new-born infants, and say that without this they cannot be saved, is
rejected as a grave error. Some of these found regeneration upon infant
baptism, maintaining that as soon as they have their children baptized,
they are also, through this ceremony of baptism, regenerated. Others
build the regeneration of infants on the justification or general
redemption of Christ, by which the human race has been reconciled from
the fall of Adam and put in a state of grace; saying that children are
regenerated as soon as they are conceived by the mother; thus putting
regeneration, against all right and probability, before the first
birth which is of the flesh. Some can not tell whether infants become
partakers of regeneration before, in, or after baptism; from which it
is judged that the aforesaid persons treat of regeneration without the
holy Scriptures and all true reason, as the blind man of colors; since
Almighty God, nowhere in his holy word speaks of the regeneration of
infants. And though children are conceived in sin, or born from sinful
seed, yet they have never known, served, or practiced sin, from which
they might be regenerated, converted, and renewed in their mind and
heart; but they have without this been born, and placed by God in so
holy and God-pleasing a state, through the atonement of Christ, that
no adult person can, through regeneration and the putting off of the
sinful body of the flesh, and the renewing of the mind, become more
sinless, holy and God-pleasing; seeing the innate sinfulness, lust
or inclination to sin remains in the most pious, regenerated, adult
persons until death (not less then in children, in their infancy),
against which they carry on a constant warfare; and besides this,
Almighty God, by his word, requires of all men that have served
sin, no higher or greater reparation than that they be converted by
regeneration, and become like unto children in sin and malice. With
what reason, then, can regeneration be applied to children, who have
never committed sin, from which they could be regenerated; seeing
infancy has already the innocence which is acceptable to God, and has
been set as an example before men, after which all the regenerated must
labor and strive until death.
Of this heavenly birth from God, and how it is effected through the
Spirit and the word of God, read: “Seeing ye have purified your souls
in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the
brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the
word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.” 1 Pet. 1:22,23; 2:2;
James 1:18; 1 Cor. 4:15; Gal. 4:19; Philem. 10.
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his
mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the
Holy Ghost,” etc. Tit. 3:5.
That regeneration is not a vain or hidden thing, but demands a new life
and the following of Christ, and that eternal salvation is promised
thereupon, read: “Verily, I say unto you, that ye which have followed
me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of
his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve
tribes of Israel.” Matt. 19:28.
“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor
uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to
this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.”
Gal. 6:15,16.
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons
of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of
blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of
God.” John 1:12,13.
To all who have served sin, and have not been regenerated, the kingdom
of God is denied. Concerning this, read: “Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
“Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into
the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that
which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto
thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and
thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh,
and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” John
3:3,5–8.
That the regenerated do not become perfect in this life, but must fight
unto death against the flesh, the world, and sin, read: “Not as though
I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow
after,” etc. Phil. 3:12; 1:30; Col. 1:29; Rev. 2:10.
“I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any
means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”
1 Cor. 9:27.
“For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the
flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot
do the things that ye would. But if ye be led by the Spirit,” etc. Gal.
5:17,18; 1 Pet. 2:11; Rom. 7:18,23; Jas. 3:2.
ARTICLE XIV.
_Of the incarnation of the eternal and only begotten Son of God._ We
confess: That the exalted and true God faithfully kept and fulfilled
his exceeding great and precious promises, which he had made in the
beginning concerning his Son, who had been foreordained to this end
before the foundation of the world, but in these last times was
manifest for our sakes.
This glorious and cheering promise was originally given to fallen Adam
and Eve, and was afterwards renewed in their seed, as in Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, Moses and David. Of him did all the prophets
prophesy, and on him did all the pious fathers hope with a firm
confidence (as though they had seen him), that Shiloh would come
from Judah, and that this beautiful star would arise out of Jacob.
This truly and really took place as follows: When everything was in
tranquillity, when the royal sceptre had departed from Judah, and the
seed of Jacob was under tribute to the heathen; then the gracious God
remembered his holy covenant, and sent his true, real Word or Son out
of heaven, from his royal throne; having to this end foreordained and
elected the righteous Joseph, of the house and generation of David,
whose espoused wife was Mary, whom God had blessed and chosen for this
purpose above all other women.
To this Joseph and Mary the Holy Ghost points from generation to
generation, as well as to the town of Bethlehem, out of which this
Light long before promised was to arise and come forth; in order that
all the pious who waited and hoped for this salvation, might have a
certain consolation and knowledge from which tribe, city and place they
were to expect this Savior of the world.
Thus Mary received the message through the angel of God, and believed
it, being overshadowed by the power of the Highest, and conceived of
the Holy Ghost the true, real Word, which was in the beginning with
God, and by which all things were created. The same, through the
effectual power of the Almighty God, became flesh or man in her, and
was born of her, the Son of the Most High God, whom she had before
conceived of the Holy Ghost.
Thus the eternal and only begotten Son of the living God became a
visible man subject to suffering. He was wrapped in swaddling clothes,
laid in a manger, and brought up at Nazareth under the care of his
[imputed] father and his mother. He hungered, thirsted, was wearied
with walking, sighed and wept, and increased in wisdom and stature, and
in favor with God and man; so that the eternal, only begotten Son of
the living God, in the time of his incarnation, did not continue like
his heavenly Father in an invisible, impassive, immortal, and spiritual
form, but for our sakes, humbled himself into a visible, passive,
mortal, and servile form, became like unto us men in all things,
except sin; in order thereby to heal us from the poisonous bite of the
serpent, and from everlasting torment.
Hence, all true witnesses of Jesus Christ are bound, by virtue of the
holy Scriptures, to believe and confess: That this same Word, which was
in the beginning with God, and was God, by which all things were made,
proceeded from God his Father, came into the world, and, through the
power of God, became himself man or flesh, so that the glory of the
only begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and truth was touched
and seen.
Thus he who before was like unto his Father in brightness and
glory--not given or usurped God-likeness, but one peculiar to him by
nature--left his brightness and glory, and humbled himself, and became
in form like unto us men; he who before was greater than the angels,
and in an invisible, immortal form, like unto God his Father, was now
made lower than the angels, and became like unto his brethren in a
visible and mortal form. He who could have had joy with his Father,
and was surrounded by eternal riches, became poor for our sakes, and
suffered on the cross, despising the shame. He who in the presence of
the apostles ascended heavenward, was the same who before had descended
from God out of heaven into the lower parts of the earth; and the same
ascended above all heavens. This is the mystery of godliness, which
is great, but on account of their carnal and flickering reason, is
believed by but few: that God the Son was thus manifest in the flesh:
and that he appeared, as a true Redeemer and Savior, and eternal Light,
to them who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death.
And, as the food which the Israelites ate in the wilderness, is called,
bread from heaven or heavenly bread, because the substance of the
bread was no fruit of this earth, but had come from heaven, though the
same, was in this world, prepared in the form of bread; so also Christ
himself calls his flesh the true bread which came down from heaven;
and says that the Son of man should ascend up where he was before,
because his flesh or body became flesh, not of Mary or of any created
substance, but only of the Word of life which had come down from heaven.
He it was who spake with Moses on the mount and in the wilderness; and
him the fathers tempted in the wilderness, and resisted his Spirit.
This is the same who was from the beginning. Him the apostles touched
with their hands, and beheld with their eyes; herein the life was
manifested, that they saw and proclaimed to men, that which was with
the Father, and was manifested unto them, and was even the same Word
which spake with them.
And though it is true that the eternal Son of the living God forsook
his divine glory, and, for a brief time, was made lower than the
angels, and appeared in the visible form of a servant; yet he did not
thereby lose his eternal Sonship and Godhead with his Father; but when
God the Father brought this his first and only begotten Son into the
world, he prepared him a body, not of any created substance, but only
of the Word of life, which became flesh, and which by all the angels of
God is honored and worshiped as the true God.
Likewise, Christ glorified himself before his apostles, on mount
Tabor, that his face shone as the bright sun, and he was confessed by
his Father from heaven as his beloved Son. Thus have also the highly
enlightened apostles of Christ, and all true believers, confessed,
pronounced, honored and worshiped this visible and palpable Christ
Jesus as the true God, and Son of God. Hence all true believers,
according to these testimonies of holy Scripture, and the examples
of all the saints of God, must necessarily, unto salvation, follow,
believe, and confess, that the whole crucified Christ Jesus, visible
and invisible, mortal and immortal, is the true God, and the Son of
God, God and man in one undivided person. To him be praise forever and
ever, Amen.
Of these promises concerning the Savior, read, how God the Lord, in the
beginning promised fallen Adam and Eve, to put him as enmity between
Satan and the woman, and between their seed. “And I will put enmity
between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall
bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Gen. 3:15; Col. 1:19;
3:15; Eph. 2:15.
“The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of
thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken.” Deut.
18:15; Acts 7:37; Read also: Acts 3:25; Gal. 3:8; Genesis 49:10; Num.
24:17; Matt. 2:2; Jer. 23:5; 33:15; Is. 9:6; 11:1; Acts 10:43.
And that this Savior of the world originally did not spring from the
fathers, Mary, or any creature, but was sent and came only from God,
and was conceived and brought forth by Mary, read: “Behold, a virgin
shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son.” Matt. 1:23; Is.
7:14; Luke 2:21; Gal. 4:4. “When as his mother Mary was espoused to
Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy
Ghost.” And further: “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto
thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy
Ghost.” Matt. 1:18,20.
The angel of God said unto Mary: “Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy
womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall
be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God
shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign
over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no
end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know
not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost
shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow
thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall
be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:30–35.
Read in this connection St. John, who also gives thorough information
regarding this matter: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with
God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace
and truth.” John 1:1,2,14; Bar. 3:37; Zach. 2:10.
And further: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard,
which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our
hands have handled, of the Word of life; (for the life was manifested,
and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal
life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us,)” 1 John
1:1,2; John 8:25; Micah 5:2; 2 Peter 1:16; John 20:28; Wis. 18:15.
Of the humbling of the eternal and only Son of God. (Mark especially
the word _made_; for nowhere do we find anything about _assuming_ man)
read: “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be
equal with God: but _made_ himself of no reputation, and took upon him
the form of a servant, and was _made_ in the likeness of men: and being
found in fashion as a man,” etc. Phil. 2:6–8.
“Thou madest him a little lower than the angels.” “But we see Jesus,
who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death,
crowned with glory and honor.” Heb. 2:7,9; Ps. 8:5.
“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was
rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty
might be rich.” 2 Cor. 8:9; Eccl. 9:15.
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the
joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame,”
etc. Hebrews 12:2.
“I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of
this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my
flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” John 6:51. Read
also verses 58 and 63.
How the saints of God confessed and worshiped this humiliated Jesus
also in the days of his flesh, as the true God, and the Son of God,
read: “Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am?” And after a few
more words: “Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the
Son of the living God.” Matt. 13:16. Understand, the true Son who was
born and came forth from the essence of the Father; and not a Son
become so in time, or assumed, as believers, who because of the faith,
are also called sons and daughters.” 2 John 1:3; John 1:49; 10:36;
11:27; Acts 8:37; Matt. 27:54.
Jesus said to the blind man: “Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He
answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? and
Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh
with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshiped him.” John
9:35–38.
“Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith
unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed,” etc.
John 20:28,29.
“In his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.” 1 John 5:20,21.
Rom. 9:5.
ARTICLE XV.
_Of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, God and man in one person, and the
necessity of believing it._ Of this we confess: That it is necessary
for all Christians to believe that the knowledge of the only Son of
the Father, is, as one of the principal articles of our faith, in the
highest degree essential unto salvation. It is therefore not sufficient
to know Christ only after the flesh, or his humanity; as, that he was
born of Mary, and became like unto us in all things, except sin; but we
must also (which is the most important) know him after the Spirit, and
his eternal Godhead; that is, that he before all time, in eternity, in
an unspeakable manner, was born of or proceeded from the true God his
Father, and that he is the true real Word and Wisdom, which proceeded
from the mouth of the Most High, and which for this reason, was equal
with his Father in brightness, glory, power, might and eternal Godhead,
before the foundation of the world. And that this only Son of God, for
our justification, became a visible man, that by his present, visible
humanity--which is not of this tabernacle or sinful substance, but in
essence far different from sinners--he might give us a holy, unblamable
example in doctrine and conversation, in order thus to incite all men
to follow him.
And that according to his divine power and might he was able to deliver
us from the captivity of sin, hell, the devil, and death, and save us
forever; seeing no other means or name in heaven or on earth is given
unto men for salvation. To this end, Christ was made unto us, of God,
wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. Hence
neither Moses with his threatening and punishing law of commandments,
nor Aaron with the entire Levitical priesthood, and all their
sacrifices and offerings, which were made only for remembrance of sins,
and consequently, passed by polluted mankind without affording them any
help (for no corruptible man could redeem his brother, and reconcile
him with God; as all human, sinful substance was not able to redeem the
soul from eternal death); but this was fulfilled and accomplished by
the slain Lamb, which was foreordained and was manifest in these last
times. He restored that which he had not taken away. He, the innocent
one, took the guilt of us all upon him, and only he was found worthy
in heaven and earth, to open the book with its seven seals. And by
his coming into this world (which can never be sufficiently praised),
he opened the entrance to the kingdom of God, which was closed by
sin, not by the blood of bulls and goats, or of any corruptible man,
nor by corruptible silver or gold; but Christ paid and accomplished
this by his own dear and precious blood, thereby obtaining an eternal
redemption.
And as the sun in the heavens is endowed by God with a glorious
splendor, so that it is the eye of the world, which illuminates the
darkness, and spreads its beautiful light over all visible things, and
receives nothing from any of them; so also Christ Jesus, the true Sun
of righteousness, and what is still more, the Creator and Ruler of the
sun, and of all things, did not take to his assistance any created
substance, by which to accomplish the work of our salvation; but came
with his most praiseworthy light from God out of heaven, and shone into
this dark world, where he was received, and arose, as the beautiful
day-star, in the hearts of many men; and was thus a Giver, but not a
recipient. Hence, the praise and honor for this redemption must be
ascribed to the only God of heaven and earth, and not to any created
man; otherwise we would rob the Creator of his proper honor, and
ascribe the same to sinful, created flesh like unto ourselves; thereby
making flesh our arm, Redeemer, God and Savior; and thus departing
with our hearts from God our Salvation, we should fall into damnable
idolatry, seeking life from the dead, where it cannot be found.
Herein we are to know the love and goodness, and also the severity of
God, and how greatly the Almighty God hates sin;--his severity and
justice, from the fact, that through the one sin of the first man,
the whole human race became corrupted; and that this could be paid
and atoned for by no other means than through the death and blood of
God’s own, only begotten Son. God’s goodness and everlasting love
are known from this, that he, the Blessed, so graciously looked upon
and recognized, the weakness and nothingness of man; and, hence, as
he often sent angels, as his faithful messengers, in human form to
men, upon the earth, knowing that this sinful, mortal, earthly flesh
and blood is not able to behold the immortal, heavenly glory of the
angels; much less can man with his sinful and mortal eyes behold the
immortal, eternal, holy splendor and glory of the eternal Creator of
all things; therefore the eternal, invisible and immortal Son of God,
through his unfathomable love, had himself to become a visible, mortal
man, for a little while lower than the angels, and to appear in the
form of a servant, like unto his brethren; so that the glory of the
eternal and only begotten Son of God was felt and seen in human form,
that he might be a true example for us to follow his footsteps. Herein
we may especially know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge: that
the holy heavenly, only begotten, blessed Son of God, Jesus Christ,
became man, died and rose for us, when we were yet ungodly and his
enemies.
And though Christ suffered for us in the flesh, and was crucified,
and died; yet it was not possible that he should be held by death, or
that his holy flesh should see corruption. But he had himself the keys
of death and hell, and the power to open and to shut, to lay down his
life, and to take it again; and he it is that liveth, and was dead,
and, behold, he is alive forevermore.
Hence all true believers must believe that the true knowledge of Jesus
Christ, both of his true divinity, and pure, immaculate humanity, is
necessary to salvation. And to this, life and eternal salvation are
promised by the Holy Ghost; and that Christ would build his church
upon this foundation, and that the gates of hell should not prevail
against her. On the other hand: that all unbelievers, who confess not
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh (that is, that the Son of God
became man, and thus coming, appeared in the flesh), are not of God,
but of the spirit of antichrist, who began already in the days of the
Apostles, and is to exalt himself still more in the last times.
Of the necessity of this knowledge of Jesus Christ, read: “And this is
life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus
Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3; Hosea 13:4.
“If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also,” etc. John
14:7.
“Though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know
we him no more.” 2 Corinthians 5:16.
“And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
glory of God the Father.” Phil. 2:11; Rom. 14:11; Col. 2:2; Phil. 3:8.
“And Jesus said to Peter, after the latter had confessed and pronounced
the man Jesus, to be Christ, the Son of the living God: Blessed art
thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto
thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That
thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the
gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matt. 16:17,18.
“And after the apostle Thomas had confessed the visible and palpable
man Jesus as his Lord and God, Christ did not reprehend him for it, but
accepted it as the belief of the truth, saying: “Thomas, because thou
hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen,
and yet have believed.” John 20:29; 17:20; 1 Pet. 1:8.
Read in this connection the various Scripture passages, how the
apostles through the Holy Ghost, labored with all their might, to
impress on men, not that the eternal Son of God dwelt concealed in the
man Jesus; but, on the contrary, that the visible man Jesus was the
Christ; that is, the Anointed, and the Savior of the world, sent down
from heaven; and to this, the promise of life is given. Read: “And many
other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are
not written in this book: but these are written, that ye might believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might
have life through his name.” John 20:30,31.
“Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in
him, and he in God.” 1 John 4:15; 1 John 5:5; 2 John 1:3; John 6:47.
“Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” 1 John
5:1,5,10; Acts 18:5,28.
“Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? he is
antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.” 1 John 2:22.
“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesseth that
Jesus Christ is come in the flesh [that is, that the eternal Word
became flesh, and being thus flesh, came into his own] is of God: and
every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh
is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have
heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” 1
John 4:2,3; 2 John 1:7.
Read further, how we have been redeemed and bought by no other means,
than only by the death of the Son of God.