ST. CATHARINES CONCORDIA - Brock University

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Tlloma~ M Wmgei: AUGSBURG CONFESSION IV & V 3 1
In this way, thcrcfore, Christ is diligently shown to the people,
wherefore the Father will have mercy on them, so that he certainly
makes sati\laction Ibr our sms, and that on account of Chlst the
Holy Spirit is givcn to thosc rcccived into grace, by whom the
believ~ng elect are sanctified, guided, and watched over.
Though the Holy Spirit is tied to justification, He appears as a gift rather than as
the moving cause of its reception. Shot-tly aftcr this, however, the acquisition of faith
is said 10 occur through hearing the Gospel, as in AC V.
Under thc guiding hand of Luther, Melanchthon reworked these articles into
Gennan, published in 1528 as the Instriiction for the Visitors to the Pastors i17 the
Elector~~te oj'~axt,ny.10 'I%e visilations which have already taken place have unearthed
a disdain for the Law and repentance.
Concerning Doctrine. Among other things we find that the chicf
defect in leaching is that while some do preach conceniing the faith
by which we arc justified, nevcrthclcss the manner in which we
attain that faith is not made sufficiently clear, and so almost all
neglect the one article of Christian doctrine withuul which nu one
can understand the true naturc of faith. . . . But, at the prcscnt time,
many speak only of the forgiveness of sins and have little or
nothing to say concerning repentance. Yet there can be no forgiveness
of sins nor understanding of the naturc of such forgiveness
without repentance. l l
The problcm is a wrong understanding of faithbtrue justifying I'aith is only
attained by the road of repentance.
The "Instructions" remind us that the means cited "to obtain such faith" is dictated
somewhat by the error being combattcd. In this case, "repentance" is that without
which I'aith cannot be obtained. "Therefore when preaching about faith the people
must continually be instructed where true faith can exisl and how we may attain to it,
for true faith cannot exist where there is no true rcpcntance."12 Thc right use of the
Meany of Grace is hardly neglected, however: there is constant emphasis on Confession
and Absolution before receiving Communion. Though there is no separate arlicle
on the Office of the Ministry, the entire document prcsumcs thc need for pastors to
preach the Law and administer the Means of Grace as the solution to the crisis.
10 liilte~richr der I4siturol-rz an die Pk~rhef-rr )nl Ku