Let this be enough about the Creed to lay a foundation for the simple, so that they may not be burdened. Then, if they understand the substance of it, they themselves may afterward drive to gain more, refer to these parts whatever they learn in the Scriptures, and may ever grow and increase in richer understanding. For as long as we live here, we shall daily have enough to preach and to learn this.
~BOC, LC, II, 70
Showing posts with label Creed. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Creed. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
We are simply to believe and cling to the Word...
In the Creed we confess, "I believe...in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who...was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell." In this Confession, Christ's burial and descent to hell are distinguished as different articles. We simply believe that the entire person (God and man) descended into hell after the burial, conquered the devil, destroyed hell's power, and took from the devil all his might. We should not, however, trouble ourselves with high and difficult thoughts about how this happened. With our reason and our five senses this article can be understood as little as the preceding one about how Christ is place at the right hand of God's almighty power and majesty. We are simply to believe it and cling to the Word. So we hold to the substance and consolation that neither hell nor the devil can take captive or injure us and all who believe in Christ.
~FSD, IX, 1-3
~FSD, IX, 1-3
Labels:
Consolation,
Creed,
Devil,
Faith,
Formula Solid Declaration,
Jesus Christ,
Living Word
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
The world has struggled with all diligence to understand God, but has not...
The whole world with all diligence has struggled to figure out what God is, and what He has in mind and does. Yet the world has never been able to grasp the knowledge and understanding of any of these things. But here we have everything in richest measure. For in all three articles God has revealed Himself and opened the deepest abyss of His fatherly heart and His pure, inexpressible love.
~BOC, LC, II, 63
~BOC, LC, II, 63
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
The doctrine of the Creed brings pure grace...
From this you see that the Creed is a doctrine quite different from the Ten Commandments. For the Commandments teach what we ought to do. But the Creed tells us what God does for us and gives to us. Furthermore, apart from this the Ten Commandments are written in all people's hearts. However, no human wisdom can understand the Creed. It must be taught by the Holy Spirit alone. The teaching of the Ten Commandments, therefore, makes no Christian. For God's wrath and displeasure abide upon still, because we cannot keep what God demands of us. But the Creed brings pure grace and makes us godly and acceptable to God. For by this knowledge we have love and delight in God's commandments. Here we see that God gives Himself to us completely. He gives all that He has and is able to do in order to aid and direct us in keeping the Ten Commandments. The Father gives all creatures. The Son gives His entire work. And the Holy Spirit bestows all His gifts.
~BOC, LC, III, 67-69
~BOC, LC, III, 67-69
Labels:
Creed,
God the Father,
Holy Spirit,
Jesus Christ,
Large Catechism
Sunday, October 16, 2011
God the Father daily preserves and defends us...
Further, we also confess that God the Father has not only given us all that we have and see before our eyes, but He daily preserves and defends us against all evil and misfortune. He directs all sorts of danger and disaster away from us. We confess that He does all this out of pure love and goodness, without our merit, as a kind Father.
~BOC, LC, II, 17
~BOC, LC, II, 17
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Christ had no need of redemption for Himself...
Let this, then, be the sum of this article: the little word Lord means simply the same as Redeemer. It means the One who has brought us from Satan to God, from death to life, from sin to righteousness, and who preserves us in the same. But all the points that follow in this article serve no other purpose than to explain and express this redemption. They explain how and by whom it was accomplished. They explain how much it cost Him and what He spent and risked so that He might win us and bring us under His dominion. It explains that He became man, was conceived and born without sin, from the Holy Spirit and Mary, so that He might overcome sin. Further, it explains that He suffered, died, and was buried so that He might make satisfaction for me and pay what I owe, not with silver or gold, but with His own precious blood. And He did all this in order to become my Lord. He did none of these things for Himself, nor did He have any need for redemption.
~BOC, LC, II, 31
~BOC, LC, II, 31
Monday, September 19, 2011
The Creed brings pure grace...
From this you see that the Creed is a doctrine quite different from the Ten Commandments. For the Ten Commandments teach what we ought to do. But the Creed tells us what God does for us and gives to us. Furthermore, apart from this, the Ten Commandments are written in all people's hearts. However, no human wisdom can understand the Creed. It must be taught by the Holy Spirit alone. The teaching of the Commandments, therefore, makes no Christian. For God's wrath and displeasure abide upon us still, because we cannot keep what God demands of us. But the Creed brings pure grace and makes us godly and acceptable to God.
~BOC, LC, II,67-69
~BOC, LC, II,67-69
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