to be signs and testimonies of the will of God
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 2
toward us, instituted to awaken and confirm faith in those who use them. Wherefore we must so use the Sacraments that faith be added to believe the promises which are offered and set forth through the Sacraments.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 3
They therefore condemn those who teach that the Sacraments justify by the outward act, and who do not teach that, in the use of the Sacraments, faith which believes that sins are forgiven, is required.
Open source textAugsburg Confession
Article XIV: Of Ecclesiastical Order. Of Ecclesiastical Order they teach that no one should publicly teach in the Church or administer the Sacraments unless he be regularly called.
Open source textAugsburg Confession
Article XIX: Of the Cause of Sin. Of the Cause of Sin they teach that, although God does create and preserve nature, yet the cause of sin is the will of the wicked, that is, of the devil and ungodly men; which will, unaided of God, turns itself from God, as Christ says John 8:44: When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 1
Of Usages in the Church they teach that those ought to be observed which may be observed without sin, and which are profitable unto tranquillity and good order in the Church, as particular holy days, festivals, and the like.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 2
Nevertheless, concerning such things men are admonished that consciences are not to be burdened, as though such observance was necessary to salvation.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 3
They are admonished also that human traditions instituted to propitiate God, to merit grace, and to make satisfaction for sins, are opposed to the Gospel and the doctrine of faith. Wherefore vows and traditions concerning meats and
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 4
days, etc., instituted to merit grace and to make satisfaction for sins, are useless and contrary to the Gospel.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 1
Of Civil Affairs they teach that lawful civil ordinances are good works of God, and that
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 2
it is right for Christians to bear civil office, to sit as judges, to judge matters by the Imperial and other existing laws, to award just punishments, to engage in just wars, to serve as soldiers, to make legal contracts, to hold property, to make oath when required by the magistrates, to marry a wife, to be given in
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 3
They condemn the Anabaptists who forbid these civil offices to Christians.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 4
They condemn also those who do not place evangelical perfection in the fear of God and in faith, but in forsaking civil offices, for
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 5
the Gospel teaches an eternal righteousness of the heart. Meanwhile, it does not destroy the State or the family, but very much requires that they be preserved as ordinances of God, and that charity be practiced in such
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 6
ordinances. Therefore, Christians are necessarily bound to obey their own magistrates
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 7
and laws save only when commanded to sin; for then they ought to obey God rather than men. Acts 5:29.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 1
Also they teach that at the Consummation of the World Christ will appear for judgment, and
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 2
will raise up all the dead; He will give to the godly and elect eternal life and everlasting joys,
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 3
but ungodly men and the devils He will condemn to be tormented without end.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 4
They condemn the Anabaptists, who think that there will be an end to the punishments of condemned men and devils.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 5
They condemn also others who are now spreading certain Jewish opinions, that before the resurrection of the dead the godly shall take possession of the kingdom of the world, the ungodly being everywhere suppressed.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 1
Of Free Will they teach that man’s will has some liberty to choose civil righteousness, and to work
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 2
things subject to reason. But it has no power, without the Holy Ghost, to work the righteousness of God, that is, spiritual righteousness; since the natural man
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 3
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. 2:14; but this righteousness is wrought in the heart when the Holy Ghost is received
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 4
through the Word. These things are said in as many words by Augustine in his Hypognosticon, Book III: We grant that all men have a free will, free, inasmuch as it has the judgment of reason; not that it is thereby capable, without God, either to begin, or, at least, to complete aught in things pertaining to God, but on
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 5
or evil. “Good” I call those works which spring from the good in nature, such as, willing to labor in the field, to eat and drink, to have a friend, to clothe oneself, to build a house, to marry a wife, to raise cattle, to learn diverse useful arts, or whatsoever good
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 6
pertains to this life. For all of these things are not without dependence on the providence of God; yea, of Him and through Him they are and have their being. “Evil”
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 7
I call such works as willing to worship an idol, to commit murder, etc.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 8
They condemn the Pelagians and others, who teach that without the Holy Ghost, by the power of nature alone, we are able to love God above all things; also to do the commandments of God as touching “the substance of the act.” For, although nature is able in a manner to do the outward work,
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 9
(for it is able to keep the hands from theft and murder,) yet it cannot produce the inward motions, such as the fear of God, trust in God, chastity, patience, etc.
Open source textAugsburg Confession | paragraph 1
Our teachers are falsely accused of forbidding Good Works.
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