Which doctrine, then, or which word, ought a minister set before the church of God?
Neither his dreams, nor the visions of his heart, or whatever seemed good or right to him (Jer 23:16, 25); also not human traditions or ordinances (Is 29:13; Mt 15:9). But let him who teaches in the church teach the Word of God (1 Ptr 4:11), so that the heart of the ministry is and remains this, Is 59:21: “I have put My words in your mouth,” and as Augustine aptly says: “Let us not hear in the church: I say this, you say this, he says that; but: Thus says the Lord.”
What is the Word of God?
It is the wisdom of God hidden in a mystery (1 Co 2:6–7), by which [wisdom] God has made known and revealed to mankind, by a certain Word which has been given, His essence and will (at least so far as it necessary for us in this life), so that we thereby recognize sin and the miseries into which we fall through sin, and know how and through whom we are freed from these evils, so that we as a result rightly recognize and worship God and learn well to arrange and conform our life according to the norm and rule of His commandments, and finally that we be taught what will be and what is to be expected for us after this life.
Martin Chemnitz, Ministry, Word, and Sacraments : An Enchiridion.
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