A Lutheran Book of Concord Reading for Holy Trinity Sunday

It is not coincidental that Isaiah records the seraphim singing one to another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts.” The Old Testament is full of such threefold, Trinitarian language in praise of the Lord, which is fleshed out in the pages of the New Testament and the life of Christ and His Church.

 

A READING FROM THE BOOK OF CONCORD
THE HOLY TRINITY
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION & ITS APOLOGY

ARTICLE I: GOD

[See attachment for bulletin formatted Word doc ]

 

¹ Our churches teach with common consent that the decree of the Council of Nicaea about the unity of the divine essence and the three persons is true. ² It is to be believed without any doubt. God is one divine essence who is eternal, without a body, without parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness. He is the maker and preserver of all things, visible and invisible (Nehemiah 9:6). ³ Yet there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). These three persons are of the same essence and power. ⁴ Our churches use the term person as the Fathers have used it. We use it to signify, not a part or quality in another, but that which subsists of itself. Our churches condemn all heresies (Titus 3:10-11) that arose against this article,... [THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION]
 
¹ Our adversaries [the Roman Catholic Church] approve Article I of our Confession, in which we declare that we believe and teach that there is one divine, undivided essence. Yet, there are three distinct persons, of the same divine essence, and coeternal: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. ² We have always taught and defended this article. We believe that it has sure and firm testimonies in Holy Scripture that cannot be overthrown. We constantly affirm that those thinking otherwise are outside of Christ’s Church, are idolaters, and insult God. [THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION]      
 
Condensed quotations from the Lutheran Confessions from Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions, copyright 2005, 2006 by Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
 

Lord grant you faith in His grace alone

for your salvation unto eternal life. Amen