Presentation of the Augsburg Confession

Text: Matthew 10:26b-33

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus,

On June 25, 1530, a group of German princes and representatives presented and confessed the Christian faith they shared with Martin Luther and had come to believe to be an accurate exposition of Holy Scripture.

Prior to this date, Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, was growing frustrated with the rise of the Lutheran Reformation. In some ways, the whole thing was a distraction as the emperor had a variety of wars he was engaged in at the time.

Due to Luther being an outlaw, he could not travel to Augsburg, so Philipp Melanchthon, a trusted partner of Luther’s and drafter of the confession, went to Augsburg. One thing that became clear as the Lutherans descended upon this city was how they were accused of many ancient heresies.

For this reason and purpose, Melanchthon drafted the first part of the Augsburg Confession rather quickly to succinctly and clearly put forth the Christian faith. 

The simplicity of the Augsburg Confession is one of the reasons it continues to be one of the principal documents of the Reformation, contained in the Lutheran Confession (otherwise known as the Book of Concord) that still presents a summary of the Christian faith for us today.

Another characteristic of the Augsburg Confession is how it presents the Christian faith methodically. The first article of the confession begins with God the Father and Creator, then original sin and man's fall, followed by the Son of God, who in Article IV then provides justification, that is, the forgiveness of sins. As we heard a couple of weeks ago, Article V is about the Office of Holy Ministry and how the gift of forgiveness is given and proclaimed to man, which explains in Article VI how we are to live and in Article VII be the Church. This whole pattern continues to demonstrate the Christian faith according to God’s Word through a total of twenty-eight articles – while also correcting various false teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. 

But another effect of the Augsburg Confession is this, it unites. This confession united the Lutherans of the Reformation and still unites us in the one Christian faith. But why?

Isn’t this the great question of Lutheranism? Why? Or “What does this mean?”

As Luther confessed nine years earlier at the Diet of Worms, even against the backdrop of possibly being burned at the stake for the charges of being a heretic in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church, he spoke these famous words, “My conscience is captive to the Word of God. Thus I cannot and will not recant, because acting against one’s conscience is neither safe nor sound. Here I stand; I can do no other. God help me.”

Why won't Luther recant, and what do Luther and all Lutherans stand upon? The Word of God.

The whole Reformation was a return to God's Word, as it is the very thing that sparked Luther to begin questioning the Roman Catholic Church in the first place.

As we heard a couple weeks ago, the words that caused such a spark within Luther came from the Apostle Paul as he wrote in the book of Romans:
For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17)

“As it is written, ‘The righteous (those forgiven by God solely because of His Son, Jesus Christ) shall live by faith.’”

This faith is an absolute trust in Christ Jesus, His life, death, and resurrection.

And this faith produces an icon and image of Jesus and His cross within you, that as you live out and confess your faith in the Church and world, people do not see you; instead, they see Christ Jesus, Himself. As Luther remarked, “In the good we do, we are just “little Christs” to each other (LW, Vol. 31, pages 367-368).

But more, having the joy of this Christian faith strengthens you to confess it with the likes of Luther before men. For Jesus spoke in the Gospel,
“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 10:32-33)

Saint John Chrysostom remarked regarding these words,
           The Son does not here speak soothing words but rather speaks of the consequences of denial. Note carefully: It is not by some power within yourself that you make your confession but by the help of grace from above. But if you deny me, the Son, he is saying, then I will deny you in the presence of the Father. Someone may then object: “How then am I to be blamed if God, forsaking me, denies me?” The answer is, Your being forsaken is the fault of you yourself, the forsaken person, not of God.

“But why,” you object, “should I need to confess faith with my mouth if I confess faith in my mind?” No, we must confess with our mouths in order that we may be steadily trained to speak boldly. It is only through this more abundant love and determination that we will be raised on high.

            In this way, Jesus addresses himself to each one of us personally. He is not here addressing his original disciples only but every one of us who follows after his disciples in accord with their witness to him. One who learns this lesson will teach it in boldness to others, prepared to suffer all things easily and with a ready mind. This is why so many have come to have faith in the witness of the apostles to this Word.

Chrysostom ends here by pointing us again back to the Words of the Holy Scripture. This is not only the tradition of the Church but the foundation and rule of faith throughout the Church’s life – the Word of God.

So take stock of your lives; how do you confess the Holy Word of God in the many vocations you possess as husband and wife, son and daughter, executive or reporter, teacher or pastor; people should not see you, but Christ Jesus Himself.

Are you “little Christs” to one another within your homes, offices, and the Church?

The reality is that few of us will ever present ourselves before emperors, kings, and presidents to confess our faith with the Lutheran Reformers. But we'll also never be ready for that day if we do not confess this faith in our homes, offices, churches, and ordinary daily lives.

This confession of the Christian faith must begin in the heart and exit your lips, but it seldom percolates as it should because of fear.

Fear for our lives, fear for the loss of friends and family, fear of confession and repentance.

Yet, if we do not confess the Christian faith in every aspect of our own lives among one another, we will no longer be “Little Christ’s,” and thus, no longer Christians.

This makes the Gospel's final verse today so terrifying, “But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”

In the end, why did the princes, representatives, and reformers of the Lutheran movement stand before the Emperor and the Roman Catholic Church at Augsburg? To confess Jesus and their faith in Him. It’s that simple.

So, do you, too, want to be a radical reformer? Then begin today by repenting of your sin, turn back to your Savior, Jesus Christ, and with your lips, confess His Word among the world you have been placed into.

And when you live in this Word of Christ, rejoice that it is Christ upon which you stand, and with Him, there is nothing and no one to fear. +INJ+

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keeps your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Associate Pastor, Immanuel Evangelical-Lutheran Church
Alexandria, VA