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The following reading from the Kolb edition of the Book of Concord is for the Series C the First Reading, Acts 13:15-16,26-33 for the 4th Sunday of Easter, May 2, 2004. It is from Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Article XI: Election, paragraphs 11-13, p. 643. Encouragement is founded on the acts and promises of God in the Holy Scriptures. Click here for the reading formatted for the back of a standard CPH bulletin. Pastor Doug May
11] And indeed also to godly hearts, even when, by God's grace they have repentance, faith, and a good purpose [of living in a godly manner], such thoughts occur as these: If you are not foreknown [predestinated or elected] from eternity to salvation, everything [your every effort and entire labor] is of no avail. This occurs especially when they view their weakness and the examples of those who have not persevered [in faith to the end], but have fallen away again [from true godliness to ungodliness, and have become apostates]. 12] To this false delusion and [dangerous] thought we should oppose the following clear argument, which is sure and cannot fail, namely: Since all Scripture, given by inspiration of God, is to serve, not for [cherishing] security and impenitence, but for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 2 Tim. 3,16; also, since everything in God's Word has been prescribed to us, not that we should thereby be driven to despair, but that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope, Rom. 15,4, therefore it is without any doubt in no way the sound sense or right use of the doctrine concerning the eternal foreknowledge of God that either impenitence or despair should be occasioned or strengthened thereby. Accordingly, the Scriptures teach this doctrine in no other way than to direct us thereby to the [revealed] Word, Eph. 1,13; 1 Cor. 1,7; exhort to repentance, 2 Tim. 3,16; urge to godliness, Eph. 1,14; John 15,3; strengthen faith and assure us of our salvation, Eph. 1,13; John 10,27f ; 2 Thess. 2,13f. 13] Therefore, if we wish to think or speak correctly and profitably concerning eternal election, or the predestination and ordination of the children of God to eternal life, we should accustom ourselves not to speculate concerning the bare, secret, concealed, inscrutable foreknowledge of God, but how the counsel, purpose, and ordination of God in Christ Jesus, who is the true Book of Life, is revealed to us through the Word,
These are excerpts from the Book of Concord.
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