During this 475th anniversary year all Lutherans should read what was confessed before Emperor Charles V in 1530 at the Diet of Augsburg. That confession set forth “what sort of doctrine from the Holy Scriptures and the pure Word of God has been up to this time presented in our lands….” These words of the confession’s Preamble demonstrate that the confessors considered the Bible to be “the pure Word of God” which the Holy Spirit inspired men of God to write. Since God cannot lie, His Word is pure truth and can be trusted. The confessors declare that the teachings of the Augsburg Confession are “from the holy Scriptures,” the norm and source of all the truths they confessed.

If we are to remain faithful to Jesus, it is vital that we believe the Bible to be absolute truth, without error, and the source of all true religious teachings. Such a faith contradicts how many people in the world regard the Bible. Many have treated it as a book written by sinful men who can’t be trusted to have their facts or philosophy straight; or they confess that the Bible is just wonderful literature which inspires us to great thoughts; or they declare that archaeology has “proven” that many details in the Bible are wrong. However, if we do not believe that God inspired the very words of Scripture, then we cannot be certain of God’s promises for forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

The truths taught in the Augsburg Confession are the same truths you learned in classes of instruction in the true Lutheran faith. As you read its twenty-eight articles you won’t be surprised by some new teaching. They clearly set forth what God has revealed in His Word so you also can confess those truths.

If God’s Word is absolutely true, and it is, then teachings that contradict God’s truth are not innocent opinions. They contradict God Himself! Along with professing true statements, the Augsburg Confession also condemns what is false so that “the father of lies” may not mislead people away from God’s truth. In this world where tolerance of all views is the primary virtue, the condemnations of the Augsburg Confession will seem harsh. However, they reflect a love for God’s truth and for the salvation of souls, which love St. Paul also showed, “If anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:9).

Unfortunately, the Augsburg Confession has been more ignored than misused. Such ignorance will result in people turning away from the truths of God’s Word. However, these truths cannot be abandoned without detriment to the soul and one’s eternal salvation. God’s Word has led us to confess that “we become righteous before God by grace, for Christ’s sake, through faith, when we believe that Christ suffered for us and that for his sake our sin is forgiven….” (Article 4:2). Where God’s grace is replaced with man’s devotion, man’s works substituted for Christ’s work, and faith is made a human work and not a gift of God; there the Gospel is lost, and—worse—precious souls are lost.

The Augsburg Confession should be studied and confessed by all Christians. Though it has been attacked, it has not been refuted by clear Scripture passages. God has blessed the Evangelical Lutheran Synod with continuing its faithful confession of His truth. As we read the Augsburg Confession this anniversary year we will appreciate even more what Jesus has done for us by His saving work on the cross and will understand better what we are to believe.

Theodore Gullixson is pastor of Forest Ev. Lutheran Church, Forest City, Iowa and Zion Ev. Lutheran Church, Thompson, Iowa.