Thursday after Trinity XIV - Devotion in semi-Exile
Lection for Thursday after Trinity XIV
2 Chronicles 36:1-23 Colossians 4:1-18
We have now gotten to the "Third Part" of the Smalkald Articles. These are teachings concerning the Christian faith about which there was confusion, in fact error was being taught. In fact, such was Luther's concern (and rightly so) that the eternal well-being of people was at stake if they believed the errors. So, the errors needed to be corrected.
THE THIRD PART OF THE ARTICLES.
Concerning the following articles we may [will be able to] treat with learned and reasonable men, or among ourselves. The Pope and his [the Papal] government do not care much about these. For with them conscience is nothing, but money, [glory] honors, power are [to them] everything.
Part III, Article I. Of Sin
1] Here we must confess, as Paul says in Rom. 5:12, that sin originated [and entered the world] from one man Adam, by whose disobedience all men were made sinners, [and] subject to death and the devil. This is called original or capital sin.
2] The fruits of this sin are afterwards the evil deeds which are forbidden in the Ten Commandments, such as [distrust] unbelief, false faith, idolatry, to be without the fear of God, presumption [recklessness], despair, blindness [or complete loss of sight], and, in short not to know or regard God; furthermore to lie, to swear by [to abuse] God's name [to swear falsely], not to pray, not to call upon God, not to regard [to despise or neglect] God's Word, to be disobedient to parents, to murder, to be unchaste, to steal, to deceive, etc.
3] This hereditary sin is so deep [and horrible] a corruption of nature that no reason can understand it, but it must be [learned and] believed from the revelation of Scriptures, Ps. 51:5; Rom. 6:12ff ; Ex. 33:3; Gen. 3:7ff Hence, it is nothing but error and blindness in regard to this article what the scholastic doctors have taught, namely:
4] That since the fall of Adam the natural powers of man have remained entire and incorrupt, and that man by nature has a right reason and a good will; which things the philosophers teach.
5] Again, that man has a free will to do good and omit evil, and, conversely, to omit good and do evil.
6] Again, that man by his natural powers can observe and keep [do] all the commands of God.
7] Again, that, by his natural powers, man can love God above all things and his neighbor as himself.
8] Again, if a man does as much as is in him, God certainly grants him His grace.
9] Again, if he wishes to go to the Sacrament, there is no need of a good intention to do good, but it is sufficient if he has not a wicked purpose to commit sin; so entirely good is his nature and so efficacious the Sacrament.
10] [Again,] that it is not founded upon Scripture that for a good work the Holy Ghost with His grace is necessary.
2 Chronicles 36:1-23 Colossians 4:1-18
We have now gotten to the "Third Part" of the Smalkald Articles. These are teachings concerning the Christian faith about which there was confusion, in fact error was being taught. In fact, such was Luther's concern (and rightly so) that the eternal well-being of people was at stake if they believed the errors. So, the errors needed to be corrected.
THE THIRD PART OF THE ARTICLES.
Concerning the following articles we may [will be able to] treat with learned and reasonable men, or among ourselves. The Pope and his [the Papal] government do not care much about these. For with them conscience is nothing, but money, [glory] honors, power are [to them] everything.
Part III, Article I. Of Sin
1] Here we must confess, as Paul says in Rom. 5:12, that sin originated [and entered the world] from one man Adam, by whose disobedience all men were made sinners, [and] subject to death and the devil. This is called original or capital sin.
2] The fruits of this sin are afterwards the evil deeds which are forbidden in the Ten Commandments, such as [distrust] unbelief, false faith, idolatry, to be without the fear of God, presumption [recklessness], despair, blindness [or complete loss of sight], and, in short not to know or regard God; furthermore to lie, to swear by [to abuse] God's name [to swear falsely], not to pray, not to call upon God, not to regard [to despise or neglect] God's Word, to be disobedient to parents, to murder, to be unchaste, to steal, to deceive, etc.
3] This hereditary sin is so deep [and horrible] a corruption of nature that no reason can understand it, but it must be [learned and] believed from the revelation of Scriptures, Ps. 51:5; Rom. 6:12ff ; Ex. 33:3; Gen. 3:7ff Hence, it is nothing but error and blindness in regard to this article what the scholastic doctors have taught, namely:
4] That since the fall of Adam the natural powers of man have remained entire and incorrupt, and that man by nature has a right reason and a good will; which things the philosophers teach.
5] Again, that man has a free will to do good and omit evil, and, conversely, to omit good and do evil.
6] Again, that man by his natural powers can observe and keep [do] all the commands of God.
7] Again, that, by his natural powers, man can love God above all things and his neighbor as himself.
8] Again, if a man does as much as is in him, God certainly grants him His grace.
9] Again, if he wishes to go to the Sacrament, there is no need of a good intention to do good, but it is sufficient if he has not a wicked purpose to commit sin; so entirely good is his nature and so efficacious the Sacrament.
10] [Again,] that it is not founded upon Scripture that for a good work the Holy Ghost with His grace is necessary.
11] Such and many
similar things have arisen from want of understanding and ignorance as regards
both this sin and Christ, our Savior, and they are truly heathen dogmas, which
we cannot endure. For if this teaching were right [approved], then Christ has
died in vain, since there is in man no defect nor sin for which he should have
died; or He would have died only for the body, not for the soul
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