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For educational purposes (and for your enjoyment) we have translated key scripture passages underpinning the Formula of Concord into dog gifs.
This artistic presentation is the result of years of intense scholarship and debate from the world's greatest canine theologians, including such renowned figures as Love Bellyrubs (PhD) and Spot, author of the award-winning confession and biblical commentary titled Yummy Treats Gimme Treats Yummy Gimme Treats Treats Treats. We hope this effort helps you to understand Church DOGma in a new light.
Article I: Original Sin
Romans 5:15-16, 18-19
But the free
gift is not
like the trespass.
For if the many died
through the one man’s trespass,
much more surely have the grace of God
and the free
gift in the grace of the one man,
Jesus Christ, abounded for the many.
And the free
gift is
not like
the effect of the one man’s sin.
For the judgment following
one trespass brought condemnation,
but the free
gift following
many trespasses
brings justification.
Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation
for all,
so one man’s act of righteousness
leads to justification and life
for all.
For just as by the one man’s disobedience
the many
were made sinners,
so by the one man’s obedience
the many
will be made righteous.
Article II: Free Will
John 8:31-36
Then Jesus said to the Jews
who had believed in him,
“If you continue in my word,
you are truly my disciples;
and you will know the truth, and the truth
will make you free.”
They answered him,
“We are
descendants of Abraham
and have never
been slaves to anyone.
What do you mean by saying,
‘You will be made free’?”
Jesus answered them,
“Very truly, I tell you,
everyone who commits sin
is a slave
to sin.
The slave
does not have a permanent place in the household;
the son has a place there forever.
So if the Son
makes you free,
you will be free indeed.
Article III: The Righteousness of Faith Romans 3:21-26
But now, apart from law,
the righteousness
of God has
been disclosed,
and is attested
by the law
and the prophets,
the righteousness
of God
through faith
in Jesus Christ
for all who believe.
For there is no distinction,
have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God;
they are
now justified by
his grace as a gift,
through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus,
whom God put forward
as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood,
effective through faith.
He did this to show
his righteousness,
because in his divine forbearance
he had passed over
the sins previously committed;
it was to prove at the present time that
he himself is righteous
and that he justifies
the one who has faith
in Jesus.
Article IV: Good Works
James 2:15-17, 26
If a brother or sister is naked
and lacks daily food,
and one of you says to them,
“Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,”
and yet you do not supply
their bodily needs,
what is the good of that?
So faith by itself,
if it has no works,
is dead.
For just as the body without
the spirit
is dead,
so faith
without works
is also dead.
Article V: Law and Gospel
Galatians 3:21-26
Is the law
then opposed
to the promises
of God?
Certainly not!
For if a law
had been given
that could make alive,
then righteousness would indeed
come through the law.
But the scripture
has imprisoned all things under the power of sin,
so that what was promised
through faith
in Jesus Christ
might be given
to those who believe.
Now before faith came,
we were imprisoned and guarded
under the law
until faith would be revealed.
Therefore the law
was our disciplinarian
until Christ came,
so that we might be justified
by faith. But now that faith has come,
we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian,
for in Christ Jesus
you are all children
the spirit
of God
through faith.
Article VI: The Third Use of the Law Romans 13:8-10
Owe no one anything,
except to love
one another;
for the one who loves
another has
fulfilled the law.
The commandments,
“You shall not commit
adultery;
You shall not
murder;
You shall not
steal;
You shall not
covet”;
and any other commandment,
are summed up in this word, “Love
your neighbor as yourself.”
Love does
no wrong
to a neighbor;
therefore, love is
the fulfilling of the law.
Article VII: The Holy Supper
1 Corinthians 10:15-17
I speak as to
sensible people;
judge for yourselves
what I say.
The cup of blessing that we bless,
is it not a sharing
in the blood of Christ?
The bread that we break,
is it not a sharing in
the body of Christ?
Because there is one bread,
we who are many are one body,
for we all
partake of the one bread.
Article VIII: The Person of Christ
Philippians 2:6-11
Let the same mind be in you
that was in Christ Jesus, who,
though he was in the form of God,
did not regard
equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found
in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient
to the point of death
—even death on a cross.
Therefore God
also highly exalted him
and gave him
the name that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth
and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of
God the Father.
Article IX: Christ's Descent into Hell Ephesians 4.7-12
But each of us was
given grace according
to the measure of Christ’s
gift.
Therefore it is said,
“When he ascended on high
he made
captivity itself a captive;
he gave gifts
to his people.”
(When it says,
“He ascended,” what does it mean
but that he had
also descended into the lower parts of the earth?
He who
descended
is the same one
who ascended far above
all the heavens,
so that he might fill all things.)
The gifts he gave were that
some would be apostles,
some prophets,
some evangelists,
some pastors
and teachers,
to equip the saints for
the work of ministry, for building up
the body of Christ.
Article X: Church Rites
Romans 14:4-6
Who are you to pass judgment
on servants
of another?
It is before their own lord
that they stand or fall.
And they
will be upheld,
for the Lord is able to make them stand.
Some judge one day
to be better
than another,
while others judge all days to be alike.
Let all be fully convinced in their own minds.
Those who observe the day,
observe it in honor of the Lord.
Also those who eat, eat
in honor of the Lord,
since they give
thanks
to God;
while those
who abstain, abstain
in honor of the Lord
and give
thanks
to God.
Article XI: Election
Ephesians 1:3-6
Blessed be
the God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us
in Christ
with every spiritual
blessing in
the heavenly places,
just as he chose us
in Christ before the foundation of the world
to be holy and blameless
before him in love.
He destined us for
adoption as his children
through Jesus Christ,
according to the good pleasure of his will,
to the praise
of his glorious grace
that he freely
bestowed
on us
in the Beloved.