We can peer into the thinking of the Formula of Concord authors by reading their works. David Chytraeus is largely forgotten today, but he was highly regarded in his time. His Summary of the Christian Faith was printed for a century after his death in 1600. In the following quotation, several points are made.
- Justification takes place solely by faith.
- Man obtained forgiveness through the sacrifice of Christ.
- Man becomes righteous when he believes.
It is easy to see how the second point was increasingly isolated by generations of church leaders, until it became another justification. Current leaders latch onto such statements and say, “Aha! Universal justification!” They could assign any particular name to it, without fault, if they portrayed God’s actions in harmony with the Scriptures. But they do not. By isolating the act of propitiation from the Means of Grace, by forgetting the efficacy of the Word, the Kokomo advocates make a muddle out of the Gospel. They have re-introduced the Reformed Monster of Uncertainty about salvation because their real authorities are Reformed and not Lutheran.[52] Chytraeus is clear and easy to follow in his statement about justification by faith.
Footnote 52: "F. Pieper has made this point about the Church of Rome and the Reformed. Neither confession of faith is clear about how we receive forgiveness of sin and eternal life. As a result, both confessions, in rejecting the efficacy of the Word, create a cloud of uncertainty about God’s mercy. Their inevitable answer to this doubt is to introduce merit through works. Lutheran Church Growth leaders flay their disciples to the bone with the Law. Am I a good pastor? Is my church growing fast enough? WELS expected mission pastors to generate, at one point, 10 new communicants per year. Am I a good member? Church Growth pastors demand that their members bring friends to church. It is the fault of the members if the congregation is not growing, pastors claim. Church Growth statistics prove that growing churches grow from members inviting friends!"
David Chytraeus, Concordist, On Justification by Faith
J-593
"How is a person justified before God? This occurs solely by faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ; that is, freely, not because of any works or merits of one's own but only because of the one Mediator, Jesus Christ, who became the sacrificial victim and propitiation on our behalf. By this sacrifice, man obtained forgiveness of sins and became righteous; that is, God-pleasing and acceptable. His righteousness was imputed to man for Christ's sake, and man becomes an heir of eternal life when he believes with certainty that God gives him these blessings for the sake of His Son."
David Chytraeus, A Summary of the Christian Faith (1568), trans., Richard Dinda, Decatur: Repristination Press, 1994. p. 105.
"Christian righteousness is the forgiveness of sin, the imputation of the righteousness of Christ and acceptance to eternal life. It is free, not the result of any virtues or works but is given solely because of Christ, the Mediator, and apprehended by faith alone."
David Chytraeus, A Summary of the Christian Faith (1568), trans., Richard Dinda, Decatur: Repristination Press, 1994. p. 106.
"Scripture therefore uses these words, 'We are justified by faith,' to teach both: 1) What the reason (or merit) for justification is, or what the blessings of Christ are; to wit, that through and for the sake of Christ alone we are granted forgiveness of sins, righteousness and eternal life; and 2. How
these should be applied or transferred to us; namely, by embracing the promise and relying on Christ by faith alone."
David Chytraeus, A Summary of the Christian Faith (1568), trans., Richard Dinda, Decatur: Repristination Press, 1994. p. 107.
