A. That I belong—body and soul, in life and in death—not to myself

but to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ, who at the cost of his own blood

has fully paid for all my sins and has completely freed me from the dominion

of the devil; that he protects me so well that without the will of

my Father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, that everything

must fit his purpose for my salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit,

he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me wholeheartedly willing

and ready from now on to live for him.

A. Three. First, the greatness of my sin and wretchedness. Second,

how I am freed from all my sins and their wretched consequences. Third,

what gratitude I owe to God for such redemption.

A. From the Law of God.

A. Jesus Christ teaches this in a summary in Matthew 22:37–40: "You

shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,

and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a

second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two

commandments depend all the law and the prophets." (Cf. Luke 10:27.)

A. No, for by nature I am prone to hate God and my neighbor.

A. No. On the contrary, God created man good and in his image, that

is, in true righteousness and holiness, so that he might rightly know God

his Creator, love him with his whole heart, and live with him in eternal

blessedness, praising and glorifying him.

A. From the fall and disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve,

in the Garden of Eden; whereby our human life is so poisoned that we are

all conceived and born in the state of sin.

A. Yes, unless we are born again through the Spirit of God.

A. No, for God so created man that he could do it. But man, upon the

instigation of the devil, by deliberate disobedience, has cheated himself

and all his descendants out of these gifts.

A. Certainly not, for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven, both

against our inborn sinfulness and our actual sins, and he will punish them

according to his righteous judgment in time and in eternity, as he has declared:

"Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in

the book of the Law, and do them."

A. God is indeed merciful and gracious, but he is also righteous. It is

his righteousness which requires that sin committed against the supreme

majesty of God be punished with extreme, that is, with eternal punishment

of body and soul.

A. God wills that his righteousness be satisfied; therefore, payment in

full must be made to his righteousness, either by ourselves or by another.

A. By no means. On the contrary, we increase our debt each day.

A. No one. First of all, God does not want to punish any other creature

for man’s debt. Moreover, no mere creature can bear the burden of

God’s eternal wrath against sin and redeem others from it.

A. One who is a true and righteous man and yet more powerful than

all creatures, that is, one who is at the same time true God.

A. Because God’s righteousness requires that man who has sinned

should make reparation for sin, but the man who is himself a sinner cannot

pay for others.

A. So that by the power of his divinity he might bear as a man the burden

of God’s wrath, and recover for us and restore to us righteousness

and life.

A. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who is freely given to us for complete redemption

and righteousness.

A. From the holy gospel, which God himself revealed in the beginning

in the Garden of Eden, afterward proclaimed through the holy patriarchs

and prophets and foreshadowed through the sacrifices and other

rites of the Old Covenant, and finally fulfilled through his own wellbeloved

Son.

A. No. Only those who, by true faith, are incorporated into him and

accept all his benefits.

A. It is not only a certain knowledge by which I accept as true all that

God has revealed to us in his Word, but also a wholehearted trust which

the Holy Spirit creates in me through the gospel, that, not only to others,

but to me also God has given the forgiveness of sins, everlasting righteousness

and salvation, out of sheer grace solely for the sake of Christ’s

saving work.

A. All that is promised us in the gospel, a summary of which is taught

us in the articles of the Apostles’ Creed, our universally acknowledged

confession of faith.

A. I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and earth;

And in Jesus Christ, his only-begotten Son, our Lord; who was conceived

by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day

he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sits at the right

hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the

living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic Church; the communion

of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life

everlasting.

A. Because God has thus revealed himself in his Word, that these

three distinct persons are the one, true, eternal God.

A. That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who out of nothing

created heaven and earth with all that is in them, who also upholds

and governs them by his eternal counsel and providence, is for the sake

of Christ his Son my God and my Father. I trust in him so completely that

I have no doubt that he will provide me with all things necessary for body

and soul. Moreover, whatever evil he sends upon me in this troubled life

he will turn to my good, for he is able to do it, being almighty God, and

is determined to do it, being a faithful Father.

A. The almighty and ever-present power of God whereby he still upholds,

as it were by his own hand, heaven and earth together with all creatures,

and rules in such a way that leaves and grass, rain and drought,

fruitful and unfruitful years, food and drink, health and sickness, riches

and poverty, and everything else, come to us not by chance but by his fatherly

hand.

A. We learn that we are to be patient in adversity, grateful in the midst

of blessing, and to trust our faithful God and Father for the future, assured

that no creature shall separate us from his love, since all creatures are so

completely in his hand that without his will they cannot even move.

A. Because he saves us from our sins, and because salvation is to be

sought or found in no other.

A. No. Rather, by such actions they deny Jesus, the only Savior and

Redeemer, even though they boast of belonging to him. It therefore follows

that either Jesus is not a perfect Savior, or those who receive this

Savior with true faith must possess in him all that is necessary for their

salvation.

A. Because he is ordained by God the Father and anointed with the

us by his Word and Spirit, and defending and sustaining us in the redemption

he has won for us.

A. Because through faith I share in Christ and thus in his anointing, so

that I may confess his name, offer myself a living sacrifice of gratitude

to him, and fight against sin and the devil with a free and good conscience

throughout this life and hereafter rule with him in eternity over all creatures.

A. Because Christ alone is God’s own eternal Son, whereas we are accepted

for his sake as children of God by grace.

A. Because, not with gold or silver but at the cost of his blood, he has

redeemed us body and soul from sin and all the dominion of the devil,

and has bought us for his very own.

A. That the eternal Son of God, who is and remains true and eternal

God, took upon himself our true manhood from the flesh and blood of the

Virgin Mary through the action of the Holy Spirit, so that he might also

be the true seed of David, like his fellow men in all things, except for sin.

A. That he is our Mediator, and that, in God’s sight, he covers over

with his innocence and perfect holiness the sinfulness in which I have

been conceived.

A. That throughout his life on earth, but especially at the end of it, he

bore in body and soul the wrath of God against the sin of the whole human

race, so that by his suffering, as the only expiatory sacrifice, he

might redeem our body and soul from everlasting damnation, and might

obtain for us God’s grace, righteousness, and eternal life.

A. That he, being innocent, might be condemned by an earthly judge,

and thereby set us free from the judgment of God which, in all its severity,

ought to fall upon us.

A. Yes, for by this I am assured that he took upon himself the curse

which lay upon me, because the death of the cross was cursed by God.

A. Because the righteousness and truth of God are such that nothing

else could make reparation for our sins except the death of the Son of

God.

A. To confirm the fact that he was really dead.

A. Our death is not a reparation for our sins, but only a dying to sin

and an entering into eternal life.

A. That by his power our old self is crucified, put to death, and buried

with him, so that the evil passions of our mortal bodies may reign in us

no more, but that we may offer ourselves to him as a sacrifice of thanksgiving.

A. That in my severest tribulations I may be assured that Christ my

Lord has redeemed me from hellish anxieties and torment by the unspeakable

anguish, pains, and terrors which he suffered in his soul both

on the cross and before.

A. First, by his resurrection he has overcome death that he might make

us share in the righteousness which he has obtained for us through his

death. Second, we too are now raised by his power to a new life. Third,

the resurrection of Christ is a sure pledge to us of our blessed resurrection.

A. That Christ was taken up from the earth into heaven before the eyes

of his disciples and remains there on our behalf until he comes again to

judge the living and the dead.

A. Christ is true man and true God. As a man he is no longer on earth,

but in his divinity, majesty, grace, and Spirit, he is never absent from us.

A. Not at all; for since divinity is incomprehensible and everywhere

present, it must follow that the divinity is indeed beyond the bounds of

the humanity which it has assumed, and is nonetheless ever in that humanity

as well, and remains personally united to it.

A. First, that he is our Advocate in the presence of his Father in

heaven. Second, that we have our flesh in heaven as a sure pledge that he,

as the Head, will also take us, his members, up to himself. Third, that he

sends us his Spirit as a counterpledge by whose power we seek what is

above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God, and not things that

are on earth.

A. Because Christ ascended into heaven so that he might manifest

himself there as the Head of his Church, through whom the Father governs

all things.

A. First, that through his Holy Spirit he pours out heavenly gifts upon

us, his members. Second, that by his power he defends and supports us

against all our enemies.

A. That in all affliction and persecution I may await with head held

high the very Judge from heaven who has already submitted himself to

the judgment of God for me and has removed all the curse from me; that

he will cast all his enemies and mine into everlasting condemnation, but

he shall take me, together with all his elect, to himself into heavenly joy

and glory.

A. First, that, with the Father and the Son, he is equally eternal God;

second, that God’s Spirit is also given to me, preparing me through a true

faith to share in Christ and all his benefits, that he comforts me and will

abide with me forever.

A. I believe that, from the beginning to the end of the world, and from

among the whole human race, the Son of God, by his Spirit and his Word,

gathers, protects, and preserves for himself, in the unity of the true faith,

a congregation chosen for eternal life. Moreover, I believe that I am and

forever will remain a living member of it.

A. First, that believers one and all, as partakers of the Lord Christ, and

all his treasures and gifts, shall share in one fellowship. Second, that each

one ought to know that he is obliged to use his gifts freely and with joy

for the benefit and welfare of other members.

A. That, for the sake of Christ’s reconciling work, God will no more

remember my sins or the sinfulness with which I have to struggle all my

life long; but that he graciously imparts to me the righteousness of Christ

so that I may never come into condemnation.

A. That after this life my soul shall be immediately taken up to Christ,

its Head, and that this flesh of mine, raised by the power of Christ, shall

be reunited with my soul, and be conformed to the glorious body of

Christ.

A. That, since I now feel in my heart the beginning of eternal joy, I

shall possess, after this life, perfect blessedness, which no eye has seen,

nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, and thereby praise God

forever.

A. That I am righteous in Christ before God, and an heir of eternal life.

A. Only by true faith in Jesus Christ. In spite of the fact that my conscience

accuses me that I have grievously sinned against all the commandments

of God, and have not kept any one of them, and that I am still

ever prone to all that is evil, nevertheless, God, without any merit of my

own, out of pure grace, grants me the benefits of the perfect expiation of

Christ, imputing to me his righteousness and holiness as if I had never

committed a single sin or had ever been sinful, having fulfilled myself all

the obedience which Christ has carried out for me, if only I accept such

favor with a trusting heart.

A. Not because I please God by virtue of the worthiness of my faith,

but because the satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ alone

are my righteousness before God, and because I can accept it and make

it mine in no other way than by faith alone.

A. Because the righteousness which can stand before the judgment of

God must be absolutely perfect and wholly in conformity with the divine

Law. But even our best works in this life are all imperfect and defiled

with sin.

A. This reward is not given because of merit, but out of grace.

A. No, for it is impossible for those who are ingrafted into Christ by

true faith not to bring forth the fruit of gratitude.

A. The Holy Spirit creates it in our hearts by the preaching of the holy

gospel, and confirms it by the use of the holy Sacraments.

A. They are visible, holy signs and seals instituted by God in order

that by their use he may the more fully disclose and seal to us the promise

of the gospel, namely, that because of the one sacrifice of Christ accomplished

on the cross he graciously grants us the forgiveness of sins and

eternal life.

A. Yes, indeed, for the Holy Spirit teaches in the gospel and confirms

by the holy Sacraments that our whole salvation is rooted in the one sacrifice

of Christ offered for us on the cross.

A. Two, holy Baptism and the holy Supper.

A. In this way: Christ has instituted this external washing with water

and by it has promised that I am as certainly washed with his blood and

Spirit from the uncleanness of my soul and from all my sins, as I am

washed externally with water which is used to remove the dirt from my

body.

A. It means to have the forgiveness of sins from God, through grace,

for the sake of Christ’s blood which he shed for us in his sacrifice on the

cross, and also to be renewed by the Holy Spirit and sanctified as members

of Christ, so that we may more and more die unto sin and live in a

consecrated and blameless way.

A. In the institution of Baptism which runs thus: "Go therefore and

make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father

and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." "He who believes and is baptized

will be saved: but he who does not believe will be condemned." This

promise is also repeated where the Scriptures call baptism "the water of

rebirth" and the washing away of sins.

A. No; for only the blood of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit cleanse

us from all sins.

A. God does not speak in this way except for a strong reason. Not only

does he teach us by Baptism that just as the dirt of the body is taken away

by water, so our sins are removed by the blood and Spirit of Christ; but

more important still, by the divine pledge and sign he wishes to assure us

that we are just as truly washed from our sins spiritually as our bodies are

washed with water.

A. Yes, because they, as well as their parents, are included in the

covenant and belong to the people of God. Since both redemption from

sin through the blood of Christ and the gift of faith from the Holy Spirit

are promised to these children no less than to their parents, infants are

also by baptism, as a sign of the covenant, to be incorporated into the

Christian church and distinguished from the children of unbelievers. This

was done in the Old Covenant by circumcision. In the New Covenant

baptism has been instituted to take its place.

A. In this way: Christ has commanded me and all believers to eat of

this broken bread, and to drink of this cup in remembrance of him. He has

thereby promised that his body was offered and broken on the cross for

me, and his blood was shed for me, as surely as I see with my eyes that

the bread of the Lord is broken for me, and that the cup is shared with me.

Also, he has promised that he himself as certainly feeds and nourishes my

soul to everlasting life with his crucified body and shed blood as I receive

from the hand of the minister and actually taste the bread and the cup of

the Lord which are given to me as sure signs of the body and blood of

Christ.

A. It is not only to embrace with a trusting heart the whole passion and

death of Christ, and by it to receive the forgiveness of sins and eternal

life. In addition, it is to be so united more and more to his blessed body

by the Holy Spirit dwelling both in Christ and in us that, although he is

in heaven and we are on earth, we are nevertheless flesh of his flesh and

bone of his bone, always living and being governed by one Spirit, as the

members of our bodies are governed by one soul.

A. In the institution of the holy Supper which reads: The Lord Jesus

on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given

thanks, he broke it, and said, "this is my body which is for you. Do this

in remembrance of me." In the same way also the cup, after supper,

saying, "this cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as

you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread

and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

This promise is also repeated by the apostle Paul: When we bless "the

cup of blessing," is it not a means of sharing in the blood of Christ? When

we break the bread, is it not a means of sharing the body of Christ? Because

there is one loaf, we, many as we are, are one body; for it is one

loaf of which we all partake.

A. No, for as the water in baptism is not changed into the blood of

Christ, nor becomes the washing away of sins by itself, but is only a divine

sign and confirmation of it, so also in the Lord’s Supper the sacred

bread does not become the body of Christ itself, although, in accordance

with the nature and usage of sacraments, it is called the body of Christ.

A. Christ does not speak in this way except for a strong reason. He

wishes to teach us by it that as bread and wine sustain this temporal life

so his crucified body and shed blood are the true food and drink of our

souls for eternal life. Even more, he wishes to assure us by this visible

sign and pledge that we come to share in his true body and blood through

the working of the Holy Spirit as surely as we receive with our mouth

these holy tokens in remembrance of him, and that all his sufferings and

his death are our own as certainly as if we had ourselves suffered and rendered

satisfaction in our own persons.

A. The Lord’s Supper testifies to us that we have complete forgiveness

of all our sins through the one sacrifice of Jesus Christ which he

himself has accomplished on the cross once for all; (and that through

the Holy Spirit we are incorporated into Christ, who is now in heaven

with his true body at the right hand of the Father and is there to be worshiped).

But the Mass teaches that the living and the dead do not have

forgiveness of sins through the sufferings of Christ unless Christ is

again offered for them daily by the priest (and that Christ is bodily under

the form of bread and wine and is therefore to be worshiped in

them). Therefore the Mass is fundamentally a complete denial of the

once for all sacrifice and passion of Jesus Christ (and as such an idolatry

to be condemned).

A. Those who are displeased with themselves for their sins, and who

nevertheless trust that these sins have been forgiven them and that their

remaining weakness is covered by the passion and death of Christ, and

who also desire more and more to strengthen their faith and improve their

life. The impenitent and hypocrites, however, eat and drink judgment to

themselves.

A. No, for then the covenant of God would be profaned and his wrath

provoked against the whole congregation. According to the ordinance of

Christ and his apostles, therefore, the Christian church is under obligation,

by the office of the keys, to exclude such persons until they amend

their lives.

A. The preaching of the holy gospel and Christian discipline. By these

two means the kingdom of heaven is opened to believers and shut against

unbelievers.

A. In this way: The kingdom of heaven is opened when it is proclaimed

and openly testified to believers, one and all, according to the

command of Christ, that as often as they accept the promise of the gospel

with true faith all their sins are truly forgiven them by God for the sake

of Christ’s gracious work. On the contrary, the wrath of God and eternal

condemnation fall upon all unbelievers and hypocrites as long as they do

not repent. It is according to this witness of the gospel that God will judge

the one and the other in this life and in the life to come.

A. In this way: Christ commanded that those who bear the Christian

name in an unchristian way either in doctrine or in life should be given

brotherly admonition. If they do not give up their errors or evil ways, notification

is given to the church or to those ordained for this by the church.

Then, if they do not change after this warning, they are forbidden to

partake of the holy Sacraments and are thus excluded from the communion

of the church and by God himself from the kingdom of Christ. However,

if they promise and show real amendment, they are received again

as members of Christ and of the church.

A. Because just as Christ has redeemed us with his blood he also renews

us through his Holy Spirit according to his own image, so that with

our whole life we may show ourselves grateful to God for his goodness

and that he may be glorified through us; and further, so that we ourselves

may be assured of our faith by its fruits and by our reverent behavior may

win our neighbors to Christ.

A. Certainly not! Scripture says, "Surely you know that the unjust will

never come into possession of the kingdom of God. Make no mistake: no

fornicator or idolater, none who are guilty either of adultery or of homosexual

perversion, no thieves or grabbers or drunkards or slanderers or

swindlers, will possess the kingdom of God."

A. Two: the dying of the old self and the birth of the new.

A. Sincere sorrow over our sins and more and more to hate them and

to flee from them.

A. Complete joy in God through Christ and a strong desire to live according

to the will of God in all good works.

A. Only those which are done out of true faith, in accordance with the

Law of God, and for his glory, and not those based on our own opinion

or on the traditions of men.

A. God spoke all these words saying:

FIRST COMMANDMENT

"I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out

of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me."

SECOND COMMANDMENT

"You shall not make yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything

that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water

under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I

the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers

upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me,

but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love Me and keep

My commandments."

THIRD COMMANDMENT

"You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain; for the Lord

will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain."

FOURTH COMMANDMENT

"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and

do all your work; but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God;

in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your

manservant, or your maidservant, or your cattle, or the sojourner who is

within your gates; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the

sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord

blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it."

FIFTH COMMANDMENT

"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the

land which the Lord your God gives you."

SIXTH COMMANDMENT

"You shall not kill."

SEVENTH COMMANDMENT

"You shall not commit adultery."

EIGHTH COMMANDMENT

"You shall not steal."

NINTH COMMANDMENT

"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."

TENTH COMMANDMENT

"You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your

neighbor’s wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his

ass, or anything that is your neighbor’s."

A. Into two tables, the first of which teaches us in four commandments

how we ought to live in relation to God; the other, in six commandments,

what we owe to our neighbor.

A. That I must avoid and flee all idolatry, sorcery, enchantments, invocation

of saints or other creatures because of the risk of losing my salvation.

Indeed, I ought properly to acknowledge the only true God, trust

in him alone, in humility and patience expect all good from him only, and

love, fear and honor him with my whole heart. In short, I should rather

turn my back on all creatures than do the least thing against his will.

A. It is to imagine or possess something in which to put one’s trust in

place of or beside the one true God who has revealed himself in his Word.

A. That we should not represent him or worship him in any other manner

than he has commanded in his word.

A. God cannot and should not be pictured in any way. As for creatures,

although they may indeed be portrayed, God forbids making or

having any likeness of them in order to worship them, or to use them to

serve him.

A. No, for we must not try to be wiser than God who does not want

his people to be taught by means of lifeless idols, but through the living

preaching of his Word.

A. That we must not profane or abuse the name of God by cursing, by

perjury, or by unnecessary oaths. Nor are we to participate in such horrible

sins by keeping quiet and thus giving silent consent. In a word, we must

not use the holy name of God except with fear and reverence so that he may

be rightly confessed and addressed by us, and be glorified in all our words

and works.

A. Yes, indeed; for no sin is greater or provokes his wrath more than

the profaning of his name. That is why he commanded it to be punished

with death.

A. Yes, when the civil authorities require it of their subjects, or when

it is otherwise needed to maintain and promote fidelity and truth, to the

glory of God and the welfare of our neighbor. Such oath-taking is

grounded in God’s Word and has therefore been rightly used by God’s

people under the Old and New Covenants.

A. No; for a lawful oath is a calling upon God, as the only searcher of

hearts, to bear witness to the truth, and to punish me if I swear falsely. No

creature deserves such honor.

A. First, that the ministry of the gospel and Christian education be maintained,

and that I diligently attend church, especially on the Lord’s day, to

hear the Word of God, to participate in the holy Sacraments, to call publicly

upon the Lord, and to give Christian service to those in need. Second, that

I cease from my evil works all the days of my life, allow the Lord to work

in me through his Spirit, and thus begin in this life the eternal Sabbath.

A. That I show honor, love, and faithfulness to my father and mother and

to all who are set in authority over me; that I submit myself with respectful

obedience to all their careful instruction and discipline; and that I also bear

patiently their failures, since it is God’s will to govern us by their hand.

A. That I am not to abuse, hate, injure, or kill my neighbor, either with

thought, or by word or gesture, much less by deed, whether by myself or

through another, but to lay aside all desire for revenge; and that I do not

harm myself or willfully expose myself to danger. This is why the authorities

are armed with the means to prevent murder.

A. In forbidding murder God means to teach us that he abhors the root

of murder, which is envy, hatred, anger, and desire for revenge, and that

he regards all these as hidden murder.

A. No; for when God condemns envy, hatred, and anger, he requires

us to love our neighbor as ourselves, to show patience, peace, gentleness,

mercy, and friendliness toward him, to prevent injury to him as much as

we can, also to do good to our enemies.

A. That all unchastity is condemned by God, and that we should therefore

detest it from the heart, and live chaste and disciplined lives, whether

in holy wedlock or in single life.

A. Since both our body and soul are a temple of the Holy Spirit, it is

his will that we keep both pure and holy. Therefore he forbids all unchaste

actions, gestures, words, thoughts, desires and whatever may excite another

person to them.

A. He forbids not only the theft and robbery which civil authorities

punish, but God also labels as theft all wicked tricks and schemes by

which we seek to get for ourselves our neighbor’s goods, whether by

force or under the pretext of right, such as false weights and measures,

deceptive advertising or merchandising, counterfeit money, exorbitant

interest, or any other means forbidden by God. He also forbids all greed

and misuse and waste of his gifts.

A. That I work for the good of my neighbor wherever I can and may,

deal with him as I would have others deal with me, and do my work well

so that I may be able to help the poor in their need.

words, be a gossip or a slanderer, or condemn anyone lightly without a

hearing. Rather I am required to avoid, under penalty of God’s wrath, all

lying and deceit as the works of the devil himself. In judicial and all other

matters I am to love the truth, and to speak and confess it honestly. Indeed,

insofar as I am able, I am to defend and promote my neighbor’s good name.

A. That there should never enter our heart even the least inclination or

thought contrary to any commandment of God, but that we should always

hate sin with our whole heart and find satisfaction and joy in all righteousness.

A. No, for even the holiest of them make only a small beginning in

obedience in this life. Nevertheless, they begin with serious purpose to

conform not only to some, but to all the commandments of God.

A. First, that all our life long we may become increasingly aware of

our sinfulness, and therefore more eagerly seek forgiveness of sins and

righteousness in Christ. Second, that we may constantly and diligently

pray to God for the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that more and more we

may be renewed in the image of God, until we attain the goal of full perfection

after this life.

A. Because it is the chief part of the gratitude which God requires of

us, and because God will give his grace and Holy Spirit only to those who

sincerely beseech him in prayer without ceasing, and who thank him for

these gifts.

A. First, that we sincerely call upon the one true God, who has revealed

himself to us in his Word, for all that he has commanded us to ask

of him. Then, that we thoroughly acknowledge our need and evil condition

so that we may humble ourselves in the presence of his majesty.

Third, that we rest assured that, in spite of our unworthiness, he will certainly

hear our prayer for the sake of Christ our Lord, as he has promised

us in his Word.

A. All things necessary for soul and body which Christ the Lord has

included in the prayer which he himself taught us.

A. "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom

come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this

day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven

our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from

evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever.

Amen."

A. That at the very beginning of our prayer he may awaken in us the

childlike reverence and trust toward God which should be the motivation

of our prayer, which is that God has become our Father through Christ

and will much less deny us what we ask him in faith than our human fathers

will refuse us earthly things.

A. That we may have no earthly conception of the heavenly majesty

of God, but that we may expect from his almighty power all things that

are needed for body and soul.

A. "Hallowed be thy name." That is: help us first of all to know thee

rightly, and to hallow, glorify, and praise thee in all thy works through

which there shine thine almighty power, wisdom, goodness, righteousness,

mercy, and truth. And so order our whole life in thought, word, and

deed that thy name may never be blasphemed on our account, but may

always be honored and praised.

A. "Thy kingdom come." That is: so govern us by thy Word and

Spirit that we may more and more submit ourselves unto thee. Uphold

and increase thy church. Destroy the works of the devil, every power

that raises itself against thee, and all wicked schemes thought up against

thy holy Word, until the full coming of thy kingdom in which thou shalt

be all in all.

A. "Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." That is: grant that

we and all men may renounce our own will and obey thy will, which

alone is good, without grumbling, so that everyone may carry out his office

and calling as willingly and faithfully as the angels in heaven.

A. "Give us this day our daily bread." That is: be pleased to provide

for all our bodily needs so that thereby we may acknowledge that thou art

the only source of all that is good, and that without thy blessing neither

our care and labor nor thy gifts can do us any good. Therefore, may we

withdraw our trust from all creatures and place it in thee alone.

A. "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."

That is: be pleased, for the sake of Christ’s blood, not to charge to us, miserable

sinners, our many transgressions, nor the evil which still clings to

us. We also find this witness of thy grace in us, that it is our sincere intention

heartily to forgive our neighbor.

A. "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." That is:

since we are so weak that we cannot stand by ourselves for one moment,

and besides, since our sworn enemies, the devil, the world, and our own

sin, ceaselessly assail us, be pleased to preserve and strengthen us

through the power of thy Holy Spirit so that we may stand firm against

them, and not be defeated in this spiritual warfare, until at last we obtain

complete victory.

A. "For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever."

That is: we ask all this of thee because, as our King, thou art willing and

able to give us all that is good since thou hast power over all things, and

that by this not we ourselves but thy holy name may be glorified forever.

A. Amen means: this shall truly and certainly be. For my prayer is

much more certainly heard by God than I am persuaded in my heart that