4. Of the Coming of Christ into This World

We believe and confess further, that when the time of the promise, for which all the pious forefathers had so much longed and waited, had come and was fulfilled, this previously promised Messiah, Redeemer, and Savior proceeded from God, was sent, and, according to the prediction of the prophets and the testimony of the evangelists, came into the world, indeed, into the flesh, was made manifest, and the Word Himself became flesh and man; that He was conceived in the virgin Mary, who was engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David; and that she brought Him forth as her firstborn son, at Bethlehem, wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger. John 4, verse 25; John 16, verse 28; First Timothy 3, verse 16; John 1, verse 14; Matthew 1, verse 23; Luke 2, verse 7.

We confess and believe also, that this is the same one whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting, without beginning of days or end of life; of whom it is testified that He Himself is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, the first and the last; that He is the same, and no other, who was foreordained, promised, sent, and came into the world; who is God's only, first and own Son; who was before John the Baptist, before Abraham, before the world; indeed, who was David's Lord, and the God of the whole world, the firstborn of every creature; who was brought into the world, and for whom a body was prepared, which He yielded up as a sacrifice and offering, for a sweet savor to God, indeed, for the comfort, redemption, and salvation of all mankind. John 3, verse 16; Hebrews 1, verse 6; Romans 8, verse 32; John 1, verse 30; Matthew 22, verse 43; Colossians 1, verse 15; Hebrews 10, verse 5.

But as to how and in what manner this precious body was prepared, and how the Word became flesh, and He Himself man, in regard to this we content ourselves with the statement about this matter which the worthy evangelists have left us in their accounts. According to that we confess with all the saints that He is the Son of the living God, in whom alone all our hope, comfort, redemption, and salvation consist, which we neither may nor must seek in any other. Luke 1, verses 31 and 32; John 20, verse 31; Matthew 16, verse 16.

We furthermore believe and confess with the Scriptures, that when He had finished His course and accomplished the work for which He was sent and came into the world, He was, according to the providence of God, delivered into the hands of the unrighteous; suffered under the judge, Pontius Pilate; was crucified, died, was buried, and on the third day rose from the dead, and ascended to heaven; and that He sits at the right hand of God the Majesty on high, from where He will come again to judge the living and the dead. Luke 22, verse 53; Luke 23, verse 1; Luke 24, verses 6, 7, and 51. [n49-1]

And that in this way the Son of God died, and tasted death, and shed His precious blood for all men; and that He thereby bruised the serpent's head, destroyed the works of the devil, annulled the handwriting, and obtained forgiveness of sins for all mankind; thus becoming the cause of eternal salvation for all those who, from Adam to the end of the world, each in his time, believe in Him and obey Him. Genesis 3, verse 15; First John 3, verse 8; Colossians 2, verse 14; Romans 5, verse 18.