ARTICLES OF THE FORMULA OF CONCORD AND THE ISSUES THEY ADDRESS:

 

  1. Original Sin – Flacian controversy

There is a difference between original sin and human nature, but original sin has so corrupted human nature that only God can separate them.

 

  1. Free Will – Synergistic controversy

Humans cannot come to God on their own; they are converted solely through the action of the Holy Spirit through the preaching and hearing of the Word.

 

  1. Righteousness of Faith before God – Osiandrian controversy

Christ alone is our righteousness according to both his divine and human natures, and faith is the only means by which we lay hold of this righteousness.

 

  1. Good Works – Majoristic controversy

Good works are necessary in the sense that they are a Christian obligation and follow from faith, but works do not cause or preserve salvation in humans – only the Holy Spirit does that.

 

  1. Law and Gospel – Antinomian controversy

The distinction between law (word about God’s will that condemns sin) and gospel (word about forgiveness of sin through Christ) must be preserved.

 

  1. Third Use of the Law – Antinomian controversy

Preaching about law is for both unbelievers and believers but serves a different purpose – conversion for unbelievers and guidance and continued repentance for believers.

 

  1. Holy Supper of Christ – crypto-Calvinistic controversy

The body and blood of Christ are truly, not symbolically, present in the elements of the Lord’s Supper and are received by the communicants.

 

  1. Person of Christ – crypto-Calvinistic controversy

The true presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper is possible because of the union of the two natures of Christ (communicatio idiomatum).

 

  1. Christ’s Descent into Hell – Aepinus debate

Christ’s descent into hell is an article cannot be comprehended by reason and must be apprehended by faith.

 

  1. Ecclesiastical Practices, which are called adiaphora or indifferent matters – Interimistic controversy

Practices that are neither explicitly commanded nor forbidden by God in Scripture may be altered for good order in the church, but in a time of persecution, Christians should not yield to opponents on these practices.

 

  1. Eternal Predestination and the Election of God – Marbach-Zanchi dispute

The difference between God’s foreknowledge and election should be noted; God’s election extends only to believers and comes through the Word about God’s grace in Christ; no judgments can be made about it on the basis of reasoning or God’s law.

 

  1. Other Factions and Sects which Have Not Committed Themselves to the Augsburg Confession – lists erroneous doctrines of sects with which the Lutherans do not wish to be associated:
    1. Anabaptists – doctrines about Christology, justification, baptism, church
    2. Schwenkfelders – doctrines about Christology, sacraments, church
    3. Unitarians (new Arians) – doctrines about Christology
    4. Anti-Trinitarians – doctrines about the Trinity