Martin Luther's Large Catechism, translated by Bente and DauLuther, Martin
ReligionChristian
Martin Luther's Large Catechism, translated by Bente and Dau
Luther, Martin
Lutheran Church -- Catechisms -- English
This, now, is the article which must ever be and remain in operation.
For creation we have received; redemption, too, is finished. But the
Holy Ghost carries on His work without ceasing to the last day. And for
that purpose He has appointed a congregation upon earth by which He
speaks and does everything. For He has not yet brought together all His
Christian Church nor dispensed forgiveness. Therefore we believe in Him
who through the Word daily brings us into the fellowship of this
Christian Church, and through the same Word and the forgiveness of sins
bestows, increases, and strengthens faith in order that when He has
accomplished it all, and we abide therein, and die to the world and to
all evil, He may finally make us perfectly and forever holy; which now
we expect in faith through the Word.
Behold, here you have the entire divine essence, will, and work
depicted most exquisitely in quite short and yet rich words wherein
consists all our wisdom, which surpasses and exceeds the wisdom, mind,
and reason of all men. For although the whole world with all diligence
has endeavored to ascertain what God is, what He has in mind and does,
yet has she never been able to attain to [the knowledge and
understanding of] any of these things. But here we have everything in
richest measure; for here in all three articles He has Himself revealed
and opened the deepest abyss of his paternal heart and of His pure
unutterable love. For He has created us for this very object, that He
might redeem and sanctify us; and in addition to giving and imparting
to us everything in heaven and upon earth, He has given to us even His
Son and the Holy Ghost, by whom to bring us to Himself. For (as
explained above) we could never attain to the knowledge of the grace
and favor of the Father except through the Lord Christ, who is a mirror
of the paternal heart, outside of whom we see nothing but an angry and
terrible Judge. But of Christ we could know nothing either, unless it
had been revealed by the Holy Ghost.
These articles of the Creed, therefore, divide and separate us
Christians from all other people upon earth. For all outside of
Christianity, whether heathen, Turks, Jews, or false Christians and
hypocrites, although they believe in, and worship, only one true God,
yet know not what His mind towards them is, and cannot expect any love
or blessing from Him; therefore they abide in eternal wrath and
damnation. For they have not the Lord Christ, and, besides, are not
illumined and favored by any gifts of the Holy Ghost.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account