The Third Article of the Creed

I cannot explain this article any better than to repeat the statement that it treats of sanctification, describing at length the office of the Holy Spirit, which is to make holy. We must hold to this term, "Holy Spirit," because it is so clear and comprehensive in meaning that no other term is necessary. There are many kinds of spirits mentioned in the Bible—human spirits, heavenly spirits, evil spirits. But the spirit of God alone is called the Holy Spirit—one who has sanctified and still sanctifies us. As the Father is called Creator, the Son Redeemer, so the Holy Spirit, from his office, must be called Sanctifier, or one that makes holy. But how is this sanctification accomplished? The answer is: As the Son obtained his lordship by purchasing us with his birth, his death, resurrection, etc., so the Holy Spirit effects our sanctification through the communion (Gemeinde) of saints—the Christian Church—the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life eternal; in other words, by leading us into his holy communion, in that he lays us upon the bosom of the Church, which becomes our teacher and leader to Christ.

For neither you nor I could ever know aught of Christ, could ever believe in him, ever take him as our Lord, were it not given into our hearts by the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the Gospel. That work is finished; it is accomplished. For Christ, by his passion, his death and resurrection, has obtained the blessing for us. Now, if this work had never been revealed—if no one knew of it—it would have been all in vain, all lost. So, that this treasure might not remain buried, but be put to use and enjoyed, God caused his Word to be revealed and proclaimed, in which the Holy Spirit is given to offer and apply to us the treasure of this redemption. Therefore, sanctifying us is simply bringing us to Christ the Lord to receive this blessing, which we could not have obtained of ourselves.

Learn, then, to clearly understand this article. If you are asked, What do you mean by the words, "I believe in the Holy Spirit?" you can answer: I believe that the Holy Spirit makes me holy, as his name implies. How can he do this? By what means? The answer is: Through the Christian Church, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. In the first place, he has a communion all his own in the world. That communion is the mother that brings to birth and sustains every Christian, through the Word of God. The Holy Spirit reveals and preaches that Word, and by it illuminates and enkindles hearts so that they understand it and accept it, cling to it and abide by it.

Where he does not effect the preaching of the Word and make it alive in the heart, so that it be received, it is lost. This was the case under the Papacy, where faith was wholly done away with and no one recognized Christ as Lord, or the Holy Spirit as sanctifier; that is, none believed that Christ is our Lord, in that he has obtained such treasure for us without our merit or worthiness and made us acceptable to the Father. What was it that was lacking? There was no Holy Spirit present to reveal and preach this truth. Men and evil spirits there were; they taught that we are to obtain mercy and be saved by our own works. And so there was no Christian Church; for where Christ is not preached there is no Holy Spirit to organize, to call and to gather it, and without it none can come to Christ the Lord. Let this suffice for the substance of this article. But since the various points in it may not be quite clear to the simple-minded, we will consider them separately.

The Creed calls the holy Christian Church "Communionem Sanctorum," a communion (Gemeinschaft) of saints—a term meaning the same thing as holy Christian Church. Formerly the latter phrase was not employed, and the rendering in the vernacular, communion of saints, is inadequate and misleading. To give a clear explanation we must use a different term in German, for the Greek word "ecclesia" means, properly, an assembly. We are accustomed to use the little word "church" with another signification; to the unlearned it means not the assembled congregation, but the consecrated building. But the building would not be called a church except for the congregation that assembles there. We who congregate make for ourselves a special place and give the house the name of the congregation.

The word "church" (Kirche), then, simply means a congregation. It is a word of Greek origin, like the word "ecclesia." In that language it is "kyria," and in Latin "curia." In good German, our mother tongue, it should be translated "Eine Christliche Gemeinde or Sammlung," a Christian communion or congregation, or most appropriately and clearly, "Eine Heilige Christenheit," holy Christendom. Likewise the word "communio," which is attached to it, should not be translated "Gemeinschaft," but "Gemeinde." It is merely a definition used to explain what the Christian Church is. But some among us, unacquainted with Latin or German, have rendered it "Gemeinschaft der Heiligen," although no German would so speak or would understand the expression. To speak correct German, we should say "Eine Gemeinde der Heiligen," a communion made up only of saints, or better still, "Eine Heilige Gemeinde," a holy communion. I make this explanation that the expression "Gemeinschaft der Heiligen" may be understood; it has become so established in usage that it cannot be uprooted and it would be next to heresy to alter a word.

But the meaning and substance of the clause is: I believe that there is upon earth a small holy flock, a holy assembly of pure saints under one head, Christ. They are called together by the Holy Spirit in one faith, one mind and one understanding. They possess many gifts, but are one in love and without sect or division. Of this assembly I am also a part, and a sharer and owner in its blessings, through the Holy Spirit; he gave me membership by virtue of having heard, and of still hearing, God's Word, which is the first step towards entrance. For before we had attained thus far, we were of the devil, knowing naught of God and of Christ. Until the last day, when he shall deliver us, the Holy Spirit will abide with the holy communion, or the Christian Church. By means of this communion he proclaims and explains the Word. Thereby he creates and promotes holiness, extending the Church and making it strong in faith and the fruits of the Spirit.

We further believe that in Christ's kingdom we have forgiveness of sins, mediated through the holy sacraments and absolution, and through numerous comforting passages in the Gospel. And all that is to be taught concerning the sacraments, in fact the whole Gospel, and all the offices of Christendom, which must be exercised unceasingly, have this blessing in view, the forgiveness of sins. Though God's grace is obtained through Christ, and sanctification is wrought by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God in the fellowship of the Christian Church, yet, encumbered by the flesh, we are never without sin.

All appointments in Christendom have been so ordered that we should daily obtain full forgiveness of sins, through the Word and signs as sources of comfort and cheer to our consciences as long as we live. And this is what the Holy Spirit does for us: Although we have sin, it cannot harm us, because we are a part of Christendom, where there is entire forgiveness of sins; God forgives us, and we forgive, bear with and help each other. Outside of Christendom, where the Gospel prevails not, there is no forgiveness and hence no holiness. Therefore, all who do not seek holiness through the Gospel and forgiveness of sin, but try to merit it through their own works, have separated and excommunicated themselves from this Christian Church.

But sanctification is begun and daily increases. In such state we look for our flesh to perish and be buried with all its corruption, and believe that it will arise glorified and in the complete and perfect holiness of a new, eternal life. Now, we are only in part pure and holy. The Holy Spirit must ever continue his work in us by means of God's Word, daily bestowing forgiveness, until we attain to that life where there is no more forgiveness. For in that life are only perfectly pure and holy beings, altogether godly and righteous, delivered completely from sin, death and all misery, living in new, immortal and glorified bodies. This, then, is the office and work of the Holy Spirit. He begins sanctification here on earth and daily extends it by two agencies—the Christian Church and the forgiveness of sins. And when we pass from this life, he will instantly perfect our sanctification and forever keep us therein by the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.

Now, the term "Auferstehung des Fleisches," "resurrection of the flesh," is not well chosen; for when we Germans hear the word "fleisch," "flesh," we are liable to think of the meat market. In good German we would say, "Auferstehung des Leibes," or "Leichnams," "resurrection of the body." Yet this is not important if the words are rightly understood.

This article must ever be indispensable and its operation must continue uninterrupted. Creation is past and redemption is accomplished, but the Holy Spirit unceasingly carries on his work until the last day. For this purpose he has appointed a congregation upon the earth, through which he speaks and by which he accomplishes his work; for the gathering of Christians by him has not come to an end, nor has he ceased to administer forgiveness. Therefore, we believe in him who through the Word daily brings us into faith, and strengthens and increases such faith through that Word and the forgiveness of sins; so that, when his work has been accomplished, and we shall have continued therein and died to the world and all evil, he may at last make us perfectly and eternally holy. For this, through the Word, we now wait in faith.

Here you find the whole essence of God, his will and his work beautifully portrayed in few but comprehensive words. In them all our wisdom consists—a wisdom which transcends all human wisdom, susceptibilities and intelligence. For the world has never come to a knowledge of God and his purposes, though it has diligently sought to know them. But here we have this knowledge fully; in these three articles he has revealed the depths of his fatherly heart, his perfect and unspeakable love. For he created us for the very purpose of redeeming and sanctifying us. And more, having bestowed upon us all that is in heaven and upon earth, he gave us even his Son and the Holy Spirit, through whom he brings us unto himself. As said before, we could never recognize the Father's grace and mercy were it not for our Lord Christ, who is a mirror of his Father's heart. Without him we could see naught but an angry and terrible judge; and of Christ we could know nothing were he not revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.

These articles of the Creed separate and distinguish us Christians from all other people on earth. For all outside of Christendom, be they heathen, Turks, Jews, or false Christians and hypocrites, even though they may believe in and worship only one true God, do not know his mind toward them. They cannot be confident of his love and blessing. Therefore they abide in eternal wrath and perdition. For they have not the Lord Christ and are not enlightened and blessed by the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Now you see that the Creed teaches a very different lesson from that of the Ten Commandments. The latter teach us what we must do, but the Creed teaches us what God does for us and what he gives us. The Ten Commandments are written in the hearts of all men, but no mere human wisdom can comprehend the Creed. It must be taught by the Holy Spirit alone. The law of the commandments does not make us Christians, for God's wrath and displeasure abides upon us because we cannot fulfil his demands. But the Creed brings us full mercy, sanctifies us and makes us acceptable to God. Through this knowledge we learn to love all God's commandments, for we see that he freely bestows himself upon us, with all that he has, to help us and guide us in keeping the Ten Commandments. The Father gives us all created things; Christ, all his works; and the Holy Spirit, all his gifts. This is enough for the present concerning faith in order to lay a foundation for plain people without overburdening them. After they understand the substance of this they can of themselves learn more by drawing from the Scriptures, and thus continually increase and grow richer in knowledge, for as long as we live we have enough to study and to preach on the subject of faith.