A Reading from the Book of Concord 3 year series April 5, 2009 - Sunday of the Passion

Standard LSB B Readings: First: Zechariah 9:9-12 Epistle: Philippians 2:5-11 Gospel: Jn. 12:12-19 Processional Mk. (14:1-72) 15:1-47 or John 12:2 Psalm: Psalm 118:19-29 or 31:9-16

The following reading from the CONCORDIA edition of the Book of Concord is for the LSB Epistle Philippians 2:5-11 for the Sunday of the Passion, April 5, 2009.

It is from Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Article III, paragraphs 30-32, page 541.

Our feeble attempts of obedience to God's Law have no value. This was not God's plan. Only Christ's obedience to the divine plan for the Son of God to die for our sins can make us worthy of adoption and eternal life.

Click here for the reading formatted for the back of a standard CPH bulletin.

Pastor Doug May
Socorro, New Mexico

A READING FROM THE BOOK OF CONCORD	SUNDAY OF THE PASSION
FORMULA OF CONCORD, SOLID DECLARATION	ARTICLE III: RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH

The Scriptures teach that the righteousness of faith before God stands only in the gracious reconciliation or the forgiveness of sins, which is presented to us out of pure grace, only for the sake of the merit of the Mediator, Christ. This is received through faith alone in the Gospel promise. In the same way also, in justification before God, faith relies neither on contrition nor on love or other virtues. Faith relies on Christ alone and on His complete obedience by which He has fulfilled the Law for us. This obedience is credited to believers for righteousness.

Furthermore, neither contrition nor love nor any other virtue, but faith alone is the only means and instrument by which, and through which, we can receive and accept God's grace, Christ's merit, and the forgiveness of sins, which are brought to us in the Gospel promise.

Believers who have been justified through faith in Christ have the righteousness of faith credited to them in this life. They also have the righteousness of good works. But these two types of righteousness must not be mixed with each other. For the righteousness [of our good works] is incomplete and impure in this life because of the flesh. Only for the sake of Christ's obedience, suffering, and death is the person pleasing and acceptable to God and received into adoption and made an heir of eternal life. (paragraphs 30-32)

Condensed from CONCORDIA: THE LUTHERAN CONFESSIONS, copyright 2005,2006 by Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission. All rights reserved. To purchase a copy of CONCORDIA, call 800-325-3040.

These are excerpts from the Book of Concord.

To receive Book of Concord Readings by email each week,

Subscribe to Book of Concord Weekly Readings

Email:

Visit this group