In the _Formula of Concord_, Article XI is closely related to most of
the other articles particularly to Article I, Of Original Sin, and
Article II, Of Free Will and Conversion. Election is to conversion what
the concave side of a lens is to the convex. Both correspond to each
other in every particular. What God does for and in man when He
converts, justifies, sanctifies, preserves, and finally glorifies him,
He has in eternity resolved to do,--that is one way in which eternal
election may be defined. Synergists and Calvinists, however have always
maintained that the Second Article is in a hopeless conflict with the
Eleventh. But the truth is, the Second fully confirms and corroborates
the Eleventh, and _vice versa;_ for both maintain the _sola gratia_ as
well as the _universalis gratia_.
Both articles teach that in every respect grace alone is the cause of
our conversion and salvation, and that this grace is not confined to
some men only, but is a grace for all. Both teach that man, though
contributing absolutely nothing to his conversion and salvation, is
nevertheless the sole cause of his own damnation. Both disavow Calvinism
which denies the universality of grace. Both reject synergism, which
corrupts grace by teaching a cooperation of man towards his own
conversion and salvation. Teaching therefore, as they do, the same
truths, both articles will and must ever stand and fall together. It
was, no doubt, chiefly due to this complete harmony between the Second
and the Eleventh Article that after the former (which received its
present shape only after repeated changes and additions) had been
decided upon the revision of the latter (the Eleventh) caused but little
delay. (Frank 4, V. 133.)
Concerning the alleged conflict between Articles II and XI, we read in
Schaff's _Creeds of Christendom:_ "There is an obvious and
irreconcilable antagonism between Article II and Article XI. They
contain not simply opposite truths to be reconciled by theological
science, but contradictory assertions, which ought never to be put into
a creed. The _Formula_ adopts one part of Luther's book _De Servo
Arbitrio_, 1525, and rejects the other, which follows with logical
necessity. It is Augustinian, yea, hyper-Augustinian and
hyper-Calvinistic in the doctrine of human depravity, and
anti-Augustinian in the doctrine of divine predestination. It endorses
the anthropological premise, and denies the theological conclusion. If
man is by nature like a stone and block, and unable even to accept the
grace of God, as Article II teaches, he can only be converted by an act
of almighty power and irresistible grace, which Article XI denies. If
some men are saved without any cooperation on their part, while others,
with the same inability and the same opportunities, are lost, the
difference points to a particular predestination and the inscrutable
decree of God. On the other hand if God sincerely wills the salvation of
all men, as Article XI teaches, and yet only a part are actually saved,
there must be some difference in the attitude of the saved and the lost
towards converting grace, which is denied in Article II. The Lutheran
system, then, to be consistent, must rectify itself, and develop either
from Article II in the direction of Augustinianism and Calvinism, or
from Article XI in the direction of synergism and Arminianism. The
former would be simply returning to Luther's original doctrine [?],
which he never recalled, though he may have modified it a little; the
latter is the path pointed out by Melanchthon, and adopted more or less
by some of the ablest modern Lutherans." (1, 314. 330.) Prior to Schaff,
similar charges had been raised by Planck, Schweizer, Heppe, and others,
who maintained that Article XI suffers from a "theological confusion
otherwise not found in the _Formula_."
Apart from other unwarranted assertions in the passage quoted from
Schaff, the chief charges there raised against the _Formula of Concord_
are: 1. that Articles XI and II are contradictory to each other, 2. that
the Lutheran Church has failed to harmonize the doctrines of _sola
gratia_ and _gratia universalis_. However, the first of these strictures
is based on gross ignorance of the facts, resulting from a superficial
investigation of the articles involved, for the alleged disagreement is
purely imaginary. As a matter of fact, no one can read the two articles
attentively without being everywhere impressed with their complete
harmony. In every possible way Article XI excludes synergism, and
corroborates the _sola gratia_ doctrine of Article II. And Article II,
in turn, nowhere denies, rather everywhere, directly or indirectly,
confirms, the universal grace particularly emphasized in Article XI.
The framers of the _Formula_ were well aware of the fact that the least
error in the doctrine of free will and conversion was bound to manifest
itself also in the doctrine of election, and that perhaps in a form much
more difficult to detect. Hence Article XI was not only intended to be a
bulwark against the assaults on the doctrine of grace coming from
Calvinistic quarters, but also an additional reenforcement of the
article of Free Will against the Synergists, in order to prevent a
future recrudescence of their errors in the sphere of predestination.
Its object is clearly to maintain the doctrine of the Bible, according
to which it is grace alone that saves, a grace which, at the same time,
is a grace for all, and thus to steer clear of synergism as well as of
Calvinism, and forever to close the doors of the Lutheran Church to
every form of these two errors.
According to the Second Article, Christians cannot be assured of their
election if the doctrine of conversion [by grace alone] is not properly
presented. (901, 47. 57.) And Article XI most emphatically supports
Article II in its efforts to weed out every kind of synergistic or
Romanistic corruption. For here we read: "Thus far the mystery of
predestination is revealed to us in God's Word; and if we abide thereby
and cleave thereto, it is a very useful salutary, consolatory doctrine;
for it establishes very effectually the article that we are justified
and saved without all works and merits of ours, purely out of grace
alone, for Christ's sake. For before the time of the world, before we
existed, yea, before the foundation of the world was laid, when, of
course, we could do nothing good, we were according to God's purpose
chosen by grace in Christ to salvation, Rom. 9, 11; 2 Tim. 1, 9.
Moreover, all opinions and erroneous doctrines concerning the powers of
our natural will are thereby overthrown, because God in His counsel,
before the time of the world, decided and ordained that He Himself, by
the power of His Holy Ghost, would produce and work in us, through the
Word, everything that pertains to our conversion." (1077, 43f.; 837,
20.)
Again: "By this doctrine and explanation of the eternal and saving
choice of the elect children of God, His own glory is entirely and fully
given to God, that in Christ He saves us out of pure [and free] mercy,
without any merits or good works of ours, according to the purpose of
His will, as it is written Eph. 1, 5f.: 'Having predestinated us,'...
Therefore it is false and wrong when it is taught that not alone the
mercy of God and the most holy merit of Christ, but that also in us
there is a cause of God's predestination on account of which God has
chosen us to eternal life." Indeed, one of the most exclusive
formulations against every possible kind of subtile synergism is found
in Article XI when it teaches that the reason why some are converted and
saved while others are lost, must not be sought in man, _i.e._, in any
minor guilt or less faulty conduct toward grace shown by those who are
saved, as compared with the guilt and conduct of those who are lost.
(1081, 57f.) If, therefore, the argument of the Calvinists and
Synergists that the _sola gratia_ doctrine involves a denial of
universal grace were correct, the charge of Calvinism would have to be
raised against Article XI as well as against Article II.
In a similar manner the Second Article confirms the Eleventh by
corroborating its anti-Calvinistic teaching of universal grace and
redemption; of man's responsibility for his own damnation; of man's
conversion, not by compulsion or coercion, etc. The Second Article most
emphatically teaches the _sola gratia_, but without in any way limiting,
violating, or encroaching upon, universal grace. It is not merely
opposed to Pelagian, Semi-Pelagian and synergistic errors, but to Stoic
and Calvinistic aberrations as well. While it is not the special object
of the Second Article to set forth the universality of God's grace, its
anti-Calvinistic attitude is nevertheless everywhere apparent.
Article II plainly teaches that "it is not God's will that anyone should
be damned, but that all men should be converted to Him and be saved
eternally. Ezek. 33, 11: 'As I live.'" (901, 49.) It teaches that
"Christ, in whom we are chosen, offers to all men His grace in the Word
and holy Sacraments, and wishes earnestly that it be heard, and has
promised that where two or three are gathered together in His name, and
are occupied with His holy Word, He will be in their midst." (903, 57.)
It maintains that through the Gospel the Holy Ghost offers man grace and
salvation, effects conversion through the preaching and hearing of God's
Word, and is present with this Word in order to convert men. (787, 4ff.;
889, 18.) It holds that "all who wish to be saved ought to hear this
preaching, because the preaching and hearing of God's Word are the
instruments of the Holy Ghost, by, with, and through which He desires to
work efficaciously, and to convert men to God, and to work in them both
to will and to do." (901, 52ff.) It admonishes that no one should doubt
that the power and efficacy of the Holy Ghost is present with, and
efficacious in, the Word when it is preached purely and listened to
attentively, and that we should base our certainty concerning the
presence, operation, and gifts of the Holy Ghost not on our feeling, but
on the promise that the Word of God preached and heard is truly an
office and work of the Holy Ghost, by which He is certainly efficacious
and works in our hearts, 2 Cor. 2, 14ff.; 3, 5ff." [tr. note: sic on
punctuation] (903, 56.) It asserts that men who refuse to hear the Word
of God are not converted because they despised the instrument of the
Holy Spirit and would not hear (903, 58); that God does not force men to
become godly; that those who always resist the Holy Ghost and
persistently oppose the known truth are not converted (905, 60). If,
therefore, the inference were correct that the doctrine of universal
grace involved a denial of the _sola gratia_, then the charge of
synergism would have to be raised against Article II as well as against
Article XI. Both articles will always stand and fall together; for both
teach that the grace of God is the only cause of our conversion and
salvation, and that this grace is truly universal.