Smalcald Articles

Article I — God

That Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three distinct persons in one divine essence and nature, is one God, who has created heaven and earth.

Article II — On Redemption

That the Father is not become man, the Holy Ghost is not become man, but the Son is become man.

Article III — On Christ

That the Son became man in this manner: He was conceived, without the cooperation of man, by the Holy Ghost, and born of the clean, holy Virgin Mary. Afterwards He suffered, died, was buried, descended to hell, rose from the dead, ascended to heaven, sits at the right hand of God, will come to judge the quick and the dead, etc., as the Apostles' Creed and the Catechism teach, in which I have treated these articles at greater length. (Gal. 4:4–5; Rom. 8:34)

Article IV — On These Articles

Of these articles there is no contention or dispute, since we on both sides confess them. Therefore it is not necessary to treat them at greater length.

Article I — On Justification (The Chief Article)

That Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, died for our sins, and was raised again for our justification. (Rom. 4:25)

And He alone is the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world (John 1:29), and God has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. (Isa. 53:6)

Likewise: All have sinned and are justified freely, without their own works and merits, by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, in His blood. (Rom. 3:23–25)

Now, since it is necessary to believe this, and it cannot be otherwise acquired or apprehended by any work, law, or merit, it is clear and certain that this faith alone justifies us. As St. Paul says in Romans 3:28: "For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law." Likewise 3:26: "that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

Of this article nothing can be yielded or surrendered, even though heaven and earth and everything else falls. "For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved," says Peter, Acts 4:12. "And with his wounds we are healed," Isaiah 53:5.

And upon this article all things depend which we teach and practice in opposition to the pope, the devil, and the whole world. Therefore, we must be sure concerning this doctrine, and not doubt; for otherwise all is lost, and the pope and devil and all things gain the victory and suit over us.

Article II — On the Mass

That the Mass in the Papacy must be the greatest and most horrible abomination, as it directly and powerfully conflicts with this chief article. Yet above all other popish idolatries it has been the chief and most specious. For it has been held that this sacrifice or work of the Mass, even when offered by a wicked scoundrel, frees men from sins, both in this life and also in purgatory; while the only-begotten Son of God must give only this honor to his death, that his work should be a sacrifice or satisfaction for our sin. Thereupon has followed what an abomination of idols have been built up and established throughout the world upon this article, namely, perpetual masses, endowments for masses, brotherhoods, vigils, golden masses, etc.

All this is to be rejected and condemned, together with the procession, that walking about, which is still done in honor of this sacrament, as a ceremony instituted without the authority of the Word of God and Scripture.

Article III — On Chapters and Monasteries

Chapters and monasteries which have formerly been established with good intention for the education of learned men and chaste women, ought to be converted again for such use, so that we may have pastors, preachers, and other ministers in the Church, and other necessary persons for civil government in the cities and countries, and likewise well-trained girls for mothers and housekeepers, etc.

Article IV — On Papacy

That the Pope is not the head of all Christendom by divine right or according to God's Word, since this belongs only to one, namely, to Jesus Christ. The Pope is only the Bishop or pastor of the Church at Rome and of those who voluntarily or through a human creature (that is, a secular authority) have attached themselves to him, in order to be Christians, not under him as a lord, but with him as a brother and comrade, as the ancient councils and the age of Cyprian demonstrate.

But at the present time no one wants to be subject to the Pope by brotherly love; rather, all must be subject to him as a lord and be compelled thereto, which is not right. Even if we should do this, it would accomplish nothing for him, since it is in his power to do with it as he will.

Article I — On Sin

Here we must confess, as Paul says in Romans 5, that sin originated from one man Adam, through whose disobedience all men were made sinners, subject to death and the devil. This is called original or capital sin. The fruits of this sin are afterwards the evil deeds which are forbidden in the Ten Commandments, such as unbelief, false faith, idolatry, to be without the fear of God, presumption, despair, blindness, and, in short, not to know or regard God; then to lie, to swear by God's name, not to pray, not to call upon God, to neglect God's Word, to be disobedient to parents, to murder, to be unchaste, to steal, to deceive, etc. (Rom. 5:12)

This hereditary sin is so deep a corruption of nature that no reason can understand it, but it must be believed from the revelation of Scripture. Therefore the scholastic doctors were in error when they said that the natural powers of man have remained entire and incorrupt, and that man by nature has a right reason and a good will.

Article II — On the Law

The law was given by God, in the first place, to curb sin by threats and the dread of punishment, and by the promise and offer of grace and benefit. But all this miscarried owing to the wickedness which sin has wrought in man. For thereby his condition became worse than before; since, partly from contempt and partly from inability, he does not fulfil the Law, and sins more than before now that he has the Law, because the flesh is irritated and inflamed all the more against the Law. (Rom. 7:7–11)

Therefore the Law must always have its course with the Old Man. As St. Paul in Rom. 7 makes this complaint on his own behalf: "I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate."

Article III — On Repentance

The New Testament maintains and urges this office of the law. St. Paul says in Rom. 1: "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men." And Christ says in John 16: "The Holy Spirit will convict the world concerning sin." This then is the thunderbolt of God by which He strikes in a heap both manifest sinners and false saints, and drives them all together to terror and despair.

This is the hammer, as Jeremiah calls it: "Is not my word like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?" This is not activa contritio (manufactured repentance) but passiva contritio (true sorrow of heart, suffering, and sensation of death). But to this office of the Law the New Testament immediately adds the consolatory promise of grace through the Gospel. Both must be retained and preached, but in their own proper time and place. (Jer. 23:29)

Article IV — On the Gospel

We will now return to the Gospel, which not merely in one way gives us counsel and aid against sin; for God is surpassingly rich in His grace: First, through the spoken Word, by which the forgiveness of sins is preached in the whole world; which is the peculiar office of the Gospel. Secondly, through Baptism. Thirdly, through the holy Sacrament of the Altar. Fourthly, through the Power of the Keys. And fifthly, through the mutual conversation and consolation of brethren. (Matt. 18:20; Col. 3:16)

Article V — On Baptism

Baptism is nothing else than the Word of God together with immersion in water, commanded by God's ordinance, or as Paul says: a "washing of regeneration" in the Word (Titus 3:5). Augustine says the same: "Let the Word come to the element and it becomes a sacrament."

We do not agree with Thomas and the Dominicans who forget the Word of God and say that God has imparted to the water a spiritual power, which through the water washes away sin. Nor do we agree with Scotus and the Franciscans who teach that Baptism washes away sin through the assistance of the divine will, and that this washing is done only through God's will, and not at all through the Word and water.

Concerning infant baptism: We hold that children are to be baptized, for they belong to the promised redemption made through Christ, and the Church should administer it to them. (Acts 2:39)

Article VI — On the Sacrament of the Altar

We hold that the bread and cup of the Lord's Supper are truly the body and blood of Christ, and are received not only by godly but also by wicked Christians. We hold that it is to be administered in both kinds, as instituted and commanded by Christ. We entirely reject the Council of Constance, or those called Cocleanists, who contrary to God's Word and the ordinance of Christ distribute only one kind to laymen.

The fanatical spirits and those who desire to be considered clever on this point we altogether reject. Transubstantiation — the basis on which the papacy rests its charlatan masses and purgatory claims — we also reject. (Matt. 26:26–28; 1 Cor. 11:23–26)

Article VII — On the Power of the Keys

The power of the keys is an office and power given to the Church by Christ to bind and loose sins, not only the gross and manifest sins, but also those which are subtle and secret, of which He Himself knows only. Thus it is written: "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matt. 16:19)

Article VIII — On Confession

Since absolution or the power of the keys, which was instituted by Christ in the Gospel, is a consolation and assistance against sin and a bad conscience, confession and absolution are to be retained in the Church, and not abolished. Private absolution is to be retained, as it was instituted by Christ, and for the sake of weak consciences who are not yet able to receive the full consolation of the Gospel except through private confession and absolution.

However, the enumeration of sins is not necessary; for it is impossible to enumerate all sins, as the Psalm says: "Who can understand his errors?" (Ps. 19:12). Therefore the torture of conscience because of the enumeration of sins is to be removed, and only the general confession retained.

Article IX — On Excommunication

The greater excommunication, as the Pope calls it, we regard only as a civil penalty, and it does not concern us ministers of the Church. But the lesser excommunication — the exclusion from the Sacrament and other fellowship of the Church — relates to manifest and obstinate sinners who are to be separated from the Church until they amend their lives and avoid sin. (Matt. 18:15–17)

Article X — On Ordination and the Call

If the bishops would be true bishops, and would devote themselves to the Church and the Gospel, it might be granted to them for the sake of love and unity, but not from necessity, to ordain and confirm us and our preachers; omitting, however, all comedies and spectacular displays. But because they neither are nor wish to be true bishops, but worldly lords and princes, who will neither preach, nor teach, nor baptize, nor administer the Lord's Supper, nor perform any work or office of the Church, and, moreover, persecute and kill those who discharge these functions, having been called to do so, the Church ought not on their account to remain without ministers.

Therefore, as the ancient examples of the Church and the Fathers teach us, we ourselves will and ought to ordain suitable persons to this office; and, even according to their own laws, they have not the right to forbid or prevent us. For their laws say that those ordained even by laymen are regularly ordained, and remain ordained. (Titus 1:5)

Article XI — On the Marriage of Priests

They have had neither authority nor right to prohibit marriage and to burden the divine estate of priests with perpetual celibacy. But they have acted like antichristian, tyrannical, desperate scoundrels, and have thereby caused all kinds of horrible, abominable, endless sins of unchastity, in which they still wallow. Now, as little as the power has been given us or them to make woman no woman, so little has the power been given to them to sunder and separate such creatures of God as man and woman are according to Scripture and according to the Word of God. (Gen. 2:24; 1 Cor. 7:2)

Therefore we are unwilling to assent to their abominable celibacy, nor will we tolerate it, but we wish to have marriage free as God has instituted and appointed it.

Article XII — On the Church

We do not concede to them that they are the Church, and they are not the Church; nor will we listen to those things which, under the name of Church, they command or forbid. Thank God, today a seven-year-old child knows what the Church is, namely, the holy believers and lambs who hear the voice of their Shepherd. (John 10:3)

For the children pray thus: I believe in one holy Christian Church. This holiness does not consist of surplices, tonsures, albs, or other ceremonies of theirs which they have invented over and above the Holy Scriptures; but it consists of the Word of God and true faith.

Article XIII — On How Man Is Justified Before God, and on Good Works

What I have hitherto and constantly taught concerning this I know not how to change in the least, namely, that by faith (as St. Peter says) we acquire a new and clean heart, and God will and does account us entirely righteous and holy for the sake of Christ, our Mediator. And although sin in the flesh has not yet been altogether removed or become dead, yet He will not punish or remember it. (Acts 15:9; Rom. 4:7–8)

Such faith, renewal, and forgiveness of sins are followed by good works. And what there is still sinful or imperfect also in them shall not be reckoned as sin or defect, for the sake of the same Christ; but the whole man, both as to his person and his works, is to be called and to be righteous and holy from pure grace and mercy, shed upon us and spread over us in Christ. Therefore we cannot boast of many merits and works, if they are viewed apart from grace and mercy.

Article XIV — Free Will

Free will is in all men a matter of dispute. But since Scripture says, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God" (1 Cor. 2:14), and also, "Without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5), it is apparent that free will, as something capable of working in spiritual and divine matters, is nothing but a vain, idle, empty fiction. There is and remains in man such a corrupt, wretched nature that in spiritual matters, without the grace of God and the aid of the Holy Ghost, it can do and determine nothing except what is evil and opposed to God. This we must confess if we will confess the plain and clear truth.

Article XV — On Human Traditions

The Papists' assertion that human traditions merit forgiveness of sins, or are necessary for salvation, is unchristian and condemned, as Christ says: "In vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." (Matt. 15:9)

Also this, that it is not in the power of the bishops to institute such traditions as burden consciences as though necessary to salvation. For the symbol of Christian freedom is set against such things: "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." (Gal. 5:1)

These are the articles on which I must stand, and, God willing, shall stand even to my death; and I do not know how to change or to yield anything in them. If anyone wishes to yield anything, let him do it at the peril of his conscience.