mind without overburdening the memory; to be said in a few words, from which
SERMON 213 141 salvation or welfare, in case you should now say, "Why have those who call upon the name of the Lord not been saved?"; it says "shall be saved."6
Then the apostle himself added, But how shall they call upon one in whom they have not believed? Or how can they believe in one whom they have not heard of? Or how shall they hear without a preacher ? Or how shall they preach if they are not sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those bringing the good news of peace, bringing good news (Rom 10:14-15).7 So nobody can be saved who doesn't first call upon him; nobody can call upon him unless they first believe. So because that's the right order, that you should first believe, afterward call upon him, today you receive the Symbol of faith, in which to express your faith; while in eight days time it will be the Prayer, with which to call upon him.8
/ believe in God the Father Almighty
2. So the Symbol is a briefly compiled rule of faith,9 intended to instruct the mind without overburdening the memory; to be said in a few words, from which much is to be gained. So it's called a Symbol, because it's something by which Christians can recognize each other; that is what I shall first briefly recite to you. Then, as far as the Lord is good enough to grant, I will open it up for you, so that you may be able to understand what I want you to retain. This is the Symbol.10
After the Symbol
It isn't very much, and it is very much; there's no need for you to count the words, but rather to weigh them. / believe in God the Father almighty. Notice how quickly it's said, and how much it's worth. He's God, and he's Father; God in power, Father in goodness. How lucky we are, to have discovered that our God is our Father! So let us believe in him, and promise ourselves everything from his kindness and mercy, because he is almighty. That's why we believe in God the Father almighty.
Nobody must say, "He can't forgive me my sins." "How can't he, being almighty?" "But," you say, "I've sinned so much." And I say, "But he's almighty." And you: "I've committed such sins as I can't possibly be cleansed and delivered from."
I reply, "But he's almighty." Notice what you sing to him in the psalm: Bless the Lord, my soul, it says, and do not forget all his recompenses, who shows himself gracious to all your iniquities, who heals all your weaknesses (Ps 103:2-3). That's what we need him to be almighty for.
The whole of creation needs this, of course, in order to be created; he is almighty for making greater things and lesser things, almighty for making heavenly things and earthly things, almighty for making immortal things and mortal things, almighty for making spiritual things and material things, almighty