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| Martin Chemnitz, like Luther and the Concordists, considered themselves Theologians of the Augsburg Confession. |
I just received from CPH my copy of the newly-published translation of the APOLOGY OF THE BOOK OF CONCORD from 1583, which defends the teachings of the BOOK OF CONCORD of 1580. It was written by Martin Chemnitz and Nicolaus Selnecker (two of the
six authors of the FORMULA OF CONCORD) and by Timothy Kirchner.
The APOLOGY was primarily directed against the Reformed Church's rejection of the Scriptural doctrines of the Two Natures of Christ and of the Real Presence of Christ in the
Sacrament of the Altar, and therefore it does not deal directly with the doctrine of the Justification by Faith Alone.
However, on page 428 of the APOLOGY I did find this confirmation of the precious doctrine of Justification by Faith Alone with the citation of John 3:16 against the Reformed doctrine of Election apart from faith (caps added):
"We are also not unaware that all who are truly repentant are elect and that such people certainly ought to conclude that they are elect and the children of God in and through Christ ON WHOM THEY BELIEVE. Whomever God GIVES ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH FAITH (John 3 [:16]) must certainly be elect and God's dear child. We also know that the question about salvation does not begin with the question about eternal election. Rather, we follow the order of St. Paul in his letter to the Romans, where he first leads us to repentance or the knowledge of sins, then to FAITH IN CHRIST, then to the cross and suffering; then, when we have studied in this school for a while and have been tested and humbled under the cross and all kinds of temptations, we ourselves find how useful and beneficial it is that we are elected in Christ to eternal life and that no creature can separate us from His hands (Romans 8[:38-39])."
The APOLOGY was primarily directed against the Reformed Church's rejection of the Scriptural doctrines of the Two Natures of Christ and of the Real Presence of Christ in the
Sacrament of the Altar, and therefore it does not deal directly with the doctrine of the Justification by Faith Alone.
However, on page 428 of the APOLOGY I did find this confirmation of the precious doctrine of Justification by Faith Alone with the citation of John 3:16 against the Reformed doctrine of Election apart from faith (caps added):
"We are also not unaware that all who are truly repentant are elect and that such people certainly ought to conclude that they are elect and the children of God in and through Christ ON WHOM THEY BELIEVE. Whomever God GIVES ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH FAITH (John 3 [:16]) must certainly be elect and God's dear child. We also know that the question about salvation does not begin with the question about eternal election. Rather, we follow the order of St. Paul in his letter to the Romans, where he first leads us to repentance or the knowledge of sins, then to FAITH IN CHRIST, then to the cross and suffering; then, when we have studied in this school for a while and have been tested and humbled under the cross and all kinds of temptations, we ourselves find how useful and beneficial it is that we are elected in Christ to eternal life and that no creature can separate us from His hands (Romans 8[:38-39])."
