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The Smalcald Articles by Martin Luther

The Smalcald Articles by Martin Luther - Free Ebook

Here they have resorted to the device of imposing a small satisfaction, which could indeed be rendered, as five Paternosters, a day's fast, etc. But this confidence was impossible. For, although any one had done penance in that way for a hundred years, he would still not have known whether he had finished his penance. That meant forever to do penance and never to come to repentance.

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The Smalcald Articles or Schmalkald Articles (German: Schmalkaldische Artikel) are a summary of Lutheran doctrine, written by Martin Luther in for a. The Smalcald Articles. Preface. 1] Since Pope Paul III convoked a Council last year, to assemble at Mantua about Whitsuntide, and afterwards transferred it from .

But he reserved to himself alone the power to remit the entire satisfaction. He called this the remission of all punishment and guilt. Then the people came running, because every one would fain have been freed from this grievous, unbearable burden.

This meant to find [dig up] and raise the treasures of the earth. Immediately the Pope pressed still further, and multiplied the golden years one upon another. But the more he devoured money, the wider grew his maw.

The Smalcald Articles by Martin Luther

Later, therefore, he issued them [those golden years of his] by his legates [everywhere] to the countries, until all churches and houses were full of the Golden Year. For although the Pope taught men to depend upon, and trust in, these indulgences [for salvation], yet he rendered the [whole] matter again uncertain. For in his bulls he declares: Whoever would share in the indulgences or a Golden Year must be contrite, and have confessed, and pay money.

Now, we have heard above that this contrition and confession are with them uncertain and hypocrisy. Likewise, also no one knew what soul was in purgatory, and if some were therein, no one knew which had properly repented and confessed. Thus he took the precious money [the Pope snatched up the holy pence], and comforted them meanwhile with [led them to confidence in] his power and indulgence, and [then again led them away from that and] directed them again to their uncertain work. This is indeed true, and seals, letters, and instances [that this happened] are at hand. For of what would they repent, since they had not indulged wicked thoughts?

What would they confess [concerning words not uttered], since they had avoided words? For what should they render satisfaction, since they were so guiltless of any deed that they could even sell their superfluous righteousness to other poor sinners? Such saints were also the Pharisees and scribes in the time of Christ.

Why, we have repented! The latter [the rest] say: We need no repentance. Repent ye, both of you, for ye are false penitents; so are these [the rest] false saints [or hypocrites], and all of you on either side need the forgiveness of sins, because neither of you know what true sin is not to say anything about your duty to repent of it and shun it. For no one of you is good; you are full of unbelief, stupidity, and ignorance of God and God's will.

For here He is present of whose fulness have all we received , and grace for grace , John 1: Therefore, if you wish to repent, repent aright; your penance will not accomplish anything [is nothing]. And you hypocrites, who do not need repentance, you serpents' brood, who has assured you that you will escape the wrath to come? There is none righteous , there is none that understandeth , there is none that seeketh after God , there is none that doeth good , no not one; they are all gone out of the way; they are together become unprofitable.

God now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. For it does not debate what is or is not sin, but hurls everything on a heap, and says: All in us is nothing but sin [affirms that, with respect to us, all is simply sin and there is nothing in us that is not sin and guilt ]. What is the use of [For why do we wish] investigating, dividing, or distinguishing a long time? For this reason, too, this contrition is not [doubtful or] uncertain. For there is nothing left with which we can think of any good thing to pay for sin, but there is only a sure despairing concerning all that we are, think, speak, or do [all hope must be cast aside in respect of everything], etc.

For he who confesses that all in him is nothing but sin comprehends all sins, excludes none, forgets none. By this [preaching of] repentance we dash to the ground the Pope and everything that is built upon our good works. For all is built upon a rotten and vain foundation, which is called a good work or law, even though no good work is there, but only wicked works, and no one does the Law as Christ, John 7: Therefore the building [that is raised upon it] is nothing but falsehood and hypocrisy, even [in the part] where it is most holy and beautiful.

This gift daily cleanses and sweeps out the remaining sins, and works so as to render man truly pure and holy. I have had before me [seen and heard] many such insane men, and I fear that in some such a devil is still remaining [hiding and dwelling]. For the Holy Ghost does not permit sin to have dominion, to gain the upper hand so as to be accomplished, but represses and restrains it so that it must not do what it wishes. But if it does what it wishes, the Holy Ghost and faith are [certainly] not present.

John says, 1 John 3: Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin , And yet it is also the truth when the same St. If we say that we have no sin , we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. We will now return to the Gospel, which not merely in one way gives us counsel and aid against sin; for God is superabundantly rich [and liberal] in His grace [and goodness].

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First, through the spoken Word by which the forgiveness of sins is preached [He commands to be preached] in the whole world; which is the peculiar office of the Gospel. Thirdly, through the holy Sacrament of the Altar. Fourthly, through the power of the keys, and also through the mutual conversation and consolation of brethren, Matt. Where two or three are gathered together , etc.

Let the Word come to the element , and it becomes a Sacrament. For they belong to the promised redemption made through Christ, and the Church should administer it [Baptism and the announcement of that promise] to them. Of the Sacrament of the Altar. For it is in perfect agreement with Holy Scriptures that there is, and remains, bread, as Paul himself calls it, 1 Cor. The bread which we break.

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Thus also Christ Himself says, Luke The first and chief article is this: Urban Rhegius , Superintendent of the churches in the Duchy of Lueneburg, subscribe in my own name and in the name of my brethren, and of the Church of Hannover. If man truly repent, [feel remorse,] confess, render satisfaction, he thereby would have merited forgiveness, and paid for his sins before God [atoned for his sins and obtained a plenary redemption]. Open Preview See a Problem?

Paul himself complains that with the flesh he serves the law of sin. Enter not into judgment with Thy servant; for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified.

Smalcald Articles

For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified. For as long as we are in the flesh, we shall not lie when we say: I see another law in my members , etc. For since private absolution originates in the Office of the Keys, it should not be despised [neglected], but greatly and highly esteemed [of the greatest worth], as [also] all other offices of the Christian Church.

Why [then] do not they also omit their own sermons and writings, until the Spirit Himself come to men, without their writings and before them, as they boast that He has come into them without the preaching of the Scriptures? But of these matters there is not time now to dispute at greater length; we have elsewhere sufficiently urged this subject. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved , even though they are at first unbelieving, and receive the Spirit and Baptism ten years afterwards.

Peter had to reveal to him that the Messiah in whom, as one that was to come, he had hitherto believed now had come, lest his faith concerning the coming Messiah hold him captive among the hardened and unbelieving Jews, but know that he was now to be saved by the present Messiah, and must not, with the [rabble of the] Jews deny nor persecute Him. For God wished to appear even to Moses through the burning bush and spoken Word; and no prophet neither Elijah nor Elisha, received the Spirit without the Ten Commandments [or spoken Word].

The prophecy came not by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Without the outward Word, however, they were not holy, much less would the Holy Ghost have moved them to speak when they still were unholy [or profane]; for they were holy, says he, since the Holy Ghost spake through them. The greater excommunication, as the Pope calls it, we regard only as a civil penalty, and it does not concern us ministers of the Church. But the lesser, that is, the true Christian excommunication, consists in this, that manifest and obstinate sinners are not admitted to the Sacrament and other communion of the Church until they amend their lives and avoid sin.

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And ministers ought not to mingle secular punishments with this ecclesiastical punishment, or excommunication. Of Ordination and the Call. For their laws say that those ordained even by heretics should be declared [truly] ordained and stay ordained [and that such ordination must not be changed], as St. Jerome writes of the Church at Alexandria, that at first it was governed in common by priests and preachers, without bishops.

Of the Marriage of Priests. For the children pray thus: I believe in one holy [catholic or] Christian Church. Peter says, we acquire a new and clean heart, and God will and does account us entirely righteous and holy for the sake of Christ, our Mediator. And although sin in the flesh has not yet been altogether removed or become dead, yet He will not punish or remember it.

There are a total of 15 articles, tackling differences these Reformers had with the Roman See. The ending has a long list of signers, w Insightful into Luther's main objections to the Roman Catholic Church of his day. The ending has a long list of signers, which adds an interesting element to this document, since many of them were unknown to me and most likely to everyone else.

Jan 15, John Yelverton rated it really liked it. Martin Luther releases, basically, a statement of faith in an effort to make sure that his position is truthfully heard should a church council ever be called in an attempt to reunify the Roman Catholics and the Protestants. Yet, Luther addresses his issues with the papacy in his usual bombastic way which pretty much precludes this ever happening. There are many excellent points that are made, but the constant use of clauses and parenthetical phrases make for some clunky and frustrating reading. As Luther notes in his brief introduction these articles laid out "what we could accept or yield, and what we could not.

The Council never happened and the league never adopted the The Smalcald Articles as an official statement of faith because of Luther's strident, I would even say enthusiastic, attacks on some core matters of Catholic faith, especially the office of the Pope. The Smalcald Articles were incorporated into the Book of Concord and are considered traditional standard Lutheran doctrine. The Smalcald Articles are a lively presentation of the basics of Lutheranism.

In reality, one would get the same information if you read Martin Luther's Small Catechism but it would not be presented in Luther's best argumentative style. Luther often knew no restraint when it came to arguing the points of Christian faith.

The Smalcald Articles by Martin Luther - Free Ebook

He follows his arguments to their logical conclusions and is quite ruthless, devastatingly effective and fantastically politically incorrect Aug 19, Tiffany rated it it was amazing. This book gave me a good view into the mind of Martin Luther and considering that this basically the first thing I've read by him I found it very insightful. Luther was a man that knew what he believed and stuck to them. Prior to reading this book I thought that Lutheranism was just a branch off of the Catholic church that the they, while having obvious differences, didn't think badly of the Catholic church.

And while this is probably true for most Lutherans, Martin Luther made his thoughts extr This book gave me a good view into the mind of Martin Luther and considering that this basically the first thing I've read by him I found it very insightful. And while this is probably true for most Lutherans, Martin Luther made his thoughts extremely clear in these articles.

He goes as far to say that the Pope is the antichrist and the devil's play toy.

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He obviously had very harsh views about the Catholic church and their ways of doing things. Ultimately I didn't find anything I disagreed with in these articles. It is fairly short and was easy to get through. I continue to believe that Luther was of very strong Biblical doctrine and had a very strong conviction about his beliefs. Overall, I really liked reading this and it will probably spur me to read more from Martin Luther in the future. Sep 12, Katy rated it really liked it.

Love learning about my faith. Gary rated it liked it Jan 09, Nancy Almodovar rated it it was amazing Feb 17, Stephen Ardent rated it it was amazing Oct 01, Gabriel rated it liked it Dec 26, From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Part of a series on Lutheranism Luther's rose. Apostles' Creed Nicene Creed. Apology of the Augsburg Confession. Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope. Theology of Martin Luther. Justification Law and Gospel.

Sola gratia Sola scriptura. Divine Providence Marian theology. Sacramental Union Homosexuality Criticism of Protestantism. Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference. Second Part, Article I in Concordia: Concordia Publishing House, , p.