Advent is a season of preparation for us and our people. In the season of Advent, the people of God wait for the coming of Jesus, their Messiah. God’s Old Testament people waited for the coming of the promised Messiah with faith. With that same faith, God’s New Testament people wait for the second coming of Jesus.

Sometimes we get tired of waiting. As children, in December the time seemed endless as we waited for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. God’s Old Testament people did get tired of waiting for the fulfillment of His promises. To counteract this, God encouraged His people as they waited. We need this same encouragement in these last days.

In Advent Wait With Patience

The Psalmist confidently sings, “Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.” This Psalm was directed toward God’s Old Testament people who saw the reality of how the wicked prospered and the righteous suffered. This is a waiting of faith because it rests in the Lord. The Psalmist asserts, “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” Patience means that faith never stops waiting confidently for God to act.

We live in an impatient world as people hurry to get ready for Christmas. It seems that more and more people are getting frustrated from rushing around too much. Antianxiety medications are an increasing part of our modern existence. Impatience is revealed in traffic “road rage,” in the pushing and hurrying of crowds, and in the exhaustion of preparing for Christmas. But there is a deeper growing impatience in people today with the political process and the economic future. As pastors we also grow impatient because of the press of things that have to be done and the problems we encounter in our ministries.

There is a deeper and more dangerous impatience. Spiritual impatience is a very real danger as we grow discouraged with the long wait for God to act. When things don’t do our way, we grow impatient with God. God’s Old Testament people grew tired of waiting after they left Egypt. They grumbled and complained when God did not act fast enough for them. We also grow impatient in our lives with the way God is acting on our behalf.

We need to hear the words of the Psalmist, “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will bring it to pass (act).” God will act. He has already acted on our behalf by sending His only Son into this world of sin and death to save and rescue us. This trust in the God Who has acted will enable us to be still before the Lord and to patiently wait for him. In our needs, in our troubles, in our suffering God is not far from any of us. Learn to trust in him and to wait patiently for him to act.

Be patient and quietly wait. The Christian does not simply say that things are bad and we need to muddle through. We are waiting expectantly for God’s answer, God’s help, God’s rescue. Endurance means waiting for someone real and something real. God is real. God’s salvation is real. Jesus second coming is real. Advent waiting looks forward to God’s ultimate gift of everlasting life. For God gave up His own Son for our sins and raised Him from the dead for our righteousness in order that we might live lives of patient waiting for something that is a done deal. We already are the special people of God. We are already his children through baptism. We already are people of faith. We already are citizens of heaven on the way  home. We already have a foretaste of the new, perfect life to come. And yet we are waiting to receive the end of our salvation.

The Psalmist encourages us to hang on to God, and therefore to wait patiently for Him because He will act on our behalf. This advent we are reminded not just to be stoically patient because things happen. We are to wait patiently for God to act in our lives and in history. It’s like grandparents at the airport expectantly waiting to see their grandchildren. In a picture that Jesus uses, it’s like patiently and expectantly waiting for your wedding day.

Don’t worry about the way things are going in this world of Satan’s domination. Don’t fret over the one who progresses in his own way, over the man who carries out evil devices. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him to act. Then Christmas will be a real celebration of joy. This is the season to prepare for His coming!

Blessings to you and your families as you wait on the Lord,

John Schierenbeck

CLC President

Revised Edition

Church of the Lutheran Confession

1961, 1996 Re-edited Reprint

CLC Book House, Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Click here for Index

In presenting this our statement concerning church fellowship we are aware that even a casual reading will soon reveal that we have been following the pattern of the Formula of Concord, and sometimes employing its very words. This may seem presumptuous to some, as though by such a procedure we meant to place our “confession” on a par with the historic confessions of the Lutheran Church; as though we meant to provide the Book of Concord with a supplement. This is not our intention.

There are other and good reasons, however, for taking the classic Formula as a model. Among the great confessions of the 16th century it is the one which deals with the internal conflicts of Lutheranism. It was eminently successful in bringing order out of a welter of controversy and confusion. By the grace of God it served as an instrument for the restoration of unity on a large scale, far larger than seemed possible when the strife was at its height.

It has been said that the controversies of our day may well be compared with the situation that arose soon after the death of Luther, and that plagued the Church until the issues were settled by the Formula of Concord. What better model, then, could be found for our work?

It is true that the trend of our times is toward union, particularly also among Lutherans, and the great mergers of the current century seem to testify to its effectiveness. There was the Norwegian merger of 1917 (ELC), the formation of the United Lutheran Church in 1918 (ULCA), the American Lutheran Church (ALC) and the American Lutheran Conference in 1930, as well as the recent (1960) organic union of the chief partners in that Conference into one large body (TALC). And larger mergers are being planned. Then there are the wider associations of the National Lutheran Council (NLC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), as well as the official participation of many of these groups in the interdenominational National Council of Churches of Christ, and even the World Council of Churches. All this creates the appearance of progress—until one remembers how many doctrinal issues were left unresolved in these unions (e.g., the doctrine of Election in the Norwegian merger), and how this has practically become the accepted pattern for such movements. Nor has the Synodical Conference been left untouched. Its major body, Missouri,* has been drawn far into the area of these negotiations, and in conjunction with the American Lutheran Church has produced a “Common Confession,” a document which a sister synod, Wisconsin,** has had to call “untruthful” because it claimed to be a settlement of historical doctrinal controversies which were not settled in fact. Yet this document still stands as part of the doctrinal position of a once staunchly orthodox synod, committing also the sister synods as long as they remain in the fellowship. So the leaven is working, and error is acquiring parity status with the truth.

We have not tried to cover the entire field of the doctrines of Scripture, nor do we see any need for attempting this. We have not even touched on all the points that are in controversy today. But in addressing ourselves to certain specific issues which, as we firmly believe, are at the root of most if not all of the evils which are troubling our beloved Lutheran Church in our time, we are appealing to the precedent established by the confessors of 1580, who in their opening paragraphs stated:

Necessity, therefore, requires us to explain these controverted articles according to God’s Word and approved writings, so that every one who has Christian understanding can notice which opinion concerning the matters in controversy accords with God’s Word and the Christian Augsburg Confession, and which does not. And sincere Christians who have the truth at heart may guard and protect themselves against the errors and corruptions that have arisen. (Foreword to Thorough Declaration, Formula of Concord, Concordia Triglotta 849:10)

We harbor no extravagant notions as to the impression which this our little confession will make. Yet we venture to dedicate it to a great and noble purpose, one stated so clearly and masterfully in the closing statement of the Formula, so that we can only repeat:

From this our explanation, friends and enemies, and therefore every one, may clearly infer that we have no intention of yielding aught of the eternal, immutable truth of God for the sake of temporal peace, tranquillity, and unity. Nor would such peace and unity, since it is devised against the truth and for its suppression, have any permanency. Still less are we inclined to adorn and conceal a corruption of the pure doctrine and manifest, condemned errors. But we entertain heartfelt pleasure and love for, and are on our part sincerely inclined and anxious to advance, that unity according to our utmost power, by which His glory remains to God uninjured, nothing of the divine truth of the Holy Gospel is surrendered, no room is given to the least error, poor sinners are brought to true, genuine repentance, raised up by faith, confirmed in new obedience, and thus justified and eternally saved alone through the sole merit of Christ. (Conc. Trgl. 1095: 95)

That God may graciously use and bless our halting efforts toward this end, that is our earnest and confident prayer.

Since it was adopted by the CLC in 1961, and included as an official part of the constitutional position of that church body, this “statement of principle” has served well to present the CLC’s teaching and practice CONCERNING CHURCH FELLOWSHIP to all its readers. It has found its way to Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia in the more than three decades of its existence. This re-edited reprint is now presented with the assurance that the doctrinal position of the CLC on church fellowship has not altered from what is herein contained, and with the prayer that God may use our booklet to foster and strengthen belief in His truth.

September 1996

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§ 1 One of the most prominent developments in the church history of  the first half of the twentieth century was the “Ecumenical Movement.” Under the influence of this movement, a serious dissension arose among the Lutheran Churches on the question of church fellowship. Using the “it is enough” of the Augsburg Confession,* various groups have developed conflicting teachings as to the extent of agreement necessary for church fellowship. Some maintain that it is enough to agree that Jesus is the Lord. Others contend that this means we are to avoid as heterodox only such as teach falsely concerning the cardinal doctrines of salvation. Still others make a distinction between errorists who err in fundamental doctrines and such as err in non-fundamental doctrines, contending that it is an infringement on Christian liberty to demand unity also in the non-fundamental doctrines. Still others would make the Augsburg Confession the standard of unity to the exclusion of other symbols of the Lutheran Church, particularly the Formula of Concord. In opposition to these varying views as to the extensiveness of agreement necessary for true unity, some have maintained that full agreement on all doctrines revealed in Scripture is necessary for that true unity on which alone the exercise of church fellowship may be based.

§ 2 Among those groups which have insisted on full doctrinal agreement as a necessary requisite for church fellowship, there has arisen dissension concerning the intensiveness of separation required from those who hold to errors. Some have taught that a limited amount of fellowship and cooperation is to be tolerated with certain false teachers and groups. Others maintain that all joint worship and religious work with such errorists is forbidden. Finally, among those who maintain that all manifestations of fellowship with errorists are forbidden, a dispute has arisen concerning the application of the term heterodox church to communions which had previously adhered to the true teachings of Scripture, but later departed from them. Some have taught that at least a limited fellowship is to be practiced as long as such erring groups do not blaspheme the Word of God and do not refuse to discuss the issues. Others teach that fellowship with such groups is forbidden when it becomes apparent after careful consideration that the error is actually being taught and defended.

§ 3 Now since Satan has sown much confusion in these matters in the Lutheran Churches in the past twenty years or more, it is our purpose to state and declare plainly, purely, and clearly our faith and confession concerning these various issues in thesis and antithesis, i.e., the true doctrine and its opposite, in order that the foundation of divine truth might be manifest in all points under discussion, and that all unlawful, doubtful, suspicious, and condemned doctrines, wherever they may be found or heard, might be exposed so that everyone may be faithfully warned against the errors, which are everywhere spread, and no one be misled in this matter by the reputation of any man. We have clearly declared ourselves to one another in these important matters of our faith, both for those now living and also for our posterity. To explain this controversy, and by God’s grace finally to settle it, we present to the Christian reader this our teaching in conformity with the Word of God. Hallowed be Thy name!

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§ 4 We believe that the unity of the Church is real and actual. This is  the unity of which Luther speaks in our Small Catechism when he says of the Holy Spirit that “He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.” Christians are united because each Christian is entirely a creation of the Spirit. Christians share the same nature from beginning to end. “ . . . for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:22-24). All Christians are God’s children on the basis of Christ’s redemption of the world and on the basis of the work of the Spirit who through baptism and the word appropriates this holiness to us: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). Through faith the Holy Spirit unites us with Jesus Christ, and we become part of His Body and united with every Christian, and Jesus’ prayer is fulfilled: “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us” (John 17:21). This unity of the Body of Christ, the Church, is expressed by Paul in Romans 12:5, “ . . . we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” This unity is most beautifully expressed in Ephesians 4:4-6, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”

§ 5 Christians according to the new man are perfectly joined together  in the same mind. The Holy Spirit makes them children of God, and He makes them all the same. They are agreed on sin, its nature, its origin, its means, its fruits, etc. They are agreed on grace, its sufficiency, its means, its fruits, etc. There may be different degrees of understanding, differences in the intensity of the experience, yet as far as the essence is concerned all believers are perfectly agreed.

§ 6 As Christians are perfectly joined together in one mind by the  Spirit, it follows that the Spirit moves them all that they all speak the same thing. Though the manner of speaking may vary, yet the truth spoken must be ever one and the same thing. The Church exists for the purpose of glorifying God, and only with speaking the same thing is this result attained: “That ye may with one mind and with one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 15:6).

§ 7 Thus the Church tolerates no divisions. The high standard of  Scripture is clear. All members of the Church are to speak the same thing in all matters of faith. This is stated by St. Paul in just so many words in 1 Corinthians 1:10, “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and the same judgment.”

§ 8 We further believe and confess that this speaking of the Church is  restricted to the Word of God. In so far as we are members of the Church we may speak, confess, and teach only the Word. “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth, that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ: to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Pet. 4:11). The Church is to speak the same thing, and that thing is called by Peter “the oracles of God.” In so far as they are human beings, the members of the Church have no wisdom, no truth. Their united message is the revelation sent down from heaven, God’s sayings. So testifies St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:12, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak . . . ” That St. John considers himself a messenger of wisdom from heaven is brought out in 1 John 1:3, “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you . . . ” Jesus promised these apostles His Spirit, who would insure that they taught His sayings exactly: “ . . . he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26). Thus the commission of the Church is “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:20).

§ 9 The Church is at all times to follow the example of the first  congregation, which “ . . . continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine . . . ” (Acts 2:42), and may be able to say with Paul, “ . . . I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). That the Church is absolutely limited to speaking the oracles of God is taught by Moses in Deuteronomy 4:2, “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.”

§ 10 That the Holy Scriptures are given by God to the Church for the  foundation of faith and are the sole source from which all doctrines proclaimed in the Christian Church must be taken, presupposes also this teaching that the Holy Scriptures are divine revelation.* We accordingly teach that the Holy Scriptures differ from all other books in the world in that they are the Word of God. They are the Word of God because the holy men of God who wrote the Scriptures wrote only that which the Holy Ghost communicated to them by inspiration. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God [God-breathed], and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). And again, “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Pet. 1:21). We teach also that the verbal inspiration of the Scriptures is not a so-called theological deduction, but that it is taught by direct statements of the Scriptures, 2 Tim. 3:16; John 10:35: “ . . . and the Scriptures cannot be broken”; Rom. 3:2: “ . . . unto them were committed the oracles of God”; 1 Cor. 2:13: “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth . . . ” Since the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God, it goes without saying that they contain no errors or contradictions, but that they are in all their parts and words the infallible truth, also in those parts which treat of historical, geographical, and other secular matters (John 10:35).

§ 11 We reject the doctrine which under the name of science has gained  wide popularity in the Church of our day that Holy Scripture is not in all its parts the Word of God, but in part the Word of God and in part the word of man and hence does, or at least might, contain error. We reject this erroneous doctrine as horrible and blasphemous, since it flatly contradicts Christ and His holy apostles, sets up men as judges over the Word of God, and thus overthrows the foundation of the Christian Church and its faith.

§ 12 We further believe that this inerrant Scripture which is the sole  authority for all doctrine in the Church is inviolable. And it is this quality in particular which suffers at the hands of all who in these days desire latitude in matters of doctrine. We have already mentioned the passage in Deuteronomy 4:2 warning against any additions or subtractions from Scripture. To this must be added the curse of Revelation 22:18, “ . . . if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.” The warning is also contained in Proverbs 30:5f., “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” God will tolerate no tampering with His Word, even in seemingly insignificant details, for even the individual jot and tittle must be respected as a part of the divine record (Matt. 5:18). And again, “ . . . the Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35). Thus are we to tremble at the Word of God, and we believe that any changes, additions, or subtractions constitute a violation of the majesty and holiness of the eternal God, who in love descended to man with the truth.

§ 13 Neither, do we believe, is there room for private interpretation of  Scripture on the basis of any supposed ambiguity or unclarity in the divine revelation. The perspicuity or clarity of Scripture is beyond dispute. To say that the Bible is unclear is blasphemy, charging the Author of our salvation with giving fallen man confused directions regarding His way to heaven. But we say and teach with all conviction that Holy Writ is clear and makes all doctrines and precepts laid down in the inspired Word freely accessible to every reader. The Bible makes this claim for itself. Psalm 119:105, 130: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. . . . The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” Psalm 19:8 speaks: “ . . . the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.” Christ promises: “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). Thus doctrines are not based on interpretation of Scripture, but on the Word itself. The Church cannot make the Bible clearer by its interpretations, but can only lead men to the naked words of Scripture, so they will base their faith on these words alone. We believe that the many differences in the teaching of the churches are due only to man who, in his perversity, refuses to take his reason captive under the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5), desiring to be a master over Holy Scripture (1 Tim. 1:7).

§ 14 We also believe, teach, and confess that all aberrations from Holy  Scripture are condemned. For what is false may not be mixed with truth. In Jeremiah 23:28 the Lord speaks to the preachers: “ . . . he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD.” The Church is commissioned to speak only God’s Word in its purity, “teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” Paul admonishes Timothy to “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me” (2 Tim. 1:13). In his First Epistle to Timothy Paul obligates him to “charge some that they teach no other doctrine” (1 Tim. 1:3). Of those who mix the truth with error, Paul tells the Galatians in the first chapter of that letter: “If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:9). Jeremiah threatens all such with God’s wrath: “Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD” (Jer. 23:31-32). For any person to change any teaching of the Holy, Holy, Holy God is a most grave offense against the majesty of God. When we see men dare to tamper with the Divine Record, not trembling at His Word, we can only shudder at what must inevitably be the consequence. We remember God’s wrath at the changing of His worship perpetrated by Aaron at Mt. Sinai, and say with the Psalmist: “Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law” (119:53).

§ 15 It would be a tempting of the Holy God even to make a distinction  between small and great aberrations, for in all cases of false teaching there is, as far as man is concerned, a mutilating of the Godhead. Furthermore, the doctrines of the Bible are so closely interrelated that the denial of any one of them is a reflection of the false teacher’s attitude toward all revealed truth. So does Dr. Luther teach: “My dear sir, God’s word is God’s word, which will not permit men to find fault with it. He who makes God a liar and blasphemes Him in one word, or says it is a small thing for Him to be blasphemed and called a liar, he blasphemes the whole God and has little regard for all blasphemy of God” (St. Louis Ed. XX:775).

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§ 16 These are stern truths, indeed. But they are truths derived from  Scripture and laid down there by God Himself for the sake of protecting and preserving for us that perfect truth which is the sole source of faith, life, and salvation. This then is also the reason why Scripture so emphatically and bluntly demands that Christians separate themselves from all who deviate in their doctrinal position from the truth of God’s Word.

§ 17 For a brief summary of what we believe, teach, and confess in this  point, we present the Christian reader first of all with this statement: “Since God ordained that His Word only, without the admixture of human doctrine, be taught and believed in the Christian Church, 1 Pet. 4:11; John 8:31-32; 1 Tim. 6:3-4, all Christians are required by God to discriminate between orthodox and heterodox church-bodies, Matt. 7:15, to have church-fellowship only with orthodox church-bodies, and, in case they have strayed into heterodox church-bodies, to leave them, Rom. 16:17. We repudiate unionism, that is, church-fellowship with the adherents of false doctrine, as disobedience to God’s command, as causing divisions in the Church, Rom. 16:17; 2 John 9, 10, and as involving the constant danger of losing the Word of God entirely, 2 Tim. 2:17-21″ (Brief Statement, Art. 28).

§ 18 Now, as already has been established above, and as always has been  taught by the fathers, we believe that there are two kinds of visible church bodies, pure and impure, or orthodox and heterodox. We have clearly shown that God requires of us that we establish the teaching of His Word in its truth and purity without admixture of error of any kind. This then is a pure or orthodox church which adheres to the unadulterated doctrine of God’s Word and administers the sacraments according to their divine institution. On the other hand, a church which contrary to the divine ordinance tolerates false doctrine in its midst or deviates from the divine institution in the administration of the sacraments is rightly called an impure or heterodox church. That there would be such church bodies is foretold in Scripture. St. Paul says to the elders of Ephesus, Acts 20:29-30: “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.” These men who will speak false doctrine will succeed in gaining a following. “For there must be also heresies among you . . . ” (1 Cor. 11:19).

§ 19 Though it is generally held today that there is an advantage in  having great variety among churches and that we demand too much when we maintain that all Christians should have the same faith, we firmly believe that it is not a thing well pleasing to God that there are heterodox church bodies. They are not desired by God, but exist by His permission only. And thereby we do not deny that there are dear children of God in heterodox churches. Also in those bodies children are born unto Him as long as in them His Word is still preached. But God does not want them to exist as heterodox church bodies. These churches have inscribed false doctrine on their banner and have established a separatistic body. God permits them to exist not because it is good or pleasing to Him, nor that we have a free choice to belong to any kind of groups, but He says: “For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you” (1 Cor. 11:19). So also did Dr. Luther write: “When it happens that men become disagreed in doctrine, it has this effect, that it separates them and reveals who the true Christians are, namely, those who have the Word of God in all its purity and excellence” (St. Louis Ed. XVII, 1346:71).

§ 20 We further believe that all Christians are required by God to  discriminate between false and true churches as well as teachers. We read in 1 John 4:1: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” And the Lord Jesus exhorts: “Beware of false prophets” (Matt. 7:15). Obedience to God’s command requires then that Christians distinguish between true and false prophets.

§ 21 We further believe, teach, and confess that Christians are required  to have church fellowship only with orthodox church bodies. Having distinguished between heterodox and orthodox bodies, they are to act according to this knowledge. This is what God’s Word declares in all passages which admonish Christians not to hear false prophets, but to flee from them. These warnings tell the Christian not to listen to the false prophets but rather to stay clear of the danger involved in their teachings—the “good words and fair speeches” by which they “deceive the hearts of the simple” (Rom. 16:18). 2 John 10 bluntly requires: “If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God-speed; For he that biddeth him God-speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” In his First Letter to Timothy, chapter 6:3-5, St. Paul says: “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.”

§ 22 Nor should 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 be lightly dismissed: “Be ye not  unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

§ 23 Though a casual reading of this passage might cause one to think it  is speaking of unbelievers and not false churches, we would point out that erring churches, insofar as they err, are also unbelieving. They are unbelieving with respect to a number of Bible passages. By their errors they have divided the Church and oppose the truth. False teaching is unrighteousness, and there can be no fellowship with it. False doctrine is darkness and true revealed doctrine is the light in this world. They have no communion, nothing in common. All false doctrine is the work of Belial; when we fellowship with false teachers we make concord with Satan, the author of their errors. Scripture teaches that we should come out from among them, that is, from the adherents and teachers of error, and be separate.

§ 24 That this applies to all heterodox teachers and bodies is taught most  clearly and explicitly in Romans 16:17. “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses [a cause of stumbling, snare to one’s faith] contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.” In this text both elements are included, namely, the act of distinguishing and the action resulting therefrom. The brethren of Paul are carefully to fix their eye on those who deviate by teaching or adhering to false doctrine alongside of the true doctrine, and are to avoid them.

§ 25 From this passage it is clear that fellowship is to be based on one  thing only, the doctrine which is proclaimed or confessed. It is right here where there is so much confusion sown by Satan. For he always inserts this thought, that since there are believers also in heterodox churches (which we have readily and happily admitted), Christians should not separate from such bodies, or should fellowship with them at least to a certain extent. Here it is necessary to distinguish between Christian brotherhood and Christian fellowship. The Holy Christian Church consists indeed of all believers in Jesus Christ, of all who have been begotten of the Father through the Word of truth and are members of His family. But since faith is invisible, these brethren are invisible, and we are assured of their existence only by the Word and promise of God. That is the brotherhood. Christian fellowship, on the other hand, is a fruit of this brotherhood—and an essential one. Since we belong together as brothers in Christ, we show this by joint worship, prayer, and work.

§ 26 Now the basis for this fellowship cannot be the same as that for the  brotherhood, which is regeneration and true faith. Before we can fellowship we must recognize the brother, and recognition must have as its object something that can be seen. But faith cannot be seen. One cannot recognize a brother by his faith, and it is equally impossible to fellowship with him on that basis. Paul says in Romans 10:10, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness . . . ” And in 1 Corinthians 4:5 he makes the significant statement: “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts . . . ”

§ 27 We therefore believe and teach that Christian fellowship is based  only on profession of faith, by word and deed. As John says in his First Epistle, 4:2-3, “Hereby know ye the spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God . . . ” Confession is the basis for Christian fellowship, for when a man’s confession is in accord with the “teachings which we have learned,” we can recognize him as a brother.

§ 28 We know, of course, that our fellowship is not identical with the  spiritual brotherhood. Behind a good confession may lie a hypocrite. And on the other hand, we know that there are Christians also in those church bodies which confess error together with the truth. We cannot recognize hypocrites in an orthodox body, nor can we recognize the believers in a false church. Moreover, we do not separate ourselves from the children of God among the false sects, but from the sects as such. The sects separate these dear children of God from us. We believe that it is for the benefit of the true believers among the heterodox that we are to refuse fellowship to these churches. Thereby we are constantly reminding them that they are in the wrong place. Time and again people have thereby been led out from the false church into the true, where God wants them to be.

§ 29 We further believe, teach, and confess that there are no exceptions  to this precept to avoid all false teachers and their adherents. Any deviation from the truth is a violation of God’s honor and constitutes a grave threat to believers, who after all can be saved only by the Word of God. St. Paul tells the Galatians: “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump” (Gal. 5:9). Here Paul emphatically declares that errors, however small, are dangerous things to trifle with. The error into which the Galatians were falling was a false attitude over against circumcision, the assumption that by submitting to circumcision and observing the Sabbath and other ceremonies they could make their justification more secure. They stressed the Gospel, they confessed redemption by Christ, but they wanted to supplement the Gospel by some exercise of their own. Paul warns them against the far-reaching consequences of this “little” deviation from the truth revealed. Before long they will lose the Gospel, and in principle they have denied it already.

§ 30 Another picture used by Paul to stress that every single deviation is  to be avoided is found in 2 Timothy 2:17-19. Here he compares error to gangrene (canker). It is a pitiful thing to behold a strong healthy man in the prime of life who has had an extremity frozen to the point that gangrene sets in. Unless the affected part is removed, the gangrene will relentlessly pursue its course of eating and spreading. The specific error to which Paul refers was in regard to the doctrine of the resurrection. He adds that there is safety in one rule only: “Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (v. 19). Those who confess the truth should separate from all error. How very important this is we see from the source of this quotation. For Paul has taken this expression from the history of the rebellion of Korah in the wilderness. The people were commanded to stand apart from the tents of Korah and his cohorts. We know how fatal it would have been to disobey! Every deviation is a rebellion against the majesty and authority of God.

§ 31 Though such an exclusive attitude as we here confess is everywhere  maligned and condemned as unevangelical, it is actually a principle which is in complete accord with the heart of the Gospel. In fact, it is the Gospel of universal salvation for all sinners which is at stake. God’s plan of salvation carried out in Christ indeed embraces all sinners. It is all-inclusive. He who would have all men to be saved has placed this life-giving message in the Bible (see 2 Cor. 5:19 and Rom. 5:18). Only these good tidings of God bring hope and comfort and peace to every sinner. On the other hand, every religious effort arising from the unregenerate heart of man will inevitably be just as legalistic as the elements of the world to which it is captive.

§ 32 It is man’s nature to suppress the truth in his unrighteousness. Ever  since Eve first explored the possibility, every deviation from the divine truth, every addition or subtraction on the part of man has of necessity been an infringement on the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. False doctrine is always a threat to the very universality and completeness of the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. It is in the interest of the preservation of the Good News that God is so explicit in forbidding fellowship with error, no matter how minute or trivial it may seem to be. Here Paul is our great teacher. No one will deny that he believed in the all-inclusive nature of the Gospel of Jesus. All his efforts were bent toward bringing this peace of God to every corner of the world. Yet it is Paul in particular who wages constant warfare against each and every effort of man to change, pervert, or mutilate that Gospel. For when men change the Word of God, they are attacking Christ Himself. Paul dreads the thought that his parishioners should be referred to a mutilated Christ for their source of “comfort.” What could be a greater tragedy for his posterity than to receive a Gospel less comforting in any way, and less universal, than the beautiful original entrusted to him?

§ 33 It must be mentioned that there is a wrong exclusivism which does  not stem from this all-inclusive Gospel. Where pride in one’s self or in one’s particular groups is the motive for isolation, this is sinful and shows a grave lack of understanding of the Gospel. Such was the separation of the Pharisees—and they have many followers who by their exclusive policies glorify only men. Any separation in the Church which is not made in the interest of God’s glory and the glory of His Gospel is to be condemned just as much as unionism, the fellowshipping of false teachers.

§ 34 It is also contended by our opponents that the God of love who  wants us to dwell in love and unity with men would not ask us to separate from all who deviate in matters of doctrine. For the Christian who places everything pertaining to his salvation into the divine hand, this is indeed a spurious argument. Just as the same God who gave the promise to Abraham could also instruct the same Abraham to offer up the son of promise as a sacrifice, so it is the same God of love and unity who also instructs the Christian to “avoid,” “withdraw,” “come out from among them,” “reject the heretic,” “have no company with him.” And since the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth the Christian knows from the outset that there is never a day when he may relax his efforts and not be on guard against the intrusion of false prophets and their errors, as well as the intrusion of error in his own teaching.

§ 35 Scripture gives countless examples of this endless war which Satan  wages against truth. To our warning we see how dreadfully successful he often was. Even in their holiness our first parents lost the truth because they listened to the voice of temptation after it was clear that the voice had deviated from the true Word. From the first opposition altar of Cain to the activities of the beast in Revelation we observe the never-ending efforts of Satan to infiltrate the ranks of those who are to proclaim only the Word of God.

§ 36 Moses teaches us in Genesis 6:1ff. that all flesh had to be destroyed  because “ . . . God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” This situation had come into being because of the mingling of the Church with the world. It was the joining spirit at Babel (in the interest of strength and security) which after the flood again threatened the Gospel with extinction. This led to a most drastic display of the principle of separation when God found it necessary to remove Abram completely from his family and from all nations so that the Gospel might be preserved until the fullness of the time. Though his children were blessed in every possible way by Jehovah, who delivered them from all their enemies and provided for their every need, yet God had to place them into the straitjacket of the law economy that they might be reminded in a hundred ways every day that they were His peculiar people with a particular destiny. Despite these drastic measures, the history of Israel is a sad story of oft-repeated compromises with error and syncretism, often leading to total apostasy.

§ 37 In connection with the worship of the golden calf at Sinai, we learn  the relative position of our love toward God and that toward our fellow man. When His worship was changed (though they intended to be worshipping Jehovah) and God’s anger waxed hot, then the Levites, in love for God and to uphold His honor, were bidden to take the sword to their brethren, of whom three thousand fell that day. Whenever the Word of God is attacked, His honor is involved. In connection with 2 Timothy 2 we mentioned above the rebellion of Korah. The incident forcefully brings home the same thought of the impending wrath of a God whose honor has been violated when His instructions were disobeyed. The New Testament urgings to separate are indeed loving warnings to escape before we become involved in God’s wrath.

§ 38 In Joshua 24 we find a revealing chapter on the subtle and persistent  efforts of Satan to syncretize and unionize religion. In the last assembly of Israel that Joshua convened he appealed to the people to put away their idols and to give undivided hearts to God. He is speaking of their attitudes. Although they repeatedly insist that they are Jehovah worshippers, he continues to admonish and plead for purity of worship, and expresses the principle of separation succinctly: “ . . . as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

§ 39 Though under God’s glorious guidance this principle of exclusivism  for the Gospel’s sake gave to Israel full possession of the Holy Land and victory over all foes, nevertheless they soon became lax in this very matter, allowing some of the Canaanites to remain in the land. The apparent advantages of this compromise with God’s explicit orders were dissipated by the formal announcement of God at Bochim (Judges 2). Their humanistic tendencies brought endless trouble to them and their posterity, for now God would not drive out these Canaanites, but would permit them to remain as a snare and a trap to Israel. In the New Testament the consequence of tolerating errorists is still the same, namely, that they become thorns in our flesh and cause serious schisms, which God permits so that the Church may be purged (1 Cor. 11:19).

§ 40 We could adduce many more examples from Scripture illustrating  that when men like Abraham stood quite alone—faithful to their God, building their own altars in defiance of all—there God’s blessings came in bountiful measure. Contrariwise, when Israel allowed error and falsehood to be mingled with the priceless truth committed to them, it brought ruin and havoc. From the times of the Judges, Solomon, the divided kingdom, the period of restoration, the voice cries out from every page: “ . . . come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord” (2 Cor. 6:17).

§ 41 Thus Scripture clearly teaches by precept and many examples that  Christians are to separate from all false religion, from all false teachers, lest the honor of God be violated, His name profaned, and the possession of the Gospel endangered for them and their children; lest, as St. John says, they become partakers of their evil deeds.

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§ 42 We further believe, teach, and confess that when our Lord Jesus Christ forbids us to exercise church fellowship with those who deviate in their teachings from the Word of God, thereby all manifestations of Christian fellowship are forbidden. Though this appears very obvious in the light of the strong Scriptural words—to beware of such people, to avoid them, to reject them, to withdraw from such—we are required to make this matter very clear. Satan is so anxious to have true churches fraternizing with the false, that he has even inserted this thought, that some fellowship should be permitted, even though full recognition may be impossible. Now in church language it has been customary to speak of pulpit, altar, and prayer fellowship. But we must be very careful in using these terms, that we do not thereby think there are three different fellowships, and that each is to be treated differently. There is one fellowship, and these are three outstanding manifestations of that one glorious gift we enjoy.

§ 43 Christian fellowship is the outgrowth of our brotherhood which we  have by virtue of our God-created faith in Jesus Christ. As brothers and sisters in Jesus, we are united in one family, and we express this unity by joining in worship and religious work. This fellowship is a great, glorious, living thing. It manifests itself in countless ways: in the gathering of the disciples on the evening of Easter, in their remaining together at Jerusalem while they were awaiting the fulfillment of the Father’s promise, in the life of the mother church as it is described in the last verses of Acts 2 and again in chapter 4, in the relation of the mother church to the congregations which now began to spring up on every hand. It manifested itself most beautifully in the concern of the Greek churches for the famine-stricken brethren of Judea, which Paul was so careful to cultivate.

§ 44 Now all these manifestations of fellowship are based on their unity  in the Word, “in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship.” As long as they continued in God’s Word, then were they all disciples and could recognize each other as such. But when someone in his teaching departed from the Word, the basis for fellowship was removed. The people who adhere to false teaching are to be shunned and avoided. One can hardly fulfill that command of God by allowing some fellowship but not all. We believe there is one fellowship (koinonia), which manifests itself in many different ways. Where unity of the confessed faith, unity in the Word, is absent, we are forbidden to practice any fellowship.

§ 45 Though in this next point there is no disagreement (at least not of a  general nature in the Lutheran churches), yet for the sake of complete clarity we re-emphasize that which has always been Lutheran teaching, namely, that our separation both from the world and from errorists and false churches does not involve a separation in purely secular matters. We are in the world, but not of the world. The separation of which Scripture speaks in the passages on church fellowship concerns religious associations with people, not cultural, economic, or civic relations. Here the Christian guards only against intimacy with people who are opposed to the truth, exercising his judgment and liberty with great care. On the other hand, it must be noted that when separation is required from such with whom Christians have been in intimate religious fellowship, even such associations as would ordinarily be within the bounds of Scripture may be wrong, because of the offense which might be given. Here the teachings of the Formula of Concord, Article X, concerning adiaphora (matters of Christian liberty) apply with full force.

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§ 46 We further believe, teach, and confess that established fellowships  or existing fellowships are to be terminated when it has been ascertained that a person or group through a false position is causing divisions and offenses in the Church.* Among our Lutheran teachers who have held a firm and Scriptural position in regard to making no alliances with those who deviate in their teachings from the Word, there are some who have shown the same humanistic weakness of the unionist when the matter occurred of separating from those with whom there has been fellowship of long standing.

§ 47 We must therefore maintain steadfastly that the only basis for  fellowship is complete unity in the doctrine of Christ, and that when this unity is broken, there is no basis for fellowship. Toleration of error, partaking of another’s evil deeds, worshipping with someone who profanes the name of God by his false doctrine—all these things are no less wicked because of some previous relationship. In Romans 16:17 St. Paul in no way limits his statement to those outside of the fellowship of the Christians at Rome. Their marking of an errorist would not only include but begin within the communion itself. In Matthew 7:15, where Jesus tells us to beware of false prophets, He stresses that they will come in sheep’s clothing; that is, externally they will appear among the sheep. Paul tells the elders of Ephesus to be on the alert for those men who will arise “of your own selves” (Acts 20:30).

§ 48 Though we instruct “with all long-suffering and doctrine” (2 Tim.  4:2) such as through ignorance hold erroneous opinions and beliefs, this in no wise restricts or limits the avoiding of those who by their deviations “cause divisions and offenses” in the Church. Those cannot be treated as “weak” brethren who are publicly teaching their erroneous opinions as God’s truth. Nor does isolation of errorists from one’s own communion in such cases indicate a lack of love. For we believe that to obey the Lord and avoid them is true love, and only by thus following God’s injunction can we “preserve unity” and heal the breaches in the walls of Zion. Where error is tolerated it will grow. When it is isolated it is unable to propagate itself.

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§ 49 Now we turn to a refutation of the various counter-arguments to this Scriptural presentation, and accordingly with heart and mouth we reject and condemn as false, erroneous, and misleading all teachings which are not in accordance with, but contrary and opposed to, the doctrine above presented.

§ 50 That the application of the principle of separation is limited to  non-Christian bodies is quite generally held among the majority of Protestant sects, most of which are quite willing to form alliances and unions with all church bodies which are willing to say that Jesus is the Lord. Even some Lutheran bodies have joined in such world organizations, though these organizations are not willing to define what is meant even by that statement that Jesus is the Lord. As shown above, there is no Scriptural license for such mingling of truth with error, and it leads only to ever greater indifference to doctrine. It stems from lack of understanding of the work of the Church, which is solely to administer the Office of the Keys, in Word and Sacrament.

§ 51 Thinking that they are serving the cause of truth, many in our day  have made a selection of doctrines which they say are necessary for saving faith, and restrict the principle of separation to those who in some way deny the redemptive work of Christ. But actually they are serving the cause of unionism, namely, by their fellowship with those who err in any doctrine of Scripture. These people stress the fundamentals of evangelical truth, whence they are called fundamentalists or evangelicals, and permit differences of belief on all other points of Christian doctrine. We repudiate such groups as sinfully unionistic and condemn the aiding and supporting of such movements as involving a denial of Scriptural doctrines. Though it is true that these fundamentals of doctrine are usually quite Scriptural, and that he who believes these truths will be saved, the question of saving faith is not admissible in the matter of church fellowship, since such fellowship is based on confession and not on faith, which is invisible.

(REFUTATION OF ARGUMENTS)

Argument from John 17

§ 52 A favorite and supposedly unanswerable argument urged by protagonists of such church unions is that it is our Lord’s own express will that there should be only one visible church. The proof of this is said to be the prayer: “That they all may be one” (John 17:21). But the unity for which Christ prayed was clearly not an external one. It was a spiritual unity, a unity of faith. This is the unity that was created among His disciples in the early Church, and it is this unity which, with indissoluble bonds, still binds together in the Holy Christian Church all true believers, wherever they may be.

Argument on “Strength”

§ 53 We also refute as an insidious error the argument so frequently  heard in these days, namely, that tolerance of other church bodies and a combining of efforts are necessary for the strengthening of the Church. It is said that the churches must unite in order to meet the dangers of atheism, materialism, modernism, secularism, etc. We are told that a united church would be a more powerful force in combating the social ills which beset the nation.

§ 54 These proponents of union among churches reveal the false  motivation behind such efforts. The power of the Church of Christ lies in the Gospel that she preaches. It is blasphemous to think that human numbers and human organization can add strength and effectiveness to God’s holy Word. It is rather the mingling of that Gospel truth with error which weakens the Church and impedes its attack on the stronghold of Satan. “Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth” (Ps. 124:8). His strength is made perfect in our weakness. He who gave victory to Gideon with but 300 men, and He who evangelized the world through a far smaller number, does not need large organizations to accomplish His purpose. But of course it is right here that the opponents go astray, for they have set goals for the Church which God has not given us, such as combating social evils and improving the morality of the world and society.

Argument on “National Interest”

§ 55 Closely allied with this false argument is the plea that we should  forget our doctrinal differences in the national interest. It is said by these people that we owe it to our nation to unite, not only (as shown above) to stem the tide of social ills such as juvenile delinquency and organized crime which hurt the nation, but particularly to meet the common foes of all Christendom, communism and others. The plea is that all Christian churches are in jeopardy and that our democracy is weakened by religious differences among its people.

§ 56 This is a vicious form of attack made from all sides against our dear Christians. It is bad enough that the world and its leaders and educators tie together our democracy and the Christian religion and constantly urge that for effective democracy we must give up our distinctive beliefs and exercise tolerance toward all other forms. But this is not surprising since the world cannot be expected to distinguish between the interest of the nation and of the churches. It is bad enough that the many Reformed denominations, following the principles of Calvin and other leaders, mingle the activities of the Church with those of the state. But when Lutheran teachers would make the Church the handmaiden of the state and speak as though this were our function as churches against the enemies of our nation, then we begin to realize how mightily Satan is raging against the pure doctrine in our churches.

§ 57 The Church which earnestly upholds the truth brings down blessings  on the nation. In so far as churches give up any part of the Gospel, they bring down the wrath of God, also upon the nation. Again and again the prophets of Judah and Israel teach the horror of that logic which advocates toleration of error in the interest of “political expediency.” Therefore it is a lie of the Evil One that we serve the national interest by being “more tolerant” of the religious views of our fellow citizens. As citizens let all Christians be taught to be patriotic and loyal, and to grant to others the religious freedom which they claim for themselves. As church members let them be taught that the Church is not to be identified with any nation or form of government, nor are her interests to be tied to the interests of any nation, for “My Kingdom is not of this world.” All who urge their false views on these grounds lower their church to the level of any earthly organization with earthly goals. Our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20), and we believe that the Church has one function and one function only: to preach the Gospel.

§ 58 Though there is a correct and proper distinction made between  fundamental and non-fundamental doctrines, we reject as false the teaching that we are required to separate only from those churches which err in the fundamental doctrines. These errorists contend: In non-fundamentals the theologians should have the liberty to propound differing views without laying themselves open to the charge of disturbing the unity of faith or breaking the ties of church fellowship. They say it is neither necessary nor possible to agree in all non-fundamental doctrines.

§ 59 The distinction between fundamental and non-fundamental doctrines has its place, but that place is most certainly not in the question of what constitutes a sufficient basis for church fellowship. Theologians of the Church have made this distinction in connection with saving faith. Of fundamental doctrines we speak in the sense that a denial or falsification of certain teachings of Scripture undermines the very foundation of saving faith. But non-fundamental doctrines are also Scripture doctrines, just as well as the ones called fundamental. They are all doctrines of faith, i.e., doctrines to be accepted in faith. Hence it is by no means a negligible matter when one adheres to erroneous views in non-fundamental doctrines. If adhered to despite ample information, errors in non-fundamental doctrines become open rebellion against God and His holy Word, and threaten to lead into perdition.

§ 60 We must not confound non-fundamental doctrines with theological  problems, must not relegate them to the realm of open questions (questions which are not answered by the Word of God). But to say (when discussing the basis for church fellowship) that we neither need nor can attain agreement in non-fundamentals is to deny the clarity of Scripture, the inviolability of Scripture, and to grant equal status to error and truth as well as license to preach and teach unscriptural doctrines. The Bride of Christ is concerned about her purity in doctrine in all respects: “I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2-3).

§ 61 We further reject the teaching that false teachers and churches are  to be avoided only when they no longer listen to admonition. In those communions which agree with us that there must be unanimity in all doctrines of Scripture as a basis for fellowship, some teachers have arisen who have taught that an existing fellowship is not to be terminated as long as the errorists will discuss the issues involved and permit admonition to be addressed to them. Though this argument is presented in the sheep’s clothing of Christian love and patience, we must condemn it as unscriptural and unionistic. When errorists by their adherence to their errors “cause divisions and offenses” in the Church, we are told by the Holy Ghost through the Apostle Paul in Romans 16:17 to avoid them. To say in the face of this clear instruction that we are to fellowship with such as have become manifest errorists, simply because we are still admonishing them, must be condemned as disobedience to God, as allowing false teachers to ravage the flock, as disregarding the concern expressed in the next verse of Romans 16 (lest “ . . . by good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple”)—in short, as belittling the Word of God and the importance of all revealed teaching. It can only, as must all unionism, lead to indifference to doctrine and to insecurity for the Christian in matters of faith.

(REFUTATION OF ARGUMENTS)

§ 62 Our opponents have contended that the passage from Scripture  instructing the strong to bear the burdens of the weak must be taken into account in applying the passages on separation from false teachers. They refer, for example, to Galatians 6:1-2, where St. Paul admonishes the strong to restore a fallen brother in the spirit of meekness.

§ 63 Now let us state at the outset that we fully believe in dealing  patiently and lovingly with weak brethren. In every congregation there are Christians who are strong and others who are weak. Each individual Christian is at times strong and at times weak. Certainly this is a prime reason why our Lord does not leave us alone, but sets the solitary into families, that we may serve one another in humility and love. There are members of congregations who are also weak in doctrine. This may be due to immaturity, since they may be novices and need more instruction, or it may be due to ignorance. It may be that some leader has sown confusion in the ranks of a group. Thus the Church is ever busy at this task of strengthening the weak in its midst, “teaching them to observe.” There are many, many Bible passages and Scriptural examples of this constant activity of the teaching, strengthening, edifying Church. But we most assuredly object to this, that this teaching and admonishing function be of necessity carried into the process of separating from errorists.

§ 64 Essentially the two groups of passages are addressed to opposite  situations. Teaching, admonishing, edifying, instructing—all these presuppose disciples, learners, hearers. These learners and hearers may frequently entertain strange notions and erroneous thoughts. That is why they come to be taught the Word of God. Here the question of separation is totally out of place. But when Scripture tells us to avoid, withdraw, reject, beware, it certainly is not speaking of people who sit at the feet of the true church to learn the way to heaven. It is quite clearly in each case referring to people who are in the role of teaching, or who assume that role over against the true preachers of the Word. They are false prophets, men who claim that their errors are the truth; they are causers of division, men who lead a segment of the Church away from the truth; they are heretics, men who form a new party in connection with their deviations. Let us not fail to note in this connection that error is dangerous (beware!), and that God does not ask His children to risk their salvation on the altar of an admonition which is being carried on in an atmosphere of fellowship where He has prohibited fellowship.

§ 65 Then there is also the weakness of language. A person may not  express himself as he intended the meaning, or others may read something into his words which is not there. We do therefore teach that any Christian ought to be very sure before he will raise the cry of “false teacher.” He will make careful inquiry and ascertain exactly what is being taught by the suspected speaker. This may require little or much time. In the case of a person or group with whom one has been in fellowship, it will by its nature involve an admonition, or several admonitions. But we emphatically teach that the admonishing per se and by itself is not an absolute must, a condition sine qua non, for the application of “avoid them.” As we have seen, there may be years of admonition before a person is revealed as causing divisions and offenses by his errors, or it could become clear at one meeting that the basis for fellowship has been removed by adherence to error. The argument that separation must be delayed as long as the errorist will listen to admonition does not take into account that he is not only listening, but he is teaching his error at the same time. The devil is very happy to have this errorist listen to endless admonition, if this will enable him to continue to fellowship and address the entire Church.

§ 66 The charge that they who call for separation do not have love is quite specious: for we are first to have love for Christ, who has been attacked by the errorist, and then we are to have love for all the sheep and lambs, who stand in mortal danger by reason of the teachings of this man or group. And surely, if we act in love for God and His Word, such action will also be the most loving thing toward the errorist, as Paul indicates when also in 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 he advocates that we cease exercising fellowship with those who are disobedient to his words, that they may be ashamed. If the errorist would always suffer isolation from the Church, he would be induced to give serious thought to his aberrations. But we believe and confess that we dare not be partakers of the evil deeds nor, by offering the hand of fellowship, appear in any way to be sanctioning the error. That is not what is meant by confessing God before men.

Argument Concerning the Examples of Jesus

§ 67 The ministry of Jesus Christ is cited by the opponents as an example  of loving patience with errorists. It is said by some that since He did not break off outward fellowship with Israel, we should not break with a synod which aberrates from the Word. The first fallacy in this argument is that a synod with a confessional position is made parallel to the nation of Israel with its worship that centered at the Temple in Jerusalem. Neither the Temple nor the synagogue had a confessional position as such, except that their worshipers represented God’s people of the Old Testament, who possessed the Law and were waiting for the Messiah. The second fallacy lies in the interpretation that is thus put on the actions of Jesus. But let the Lord speak for Himself—and we will not hear the words of the unionist of today: “And ye have not his word abiding in you” (John 5:38). Does this sound as though Jesus ever gave the impression that He either approved or tolerated the Jewish errors- Jesus publicly proclaimed that these false teachers were not of God’s family: “ . . . he that sent me is true, whom ye know not” (John 7:28). Is this perhaps a manifestation of fellowship? Or again, “ . . . ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:21-24). “ . . . beware of the leaven of the Pharisees” (Matt. 16:6-11).

§ 68 Whoever mentions the example of Jesus as an instance of  fellowshipping with false teachers has lost sight of the fact that our Savior died on a cross at the hand of His fellowmen just because of His exclusivism and His refusal to sanction and tolerate any variations of doctrine or belief. We therefore refute and condemn as superficial and extreme sophistry this argumentation that would justify the fellowshipping of errorists on the basis of the example of Jesus.

Argument from Ephesians 4

§ 69 Quite a popular argument used by our adversaries is taken from Ephesians 4:1-7. We are to be zealous to preserve the unity! It is contended that to separate can hardly be evidence of a zeal to preserve the unity and union. It is true that to exclude oneself from a communion destroys the union. But it is not necessarily a breaking of the unity. For if an errorist has arisen and is causing divisions and offenses by his teaching, he bears the guilt of disrupting the unity. This division will grow on and on if unimpeded. The gangrenous member must be cut off. When we “apply” Romans 16:17 we are simply doing what God has advocated to heal the breach. The surgery may indeed be painful, but it is meant to halt the advance of the disease. Ephesians 4 in particular demonstrates that the unity is a unity of faith: one Lord, one baptism, etc.

Argument from Matthew 18

§ 70 We are also told that, in keeping with Jesus’ instructions in Matthew 18:15-17 for making every effort to regain the man who has trespassed against us, patience should be exercised toward the erring teachers. It should be clear that to avoid a false teacher and to look upon a man as a heathen and a publican are two entirely different things. The former is based on the danger inherent in the goods which are being peddled as truth. The latter is based on the evidence of an unrepentant heart. The false teacher may indeed, in individual cases, eventually prove himself to be an unrepentant sinner, one who is willfully blaspheming God’s Word against his better knowledge. In that case we would have to consider him as a heathen man and a publican. But to contend that until this is true he is to be allowed to have the status of a teacher in good standing in the Church, this is utterly preposterous. He is to be avoided because he is dangerous (Rom. 16:18). He is dangerous whether or not there is hope that he may still repent.

§ 71 Here we must be careful in our use of the word “persistent” in  describing a false teacher. This word came into use in the Church as an antonym of “inadvertent.” In this connection it has its place, as we have shown above, namely, that the Christian exercise great care before charging a person or groups with heresy, first determining charitably whether it was done unwittingly and inadvertently, or whether the speaker sticks to his error, which is persistence. To say that we must be positive that the errorist intends stubbornly to pursue his course despite all admonition requires an omniscience not granted to mortals. Yet it is mortals who are asked to withdraw from such as teach falsely.

§ 72 In the case of one who trespasses against me, my one concern—of  which he should be assured—is the sinner and his forgiveness. In the case of false teachers, however, there is first the immediate concern for the honor of God and for the endangered lambs. This does not by any means preclude a sincere concern for the erring man’s soul. The separating action taken in obedience to God is for the sake of His glory and the safety of souls entrusted to the Church. Previously, concurrently, and subsequently, as the Christian has call and opportunity, he will of course try to correct the erring one. Even here there may have to be a stopping point, however, due to the hazard involved in dealing with one who is endangering our faith by mingling lies with the truth. Paul tells Titus to dismiss, reject a heretical one after the first and second admonition (Tit. 3:10), which is an echo of the Savior’s words: “ . . . neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they . . . turn again and rend you” (Matt. 7:6).

§ 73 In an age noted for doctrinal indifference (for the cry of the day is  “deeds, not creeds”) it is particularly damaging and harmful to urge the proposition that one should not terminate fellowship until the false teacher or false church refuses to listen to admonition, since it is characteristic of errorists and unionists, who breathe the very air of compromise, to be willing to lend an ear forever, so to speak, to what they term “another point of view.” Where latitude and academic freedom have been adopted as standards, the time may never come that “admonition” will not be allowed. Satan does not demand that truth be silenced; he is quite satisfied to have a partial voice in the matter, for well he knows that even a little lie, mingled with truth, destroys the truth.

§ 74 To sum up, we reject and condemn any limitations on the extent of the application of the scriptural injunctions to separate from false teachers and groups. All who deviate are to be avoided. They are to be avoided when it is clear that they are causing divisions and offenses in the Church. They are guilty of serving other interests (“their belly”—Rom. 16:18) rather than Christ, and to fellowship with them is to be a partaker of their evil deeds, a partaker of their influence, a partaker of the judgment they are calling down upon themselves. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God!

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§ 75 The people who promote this thought, that only joint worship  services with errorists are forbidden, recognize that there are injunctions in the Word which prohibit fellowship with errorists. Allowance for joint religious work and activity nevertheless is made by restricting this principle to certain forms or manifestations of our fellowship with other Christians. Now as we said above, there are many, many diverse ways in which our fellowship manifests itself. In each we bear witness to each other and to all men that we are brothers and sisters in Christ, that we are agreed in the faith. When the sad fact emerges that we must mark someone as a false teacher, we avoid him, and thereby give evidence that we are not agreed. We testify to that erring person and to all men that we do not share his views, but consider them false and contrary to the Word and will of the most high God. It has become part of our confession, the witness that we bring to the truth, that we reject him and his error.

§ 76 We owe such a confession first of all to God, who wants us to make  a true and honest confession to demonstrate our loyalty to Him. We owe this confession to our brothers and sisters in the faith, so that they may be warned against the dangers involved in the errors being held and taught by that person. We owe this confession to the errorist himself, in order that he may not be receiving the false comfort from us that it is not a serious matter that he holds and teaches things which are contrary to the words of Jesus. In short, we are to confess the truth, and that involves rejecting the errors. If the Christian will keep this in mind, namely, that he is not only to believe in his heart but also to confess with his mouth, he will readily see that it is not material whether it be a worship service that is under consideration, or some other form of joint religious worship and work.

§ 77 To join with heterodox people or groups, as churches or as church  people, in works of charity, in dedication services, in conducting a ministry among the armed forces, in producing educational and devotional literature, etc.—all this cannot by any stretch of the imagination be called “testifying” to them and to the world that they are false teachers. Coordination and cooperation with church groups having a different confession can hardly be described as avoiding, withdrawing, or coming out from among them and being separate. We repeat that especially in periods of indifference to doctrine and creeds and confessions, the faithful Christian is required to be very careful not to give the impression that he approves or tolerates the false position of the heterodox. When our people are told on every hand that the divisions in Christendom are not serious, that basically every church is good and that one religion is as good as the next, that all roads lead to heaven, and that the differences in teaching are only theological hair-splitting—what can they be expected to believe when even orthodox teachers and leaders join with heterodox in religious seminars, address each other’s conventions, work together on joint committees for various religious projects, etc. The trumpet must not give an uncertain sound.

§ 78 A distinction has been made between prayer fellowship and joint prayer. While it is granted that the general fellowship of prayer with heterodox bodies is out of the question, it is argued that under proper safe-guards a joint prayer on certain occasions would not be objectionable. This distinction is certainly not justified by any difference in the inherent quality or nature of the prayer that would be offered on such a special occasion. It is in either case an act of worship. Neither would it depend on the number of times this act of prayer is performed. Can the number of times, or the habitual performing of an act, affect its ethical nature? Can something be God-pleasing when done only occasionally, but become an offense to Him when repeated regularly?

§ 79 The sole question is, of course, whether the premises that warrant such prayer are actually present. They are clearly defined in Scripture: “Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:19-20). The warning of Paul to the Romans (“to avoid”—ch. 16:17) would lose its point if it did not cover joint prayer. He makes no exceptions. The warning of St. John in his Second Epistle deserves to be taken to heart: “Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God-speed: For he that biddeth him God-speed is partaker of his evil deeds” (2 John 8-11). John is, of course, not speaking against ordinary civility in manners, but warning against a formal brotherly greeting, one that would carry spiritual implications. Arguing now from the lesser to the greater: if we are to deny a brotherly reception to a man because he is an adherent of false doctrine, what about arranging a joint prayer? If by a mere greeting we already become guilty of the errorist’s evil deeds, how then may we join him in prayer? And what would be the nature of such a prayer? Our prayer must needs be directed against his “evil deeds,” while he would seek a blessing upon them. This is sheer hypocrisy!

§ 80 We must reject and condemn this distinction between prayer fellowship and joint prayer as a device for allowing fellowship where fellowship has been forbidden. The proponents of this distinction found it necessary to state that the passages calling for separation (Rom. 16:17; 2 Cor. 6:14-18; Gal. 1:6-9; 1 Tim. 6:3-5; Tit. 1:10-14; 3:10-11; Matt. 7:15; 2 John 7-11) are entirely directed against reprobates, anti-Christian errorists, enemies of Christ; in short, infidels. This sweeping assertion they must make in order to justify their “occasional joint prayer.” Since they say of these passages that they are applicable to non-Christians only, they have removed all passages which prohibit fellowship with errorists. Thereby it is manifest that they are opening the door not only to joint prayer, but to complete church fellowship with all those whom one cannot prove to be hardened and faithless enemies of Christ.

§ 81 With great subtlety unionism of many kinds has infiltrated the  Church under the guise of innocent phrases such as “cooperation in externals.” Though we would not say that it is impossible (especially in days of confessional vigor and honesty) for churches to cooperate in certain secular activities even though they are divided in doctrine, yet when this expression is used to allow working together with heterodox bodies in religious matters, then we condemn the expression as a cloak for sinful disobedience to the Word of God, and a procedure which confuses and offends the simple Christian.

§ 82 Many joint services, prayers, and activities are justified by the claim that the specific false teaching that is involved was nevertheless not brought into question at that particular occasion, and that a certain degree of fraternizing with the errorist involved neither complicity in nor approval of his error. The Christian reader will know from all that we have stated from Scripture that it is not only the error that is to be avoided, but likewise the people who propagate it who are to be isolated. We therefore condemn also this phrase as a sophistry which may lead people astray from God’s paths.

§ 83 By this plea some teachers would allow for the continuation of  external fellowship by stressing that our Lord wants our hearts to be pure and purged of error. The latter is of course very true. The prime consideration is that our faith be correct and that we keep the leaven of error from entering into our hearts. It is also true that the denouncing of error and errorists is in such a situation the paramount activity of a confessing Christian. But though these traits and Christian characteristics are essential and highly to be praised, they do not excuse the Christian from also separating externally and publicly from error and errorists. Many a fine confession is vitiated by keeping up the semblance of fellowship with the errorist whom one has rebuked, even though he does not change his ways.

§ 84 There have indeed been periods in the history of the Church when  publicly to dissent from the established teaching of a church body meant automatic suspension, loss of office, loss of property, and even life. Then surely, to speak and rebuke was synonymous with external separation. But to call such testimony of words an “avoiding” and “shunning,” when one knows that for lack of action one will continue to be considered an integral part of the organization in question, that is to be using identical words indeed, but with totally different meaning.

§ 85 The idea of “protesting fellowship” or “a state of confession” is advanced at this point. This is closely related to the preceding, and we refute the abuse of such relationships on the same grounds.

§ 86 This point has to do with the external membership one has in an organization. When error rears its ugly head in an orthodox communion, the Christian has the duty of raising his voice, taking the sword of the Spirit, and driving out the error. As long as a church body thus attacks error it remains an orthodox church. The orthodox character of a church is established not by its outward acceptance of, and subscription to, an orthodox creed, but by the doctrine which is actually taught in its pulpits, in its theological seminaries, and its publications. On the other hand, a church does not forfeit its orthodox character through the casual intrusion of errors, provided these are combated and eventually removed by means of doctrinal discipline, Acts 20:30; 1 Timothy 1:3 (See the Brief Statement).

§ 87 Sometimes, however, the issue is in doubt, for it is not clear whether the error has taken such a firm hold that it has become the doctrina publica (public doctrine) of the groups, or whether it is being combated successfully and eradicated. During such a period of strife, and in order to make his confession clear, the Christian will be compelled publicly to disavow the various statements, actions, and policies which are not consistent with Scripture, before, however, breaking the organizational bond. He states thereby that he is still on the roster of this communion, but not in sympathy with all the teachings that have arisen within this communion.

§ 88 When, however, such a state of protesting fellowship is proclaimed,  but business is carried on as usual, with the individual continuing to treat the errorists as though they were still faithful teachers and hearers of the Word—exchanging pulpits, transferring members, intercommuning, and the like—then that use of the expression is to be condemned as a cloak for unionistic activity. Without the appropriate action it becomes mere lip-service. Once again, the simple are deceived into thinking that these matters are not serious, not clearly taught in Scripture, not divisive.

§ 89 Finally, whatever other condemnable or erroneous opinions there  may still be, over and above the foregoing, can easily be gathered and named from the preceding explanations. For we reject and condemn everything that is not in accordance with, but contrary and opposed to, the doctrine recorded above and thoroughly grounded in God’s Word.

§ 90 We believe that Jesus is our only Savior and that only in His  precious Gospel do we find peace and joy and comfort and hope. With Him we would ever be in fellowship. We yearn for the day when we shall experience the fullness of that fellowship and see Him face to face. There, with the great cloud of witnesses that has gone before, we shall be in fellowship with all believers in Him. All visible fellowships on earth shall pass away, and are as the grass which withers. His Word shall never pass away. Though we be separated from all human beings, but united with Christ and His Word, we shall be rich in His fellowship, and through Him, with the Father. Deliver us from evil! Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly!

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A Summary of the Content of Our Confession

CONCERNING CHURCH FELLOWSHIP

The Principal Question in This Controversy

Three questions have arisen in the Lutheran Church concerning this doctrine.

1. What extent of doctrinal agreement does Scripture require as a  basis for fellowship? Some have taught that agreement in all doctrines is required; others, that fellowship is to be permitted though there be less than such complete agreement.

2. Later, a controversy arose among those who taught that complete  agreement was necessary as a basis for fellowship. To what extent is fellowship forbidden among those who are not in complete doctrinal agreement? Some have taught that all manifestations of fellowship are forbidden with those who deviate in doctrine; others have taught that there are areas of church work which do not require complete agreement.

3. Finally, a controversy arose among those who taught that all  manifestations of fellowship are forbidden with all who deviate in doctrine. What is the Scriptural criterion for termination of fellowship with errorists with whom one has been in fellowship, but who later deviate in doctrine? Some have taught that the exercise of church fellowship is to cease when it is clear that the error is actually being taught and defended; others have taught that fellowship may be practiced as long as the errorists do not blaspheme the Word of God and do not refuse to discuss the issues involved.  (§ 1-3)

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1. We believe, teach, and confess that complete doctrinal agreement  is the Scriptural basis for church fellowship. “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10). (§ 4-7)

2. We further believe that the doctrine which the Church should teach  and hold is restricted to the doctrine of the Bible. “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Pet. 4:11). (§ 8-9)

3. We further believe that the Word of God (the Old and New  Testaments) is inerrant, inviolable, and clear. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16); “ . . . the Scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35); “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path’’ (Ps. 119:105). (§ 10-13 )

4. We believe that all aberrations from the doctrines of Scripture are  condemned by God. “Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, He saith” (Jer. 23:31), and “If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (Gal. l:9). (§14-15)

5. We believe and teach that church fellowship is forbidden with all  who deviate from the Word of God in their teachings. “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them” (Rom. 16:17).  (§ 16-41)

6. We further believe that all manifestations of fellowship are  forbidden with those who deviate from the Word of God in their teachings (Rom. 16:17b). (§ 42-45)

7. We further believe and teach that suspension of an established fellowship is to take place when it has been ascertained that a person or group is causing divisions and offenses through a false position in doctrine or practice (Rom. 16:17-18). (§ 46-48)

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1. We reject and condemn any limitations on the extent of the application of the Scriptural injunctions to separate from false churches and teachers. (§ 49)

a. We reject the teaching that the application is limited to non-Christian bodies. (§ 50)

b. We reject the teaching that the application is limited to those who deny the redemptive work of Christ. (§ 51)

c. We reject the teaching that the application is limited to those who err in fundamental doctrines. (§ 58-60)

d. We further reject the teaching that errorists and their followers are to be avoided only when they no longer listen to admonition, or that we are to remain in fellowship with errorists as long as we think there is hope that they might give up their errors. (§ 61-72)

e. Though the teaching Church is ever an admonishing Church, we reject the opinion that separation from errorists is dependent upon the course of admonition. (§ 73)

2. We also reject and condemn all limitations on the intensiveness of  such divinely commanded separation from false churches and teachers.

a. We reject as false the teaching which would forbid only joint worship services with errorists. (§ 75-77)

b. We reject as spurious the distinction which is made between prayer fellowship and joint prayer, namely, that while the former is indeed forbidden with errorists, an occasional joint prayer would not be displeasing to God. (§ 78-80)

c. We also reject the teaching that fellowship with errorists is permitted if there be no complicity with the error itself, or that the errorist may be fellowshipped but not his error. (§ 82)

d. We also reject the teaching that one may practice outward or external fellowship with errorists, if one does not embrace the error in his heart. (§ 83-84)

e. We also reject the idea of protesting fellowships when they are used as license to practice fellowship with errorists. (§ 85-88)

f. Finally, we reject the plea of “cooperation in externals” when it is used as license for actual joint church work with errorists. (§ 81)

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• Of the Holy Scriptures
• Of Faith in Christ
• Of the Church
• Of the Election of Grace
• Of God
• Of Conversion
• Of Church Fellowship
• Of Sunday
• Of Creation
• Of Justification
• Of Christian Rights
• Of the Millenium
• Of Man and Sin
• Of Good Works
• Of the Public Ministry
• Of the Antichrist
• Of Redemption
• Of the Means of Grace
• Of Church and State
• Of Open Questions
• Of the Symbols of the Lutheran Church

Of Holy Scriptures

We teach that the Holy Scriptures
differ from all other books in the world in that they are the Word of God.
They are the Word of God because the holy men of God who wrote the Scriptures
wrote only that which the Holy Ghost communicated to them by inspiration,
2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21. We teach also that the verbal inspiration of
the Scriptures is not a so-called theological deduction, but that it is
taught by direct statements of the Scriptures, 2 Tim. 3:16, John 10:35,
Rom. 3:2; 1 Cor. 2:13. Since the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God, it
goes without saying that they contain no errors or contradictions, but
that they are in all their parts and words the infallible truth, also in
those parts which treat of historical, geographical, and other secular
matters, John 10:35.

We furthermore teach regarding the
Holy Scriptures that they are given by God to the Christian Church for
the foundation of faith, Eph. 2:20. Hence the Holy Scriptures are the sole
source from which all doctrines proclaimed in the Christian Church must
be taken and therefore, too, the sole rule and norm by which all teachers
and doctrines must be examined and judged. — With the Confessions of our
Church we teach also that the rule of faith (analogia fidei) according
to which the Holy Scriptures are to be understood are the clear passages
of the Scriptures themselves which set forth the individual doctrines.
(Apology. Triglot, p. 441, Paragraph 60; Mueller, p. 684). The rule of
faith is not the man-made so-called totality of Scripture (Ganzes der Schrift).

We reject the doctrine which under
the name of science has gained wide popularity in the Church of our day
that Holy Scripture is not in all its parts the Word of God, but in part
the Word of God and in part the word of man and hence does, or at least,
might contain error. We reject this erroneous doctrine as horrible and
blasphemous, since it flatly contradicts Christ and His holy apostles,
sets up men as judges over the Word of God, and thus overthrows the foundation
of the Christian Church and its faith.

Of GodOn the basis of the Holy Scriptures
we teach the sublime article of the Holy Trinity; that is, we teach that
the one true God, Deut. 6:4; 1 Cor. 8:4, is the Father and the Son and
the Holy Ghost, three distinct persons, but of one and the same divine
essence, equal in power, equal in eternity, equal in majesty, because each
person possesses the one divine essence entire, Col. 2:9, Matt. 28:19.
We hold that all teachers and communions that deny the doctrine of the
Holy Trinity are outside the pale of the Christian Church. The Triune God
is the God who is gracious to man, John 3:16-18, 1 Cor. 12:3. Since the
Fall, no man can believe in the fatherhood of God except he believe in
the eternal Son of God, who became man and reconciled us to God by His
vicarious satisfaction, 1 John 2:23; John 14:6. Hence we warn against Unitarianism,
which in our country has to a great extent impenetrated the sects and is
being spread particularly also through the influence of the lodges.
Of CreationWe teach that God has created heaven
and earth, and that in the manner and in the space of time recorded in
the Holy Scriptures, especially Gen. 1 and 2, namely, by His almighty creative
word, and in six days. We reject every doctrine which denies or limits
the work of creation as taught in Scripture. In our days it is denied or
limited by those who assert, ostensibly in deference to science, that the
world came into existence through a process of evolution; that is, that
it has, in immense periods of time, developed more or less of itself. Since
no man was present when it pleased God to create the world, we must look
for a reliable account of creation to God’s own record, found in God’s
own book, the Bible. We accept God’s own record with full confidence and
confess with Luther’s Catechism: I believe that God has made me and all
creatures.

Of Man and SinWe teach that the first man was
not brutelike nor merely capable of intellectual development, but that
God created man in His own image, Gen. 1:26, 27; Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10,
that is, in true knowledge of God and in true righteousness and holiness
and endowed with a truly scientific knowledge of nature, Gen. 2:19-23.We furthermore teach that sin came
into the world by the fall of the first man, as described [sic] Gen. 3.
By this Fall not only he himself, but also his natural offspring have lost
the original knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, and thus all men are
sinners already by birth, dead in sins, inclined to all evil, and subject
to the wrath of God, Rom. 5:12, 18; Eph. 2:1-3. We teach also that men
are unable, through any efforts of their own or by the aid of culture and
science, to reconcile themselves to God and thus conquer death and damnation.
Of RedemptionWe teach that in the fulness of
time the eternal Son of God was made man by assuming, from the Virgin Mary
through the operation of the Holy Ghost, a human nature like unto ours,
yet without sin, and receiving it unto His divine person. Jesus Christ
is therefore true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true
man, born of the Virgin Mary, true God and true man in one undivided and
indivisible person. The purpose of this miraculous incarnation of the Son
of God was that He might become the Mediator between God and men, both
fulfilling the divine Law and suffering and dying in the place of mankind.
In this manner God reconciled the whole sinful world unto Himself, Gal.
4:4-5; 3:13; 2 Cor. 5:18-19.

Of Faith in ChristSince God has reconciled the whole
world unto Himself through the vicarious life and death of His Son and
has commanded that the reconciliation effected by Christ be proclaimed
to men in the Gospel, to the end that they may believe it, 2 Cor. 5:18-19;
Rom. 1:5, therefore faith in Christ is the only way for men to obtain personal
reconciliation with God, that is, forgiveness of sins, as both the Old
and the New Testament Scriptures testify, Acts 10:43; John 3:16-18, 3:36.
By this faith in Christ, through which men obtain the forgiveness of sins,
is not meant any human effort to fulfill the Law of God after the example
of Christ, but faith in the Gospel, that is, in the forgiveness of sins,
or justification, which was fully earned for us by Christ and is offered
by the Gospel. This faith justifies, not inasmuch as it is a work of man,
but inasmuch as it lays hold of the grace offered, the forgiveness of sins,
Rom. 4:16.

Of ConversionWe teach that conversion consists
in this, that a man, having learned from the Law of God that he is a lost
and condemned sinner, is brought to faith in the Gospel, which offers him
forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation for the sake of Christ’s vicarious
satisfaction, Acts 11:21; Luke 24:46, 47; Acts 26:18.All men, since the Fall, are dead
in sins, Eph. 2:1-3, and inclined only to evil, Gen. 6:5; 8:21; Rom. 8:7.
For this reason, and particularly because men regard the Gospel of Christ,
crucified for the sins of the world, as foolishness, 1 Cor. 2:14, faith
in the Gospel, or conversion to God, is neither wholly nor in the least
part the work of man, but the work of God’s grace and almighty power alone,
Phil. 1:29; Eph. 2:8; 1:19; — Jer. 31:18. Hence Scripture call the faith
of men, or his conversion, a raising from the dead, Eph. 1:20; Col. 2:12,
a being born of God, John 1:12, 13, a new birth by the Gospel, 1 Pet. 1:23-25,
a work of God like the creation of light at the creation of the world,
2 Cor. 4:6.

On the basis of these clear statements
of the Holy Scriptures we reject every kind of synergism, that is, the
doctrine that conversion is wrought not by the grace and power of God alone,
but in part also by the co-operation of man himself, by man’s right conduct,
his right attitude, his right self-determination, his lesser guilt or less
evil conduct as compared with others, his refraining from willful resistance,
or anything else whereby man’s conversion and salvation is taken out of
the gracious hands of God and made to depend on what man does or leaves
undone. For this refraining from willful resistance or from any kind of
resistance is also solely a work of grace, which changes unwilling into
willing men, Ezek. 36:26; Phil. 2:13. We reject also the doctrine that
man is able to decide for conversion through powers imparted by grace,
since this doctrine presupposes that before conversion man still possesses
spiritual powers by which he can make the right use of such powers imparted
by grace.

On the other hand, we reject also
the Calvinistic perversion of the doctrine of conversion, that is, the
doctrine that God does not desire to convert and save all hearers of the
Word, but only a portion of them. Many hearers of the Word indeed remain
unconverted and are not saved, not because God does not earnestly desire
their conversion and salvation, but solely because they stubbornly resist
the gracious operation of the Holy Ghost, as Scripture teaches, Acts 7:51;
Matt. 23:37; Acts 13:46.

As to the question why not all men
are converted and saved, seeing that God’s grace is universal and all men
are equally and utterly corrupt, we confess that we cannot answer it. From
Scripture we know only this: A man owes his conversion and salvation, not
to any lesser guilt or better conduct on his part, but solely to the grace
of God. But any man’s non-conversion is due to himself alone; it is the
result of his obstinate resistance against the converting operation of
the Holy Ghost. Hos. 13:9.

Our refusal to go beyond what is
revealed in these two Scriptural truths is not masked Calvinism (Crypto-Calvinism)
but precisely the Scriptural teaching of the Lutheran Church as it is presented
in detail in the Formula of Concord (Triglot, p. 1081, paragraphs 57-59,
60b, 62, 63; M. p. 716f.): That one is hardened, blinded, given over to
a reprobate mind, while another, who is indeed in the same guilt, is converted
again, etc. — in these and similar questions Paul fixes a certain limit
to us how far we should go, namely, that in the one part we should recognize
God’s judgment. For they are well-deserved penalties of sins when God so
punished a land or nation for despising His Word that the punishment extends
also to their posterity, as is to be seen in the Jews. And thereby God
in some lands and persons exhibits His severity to those that are His in
order to indicate what we all would have well deserved and would be worthy
and worth, since we act wickedly in opposition to God’s Word and often
grieve the Holy Ghost sorely; in order that we may live in the fear of
God and acknowledge and praise God’s goodness, to the exclusion of, and
contrary to, our merit in and with us, to whom He gives His Word and with
whom He leaves it and whom He does not harden and reject…And this His
righteous, well-deserved judgment He displays in some countries, nations
and persons in order that, when we are placed alongside of them and compared
with them (quam simillimi illis deprehensi, i.e., and found to be most
similar to them), we may learn the more diligently to recognize and praise
God’s pure, unmerited grace in the vessels of mercy…When we proceed thus
far in this article, we remain on the right way, as it is written, Hos.
13:9: ‘O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in Me is thy help.’ However,
as regards these things in this disputation which would soar too high and
beyond these limits, we should with Paul place the finger upon our lips
and remember and say, Rom. 9:20: ‘O man, who art thou that repliest against
God?’ The Formula of Concord describes the mystery which confronts us here
not as a mystery in man’s heart (a psychological mystery), but teaches
that, when we try to understand why one is hardened, blinded, given over
to a reprobate mind, while another, who is indeed in the same guilt, is
converted again, we enter the domain of the unsearchable judgments of God
and ways past finding out, which are not revealed to us in His Word, but
which we shall know in eternal life. 1 Cor. 13:12.

Calvinists solve this mystery, which
God has not revealed in His Word, by denying the universality of grace;
synergists, by denying that salvation is by grace alone. Both solutions
are utterly vicious, since they contradict Scripture and since every poor
sinner stands in need of, and must cling to, both the unrestricted universal
grace and the unrestricted by grace alone, lest he despair and perish.

Of JustificationHoly Scripture sums up all its teachings
regarding the love of God to the world of sinners, regarding the salvation
wrought by Christ, and regarding faith in Christ as the only way to obtain
salvation, in the article of justification. Scripture teaches that God
has already declared the whole world to be righteous in Christ, Rom. 5:19;
2 Cor. 5:18-21; Rom. 4:25; that therefore not for the sake of their good
works, but without the works of the Law, by grace, for Christ’s sake, He
justifies, accounts as righteous, all those who that is, believe, accept,
and rely on, the fact that for Christ’s sake their sins are forgiven. Thus
the Holy Ghost testifies through St. Paul: There is no difference; for
all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely
by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Rom. 3:23,
24. And again: Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without
the deeds of the Law, Rom. 3:28.Through this doctrine alone Christ
is given the honor due Him, namely, that through His holy life and innocent
suffering and death He is our Savior. And through this doctrine alone can
poor sinners have the abiding comfort that God is assuredly gracious to
them. We reject as apostasy from the Christian religion all doctrines whereby
man’s own works and merit are mingled into the article of justification
before God. For the Christian religion is the faith that we have forgiveness
of sins and salvation through faith in Christ Jesus, Acts 10:43.

We reject as apostasy from the Christian
religion not only the doctrine of the Unitarians, who promise the grace
of God to men on the basis of their moral efforts; not only the gross work-doctrine
of the papists, who expressly teach that good works are necessary to obtain
justification; but also the doctrine of the synergists, who indeed use
the terminology of the Christian Church and say that man is justified by
faith, by faith alone, but again mix human works into the article of justification
by ascribing to man a co-operation with God in the kindling of faith and
thus stray into papistic territory.

Of Good WorksBefore God only those works are
good which are done for the glory of God and the good of man, according
to the rule of divine Law. Such works, however, no man performs unless
he first believes that God has forgiven him his sins and has given him
eternal life by grace, for Christ’s sake, without any works of his own,
John 15:4, 5. We reject as a great folly the assertion, frequently made
in our day, that works must be placed in the fore, and faith in dogmas
– meaning the Gospel of Christ crucified for the sins of the world –
must be regulated to the rear. Since good works never precede faith, but
are always and in ever instance the result of faith in the Gospel, it is
evident that the only means by which we Christians can become rich in good
works (and God would have us to be rich in good works, Titus 2:14) is unceasingly
to remember the grace of God which we have received in Christ, Rom. 12:1;
2 Cor. 8:9. Hence we reject as unchristian and foolish any attempt to produce
good works by the compulsion of the Law or through carnal motives.

Of the Means of GraceAlthough God is present and operates
everywhere throughout all creation and the whole earth is therefore full
of the temporal bounties and blessings of God, Col. 1:17; Acts 17:28; 14:17,
still we hold with Scripture that God offers and communicates to men the
spiritual blessings purchased by Christ, namely, the forgiveness of sins
and the treasures and gifts connected therewith, only through the external
means of grace ordained by Him. These means of grace are the Word of the
Gospel, in every form in which it is brought to man, and the Sacraments
of Holy Baptism and of the Lord’s Supper. The Word of the gospel promises
and applies the grace of God, works faith and thus regenerates man, and
gives the Holy Ghost, Acts 20:24; Rom. 10:17; 1 Pet. 1:23; Gal. 3:2. Baptism,
too, is applied for the remission of sins and is therefore a washing of
regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, Acts 2:38; 22:16; Titus 3:5.
Likewise the object of the Lord’s Supper, that is, of the ministration
of the body and blood of Christ, is none other than the communication and
sealing of the forgiveness of sins, as the words declare: Given for you,
and: Shed for you for the remission of sins, Luke 22:19-20; Matt. 26:28,
and This cup is the New Testament in My blood, 1 Cor. 11:23; Jer. 31:31-34
(New Covenant).Since it is only through the external
means ordained by Him that God has promised to communicate the grace and
salvation purchased by Christ, the Christian Church must not remain at
home with the means of grace entrusted to it, but go into the whole world
with the preaching of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments,
Matt. 28:19, 20; Mark 16:15, 16. For the same reason also the churches
at home should never forget that there is no other way of winning souls
for the Church and keeping them with it than the faithful and diligent
use of the divinely ordained means of grace. Whatever activities do not
either directly apply the Word of God or subserve such application we condemn
as new methods, unchurchly activities, which do not build, but harm the
Church.

We reject as a dangerous error the
doctrine, which disrupted the Church of the Reformation, that the grace
and the Spirit of God are communicated not through the external means ordained
by Him, but by an immediate operation of grace. This erroneous doctrine
bases the forgiveness of sins, or justification, upon a fictitious infused
grace, that is, upon a quality of man, and thus again establishes the work-doctrine
of the papists.
Of the ChurchWe believe that there is one holy
Christian Church on earth, the Head of which is Christ and which is gathered,
preserved, and governed by Christ through the Gospel.The members of the Christian Church
are the Christians, that is, all those who have despaired of their own
righteousness before God and believe that God forgives their sins for Christ’s
sake. The Christian Church, in the proper sense of the term, is composed
of believers only, Acts 5:14; 26:18; which means that no person in whom
the Holy Ghost has wrought faith in the Gospel, or — which is the same
thing — in the doctrine of justification, can be divested of his membership
in the Christian Church; and, on the other hand, that no person in whose
heart this faith does not dwell can be invested with such membership. All
unbelievers, though they be in external communion with the Church and even
hold the office of teacher or any other office in the Church, are not members
of the Church, but, on the contrary, dwelling-places and instruments of
Satan, Eph. 2:2. This is also the teaching of our Lutheran Confessions:
It is certain, however, that the wicked are in the power of the devil and
members of the kingdom of the devil, as Paul teaches, Eph. 2:2, when he
says that ‘the devil now worketh in the children of disobedience,’ etc.
(Apology, Triglot, p. 231, Paragraph 16; M., p. 154.)

Since it is by faith in the gospel
alone that men become members of the Christian Church, and since this faith
cannot be seen by men, but is known to God alone, 1 Kings 8:39; Acts 1:24;
2 Tim. 2:19, therefore the Christian Church on earth is invisible till
Judgment Day, Col. 3:3, 4. In our day some Lutherans speak of two sides
of the Church, taking the means of grace to be its visible side. It is
true, the means of grace are necessarily related to the Church, seeing
that the Church is created and preserved through them. But the means of
grace are not for that reason a part of the Church; for the Church, in
the proper sense of the word, consists only of believers, Eph. 2:19, 20;
Acts 5:14. Lest we abet the notion that the Christian Church in the proper
sense of the term is an external institution, we shall continue to call
the means of grace the marks of the Church. Just as wheat is to be found
only where it has been sown, so the Church can be found only where the
Word of God is in use.

We teach that this Church, which
is the invisible communion of all believers, is to be found not only in
those external church communions which teach the Word of God purely in
every part, but also where, along with error, so much of the Word of God
still remains that men may be brought to the knowledge of their sins and
to faith in the forgiveness of sins, which Christ has gained for all men,
Mark 16:16; Samaritans: Luke 17:16; John 4:25.

Local Churches or Local Congregations

Holy Scripture, however, does not
speak merely of the one Church, which embraces the believers of all places,
as in Matt. 16:18; John 10:16, but also of churches in the plural, that
is, of local churches, as in 1 Cor. 16:19; 1:2; Acts 8:1: the Churches
of Asia, the church of God in Corinth, the church in Jerusalem. But this
does not mean that there are two kinds of churches, for the local churches
also, in as far as they are churches, consist solely of believers, as we
see clearly from the addresses of the epistles to local churches; for example,
unto the church which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified, in Christ
Jesus, called to be saints, 1 Cor. 1:2, Rom. 1:7, etc. The visible society,
containing hypocrites as well as believers, is called a church only in
a improper sense, Matt. 13:47-50, 24-30, 38-43.
On Church-FellowshipSince God ordained that His Word
only, without the admixture of human doctrine, be taught and believed in
the Christian Church, 1 Pet. 4:11; John 8:31, 32; 1 Tim. 6:3, 4, all Christians
are required by God to discriminate between orthodox and heterodox church-bodies,
Matt. 7:15, to have church-fellowship only with orthodox church-bodies,
and, in case they have strayed into heterodox church-bodies, to leave them,
Rom. 16:17. We repudiate unionism, that is, church-fellowship with the
adherents of false doctrine, as disobedience to God’s command, as causing
divisions in the Church, Rom. 16:17; 2 John 9, 10, and involving the constant
danger of losing the Word of God entirely, 2 Tim. 2:17-21.The orthodox character of a church
is established not by its mere name nor by its outward acceptance of, and
subscription to, an orthodox creed, but by the doctrine which is actually
taught in its pulpits, in its theological seminaries, and in its publications.
On the other hand, a church does not forfeit its orthodox character through
the casual intrusion of errors, provided these are combated and eventually
removed by means of doctrinal discipline, Acts 20:30; 1 Tim. 1:3.

The Original and True Possessors
of All Christian Rights and PrivilegesSince the Christians are the Church,
it is self-evident that they alone originally possess the spiritual gifts
and rights which Christ has gained for, and given to, His Church. Thus
St. Paul reminds all believers: All things are yours, 1 Cor. 3:21, 22,
and Christ Himself commits to all believers the keys of the kingdom of
heaven, Matt. 16:13-19, Matt. 18:17-20, John 20:22, 23, and commissions
all believers to preach the Gospel and to administer the Sacraments, Matt.
28:19, 20; 1 Cor. 11:23-25. Accordingly, we reject all doctrines by which
this spiritual power or any part thereof is adjudged as originally vested
in certain individuals or bodies, such as the Pope, or the bishops, or
the order of the ministry, or the secular lords, or councils, or synods,
etc. The officers of the Church publicly administer their offices only
by virtue of delegated powers, and such administration remains under the
supervision of the latter, Col. 4:17. Naturally all Christians have also
the right and the duty to judge and decide matters of doctrine, not according
to their own notions, of course, but according to the Word of God, 1 John
4:1; 1 Pet. 4:11.
Of the Public MinistryBy the public ministry we mean the
office by which the Word of God is preached and the Sacraments are administered
by order and in the name of a Christian congregation. Concerning this office
we teach that it is a divine ordinance; that is, the Christians of a certain
locality must apply the means of grace not only privately and within the
circle of their families nor merely in their common intercourse with fellow-Christians,
John 5:39; Eph. 6:4; Col. 3:16, but they are also required, by the divine
order, to make provision that the Word of God be publicly preached in their
midst, and the Sacraments administered according to the institution of
Christ, by persons qualified for such work, whose qualifications and official
functions are exactly defined in Scripture, Titus 1:5; Acts 14:23; 20:28;
2 Tim. 2:2.Although the office of the ministry
is a divine ordinance, it possesses no other power than the power of the
Word of God, 1 Pet. 4:11; that is to say, it is the duty of Christians
to yield unconditional obedience to the office of the ministry whenever,
and as long as, the minister proclaims to them the Word of God, Heb. 13:17,
Luke 10:16. If, however, the minister, in his teachings and injunctions,
were to go beyond the Word of God, it would be the duty of Christians not
to obey, but to disobey him, so as to remain faithful to Christ, Matt.
23:8. Accordingly, we reject the false doctrine ascribing to the office
of the ministry the right to demand obedience and submission in matters
which Christ has not commanded.

Regarding ordination we teach that
it is not a divine, but a commendable ecclesiastical ordinance. (Smalcald
Articles. Triglot, p. 525, paragraph 70; M., p. 342.)

Of Church and State
Although both Church and State are
ordinances of God, yet they must not be commingled. Church and State have
entirely different aims. By the Church, God would save men, for which reason
the Church is called the mother of believers Gal. 4:26. By the State, God
would maintain external order among men, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable
life in all godliness and honesty, 1 Tim. 2:2. It follows that the means
which the Church and State employ to gain their ends are entirely different.
The Church may not employ any other means than the preaching of the Word
of God, John 18:11, John 36; 2 Cor. 10:4. The State, on the other hand,
makes laws bearing on civil matters and is empowered to employ for their
execution also the sword and other corporal punishments, Rom. 13:4.Accordingly we condemn the policy
of those who would have the power of the State employed in the interest
of the Church and who thus turn the Church into a secular dominion; as
also of those who, aiming to govern the State by the Word of God, seek
to turn the State into a Church.

Of the Election of GraceBy the election of grace we mean
this truth, that all those who by the grace of God alone, for Christ’s
sake, through the means of grace, are brought to faith, are justified,
sanctified, and preserved in faith here in time, that all these have already
from eternity been endowed by God with faith, justification, sanctification,
and preservation in faith, and this for the same reason, namely, by grace
alone, for Christ’s sake, and by way of the means of grace. That this is
the doctrine of the Holy Scripture is evident from Eph. 1:3-7; 2 Thess.
2:13, 14; Acts 13:48; Rom. 8:28-30; 2 Tim. 1:9; Matt. 24:22-24 (cp. Form.
of Conc. Triglot, p. 1065, Paragraphs 5, 8, 23; M., p. 705).Accordingly we reject as an anti-Scriptural
error the doctrine that not alone the grace of God and the merit of Christ
are the cause of the election of grace, but that God has, in addition,
found or regarded something good in us which prompted or caused Him to
elect us, this being variously designated as good works, right conduct,
proper self-determination, refraining from willful resistance, etc. Nor
does Holy Scripture know of an election by foreseen faith, in view of faith,
as though the faith of the elect were to be placed before their election;
but according to Scripture the faith which the elect have in time belongs
to the spiritual blessings with which God has endowed them by His eternal
election. For Scripture teaches Acts 13:48: And as many as were ordained
unto eternal life believed. Our Lutheran Confession also testifies (Triglot,
p. 1065, Paragraph 8; M. p. 705): The eternal election of God however,
not only foresees and foreknows the salvation of the elect, but is also,
from the gracious will and pleasure of God in Christ Jesus, a cause which
procures, works, helps, and promotes our salvation and what pertains thereto;
and upon this our salvation is so founded that the gates of hell cannot
prevail against it, Matt. 16:18, as is written John 10:28: ‘Neither shall
any man pluck My sheep out of My hand’; and again, Acts 13:48: ‘And as
many as were ordained to eternal life believed…’

But as earnestly as we maintain that
there is an election of grace, or a predestination to salvation, so decidedly
do we teach, on the other hand, that there is no election of wrath, or
predestination to damnation. Scripture plainly reveals the truth that the
love of God for the world of lost sinners is universal, that is, that it
embraces all men without exception, that Christ has fully reconciled all
men unto God, and that God earnestly desires to bring all men to faith,
to preserve them therein, and thus to save them, as Scripture testifies,
1 Tim. 2:4: God will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge
of the truth. No man is lost because God has predestined him to eternal
damnation. — Eternal election is a cause why the elect are brought to
faith in time, Acts 13:48; but election is not a cause why men remain unbelievers
when they hear the Word of God. The reason assigned by Scripture for this
sad fact is that these men judge themselves unworthy of everlasting life,
putting the Word of God from them and obstinately resisting the Holy Ghost,
whose earnest will it is to bring also them to repentance and faith by
means of the Word, Acts 13:46; 7:51; Matt. 23:37.

To be sure, it is necessary to observe
the Scriptural distinction between the election of grace and the universal
will of grace. This universal gracious will of God embraces all men; the
election of grace, however, does not embrace all, but only a definite number,
whom God hat from the beginning chosen to salvation, 2 Thess. 2:13, the
remnant, the seed which the Lord left, Rom. 9:27-29, the election, Rom.
11:7; and while the universal will of grace is frustrated in the case of
most men, Matt. 22:14; Luke 7:30, the election of grace attains its end
with all whom it embraces, Rom. 8:28-30. Scripture, however, while distinguishing
between the universal will of grace and the election of grace, does not
place the two in opposition to each other. On the contrary, it teaches
that the grace dealing with those who are lost is altogether earnest and
fully efficacious for conversion. Blind reason indeed declares these two
truths to be contradictory; but we impose silence on our reason. The seeming
disharmony will disappear in the light of heaven, 1 Cor. 13:12.

Furthermore, by election of grace,
Scripture does not mean that one part of God’s counsel of salvation according
to which He will receive into heaven those who persevere in faith unto
the end, but, on the contrary, Scripture means this, that God, before the
foundation of the world, from pure grace, because of the redemption of
Christ, has chosen for His own a definite number of persons out of the
corrupt mass and has determined to bring them through Word and Sacrament,
to faith and salvation.

Christians can and should be assured
of their eternal election. This is evident from the fact that Scripture
addresses them as the chosen ones and comforts them with their election,
Eph. 1:4; 2 Thess. 2:13. This assurance of one’s personal election, however,
springs only from faith in the Gospel, from the assurance that God so loved
the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His
Son into the world to condemn the world; on the contrary, through the life,
suffering, and death of His Son He fully reconciled the whole world of
sinner unto Himself. Faith in this truth leaves no room for the fear that
God might still harbor thoughts of wrath and damnation concerning us. Scripture
inculcates that in Rom. 8:32, 33: He that spared not His own Son, but gave
Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
Luther’s pastoral advice is therefore in accord with Scripture: Gaze upon
the wounds of Christ and the blood shed for you; there predestination will
shine forth. (St. Louis ed., II, 181; on Gen. 26:9) That the Christian
obtains the personal assurance of his eternal election in this way is taught
also by our Lutheran Confessions (Formula of Concord, Triglot, p. 1071,
Paragraph 26, M. 709): Of this we should not judge according to our reason
nor according to the Law or from any external appearance. Neither should
we attempt to investigate the secret, concealed abyss of divine predestination,
but should give heed to the revealed will of God. For He has made known
unto us the mystery of His will and made it manifest through Christ that
it might be preached, Eph. 1:9ff.; 2 Tim. 1:9ff. — In order to insure
the proper method of viewing eternal election and the Christian’s assurance
of it, the Lutheran Confessions set forth at length the principle that
election is not to be considered in a bare manner (nude), as though God
only held a muster, thus: ‘This one shall be saved, that one shall be damned’
(Formula of Concord, Triglot, p. 1065, Paragraph 9; M., p. 706); but the
Scriptures teach this doctrine in no other way than to direct us thereby
to the Word, Eph. 1:13; 1 Cor. 1:7; exhort to repentance, 2 Tim. 3:16;
urge to godliness, Eph. 1:14; John 15:3; strengthen faith and assure us
of our salvation, Eph. 1:13; John 10:27ff.; 2 Thess. 2:13ff. (Formula of
Concord, Triglot, p. 1067, Paragraph 12; M., p. 707). — To sum up, just
as God in time draws the Christian unto Himself through the Gospel, so
He has already in His eternal election endowed them with sanctification
of the Spirit and belief of the truth, 2 Thess. 2:13. Therefore: If, by
the grace of God, you believe in the Gospel of the forgiveness of your
sins for Christ’s sake, you are to be certain that you also belong to the
number of God’s elect, even as Scripture, 2 Thess. 2:13, addresses the
believing Thessalonians as the chosen of God and gives thanks to God for
their election.

Of SundayWe teach that in the New Testament
God has abrogated the Sabbath and all the holy days prescribed for the
Church of the Old Covenant, so that neither the keeping of the Sabbath
nor any other day nor the observance of at least one specific day of the
seven days of the week is ordained or commanded by God, Col. 2:16; Rom.
14:5 (Augsburg Confession, Triglot, p. 91, Paragraphs 51-60; M., p. 66).The observance of Sunday and other
church festivals is an ordinance of the Church, made by virtue of Christian
liberty. (Augsburg Confession, Triglot, p. 91, Paragraphs 51-53, 60; M.,
p. 66; Large Catechism, Triglot, p. 603, Paragraphs 83, 85, 89, M., p.
401.) Hence Christians should not regard such ordinances as ordained by
God and binding upon the conscience, Col. 2:16; Gal. 4:10. However, for
the sake of Christian love and peace they should willingly observe them,
Rom. 14:13; 1 Cor. 14:40. (Augsburg Confession, Triglot, p. 91, Paragraphs
53-56; M., p. 67.)

Of the MillenniumWith the Augsburg Confession (Art.
XVII) we reject every type of millennialism, or Chiliasm, the opinions
that Christ will return visibly to this earth a thousand years before the
end of the world and establish a dominion of the Church over the world;
or that before the end of the world the Church is to enjoy a season of
special prosperity; or that before a general resurrection on Judgment Day
a number of departed Christians or martyrs are to be raised again to reign
in glory in this world; or that before the end of the world a universal
conversion of the Jewish nation (of Israel according to the flesh) will
take place.Over against this, Scripture clearly
teaches, and we teach accordingly, that the kingdom of Christ on earth
will remain under the cross until the end of the world, Acts 14:22; John
16:33; 18:36; Luke 9:23; 14:27; 17:20-37; 2 Tim. 4:18; Heb. 12:28; Luke
18:8; that the second visible coming of the Lord will be His final advent,
His coming to judge the quick and the dead, Matt. 24:29, 30; 25:31; 2 Tim.
4:1; 2 Thess. 2:8; Heb. 9:26-28; that there will be but one resurrection
of the dead, John 5:28; 6:39, 40; that the time of the Last Day is, and
will remain, unknown, Matt. 24:42; 25:13; Mark 13:32-37; Acts 1:7, which
would not be the case if the Last Day were to come a thousand years after
the beginning of a millennium; and that there will be no general conversion,
a conversion en masse, of the Jewish nation, Rom. 11:7; 2 Cor. 3:14; Rom.
11:25; 1 Thess. 2:16.

According to these clear passages
of Scripture we reject the whole of Millennialism, since it not only contradicts
Scripture, but also engenders a false conception of the kingdom of Christ,
turns the hope of Christians upon earthly goals, 1 Cor. 15:19; Col. 3:2,
and leads them to look upon the Bible as an obscure book.

Of the AntichristAs to the Antichrist we teach that
the prophecies of the Holy Scriptures concerning the Antichrist, 2 Thess.
2:3-12; 1 John 2:18, have been fulfilled in the Pope of Rome and his dominion.
All the features of the Antichrist as drawn in these prophecies, including
the most abominable and horrible ones, for example, that the Antichrist
as God sitteth in the temple of God, 2 Thess. 2:4; that he anathematizes
the very heart of the Gospel of Christ, that is, the doctrine of the forgiveness
of sins by grace alone, for Christ’s sake alone, through faith alone, without
any merit or worthiness in man (Rom. 3:20-28; Gal. 2:16); that he recognizes
only those as members of the Christian Church who bow to his authority;
and that, like a deluge, he had inundated the whole Church with his antichristian
doctrines till God revealed him through the Reformation — these very features
are the outstanding characteristics of the Papacy. (Cf. Smalcald Articles,
Triglot, p. 515, Paragraphs 39-41; p. 401, Paragraph 45; M. pp. 336, 258.)
Hence we subscribe to the statement of our Confessions that the Pope is
the very Antichrist. (Smalcald Articles, Triglot, p. 475, Paragraph 10;
M., p. 308.)
Of Open QuestionsThose questions in the domain of
Christian doctrine may be termed open questions which Scripture answers
either not at all or not clearly. Since neither an individual nor the Church
as a whole is permitted to develop or augment the Christian doctrine, but
are rather ordered and commanded by God to continue in the doctrine of
the apostles, 2 Thess. 2:15; Acts 2:42, open questions must remain open
questions. — Not to be included in the number of open questions are the
following: the doctrine of the Church and the Ministry, of Sunday, of Chiliasm,
and of Antichrist, these doctrines being clearly defined in Scripture.

Of the Symbols of the Lutheran ChurchWe accept as our confession all
the symbols contained in the Book of Concord of the year 1580. — The symbols
of the Lutheran Church are not a rule of faith beyond, and supplementary
to, Scripture, but a confession of the doctrines of Scripture over against
those who deny these doctrines.Since the Christian Church cannot make doctrines, but can and should simply profess the doctrine revealed
in Holy Scripture, the doctrinal decisions of the symbols are binding upon
the conscience not because they are the outcome of doctrinal controversies,
but only because they are the doctrinal decisions of Holy Scripture itself.

Those desiring to be admitted into
the public ministry of the Lutheran Church pledge themselves to teach according
to the symbols not in so far as, but because, the symbols agree with Scripture.
He who is unable to accept as Scriptural the doctrine set forth in the
Lutheran symbols and their rejection of the corresponding errors must not
be admitted into the ministry of the Lutheran Church.

The confessional obligation covers
all doctrines, not only those that are treated ex professo, but also those
that are merely introduced in support of other doctrines.

The obligation does not extend to
historical questions, purely exegetical questions, and other matters not
belonging to the doctrinal content of the symbols. All doctrines of the
Symbols are based on clear statements of Scripture.

The CLC emerged from three of the former member churches of the Synodical Conference: primarily from the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), but also from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS). The Synodical Conference had originally been formed on the basis of full agreement in doctrine and practice on the part of the member churches; it broke apart when that basis and the biblical doctrine of church fellowship on which it rested was no longer fully practiced by the member churches.

Members of the CLC are eager to testify to the truths that had been held by the Synodical Conference in the days when it had been faithful to the doctrines of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, as found in the Book of Concord of 1580; thus the name that was chosen: Church of the Lutheran Confession.

This desire is also attested by the CLC’s adopting the Brief Statement of 1932 as one of the confessional writings cited in its constitution. Thus the CLC confesses: “In our teaching and preaching we rely wholly upon the Bible, the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. We regard this Book of Books as the Word of God, verbally inspired and wholly without error as written by holy men of God. We consider our mission to be that of communicating the words and message of this Book to those who will hear them; and we know of no other divine source of true doctrine and instruction in the way of salvation and in God-pleasing living.”

Further: “We therefore reject as sacrilegious and destructive every effort by which the intellect or science of man would
modify or set aside a single inspired word. We deplore the wide-spread apostasy…which reduces the Bible to the status of a human document containing errors and myths.”

In the above-mentioned doctrine of the Scriptures the CLC differs widely from the most liberal branches of general Lutheranism, namely those Lutheran churches found in European nations and, in the United States, that Lutheran church body identifying itself, since 1988, as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The ELCA is admittedly not agreed in doctrine among the church bodies which formed it through merger. Even its most conservative wing would not accept the high view of the Scriptures as verbally inspired and wholly without error, which is unashamedly taught in the CLC.

As the ELCA is the most liberal of the Lutheran church bodies in the United States, so the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) may be regarded as the moderate, more middle-of-the-road, wing of American Lutheranism. It does not as yet go so far, for example, as the ELCA in permitting women to serve as parish pastors (although a poll of LCMS pastors reported that more than 1,000 of them had no objection to women clergy), yet it has changed its former position (as held by earlier leaders C.F.W. Walther and F. Pieper) and now permits women to vote and hold office in the church. This is one illustration of the present-day attitude of the LCMS toward the inviolability of Scripture. The LCMS espouses the notion that the words of St. Paul regarding women in the church were culturally-affected and are no longer applicable in today’s
society. The CLC, on the other hand, holds that St. Paul, writing words which were verbally inspired and inerrant, was expressing the eternal will of God.

Another illustration of this difference can be seen in the doctrine of the Church, particularly in reference to church fellowship. Because we of the CLC deplore any attempt to modify or set aside a single inspired word of Scripture, we also wish to be obedient to those words of God which instruct regarding the Church and the practice of fellowship. We firmly believe that the Church consists of all who, by God’s mercy and according to His own purpose and grace, were from eternity ordained unto eternal life, and that the factor uniting the Church is “the one true faith.” Faith cannot be seen by human eyes, and therefore the very existence of the Church is an article of faith. Since the word of God promises it, we believe that where the gospel in word and sacrament is in use there true believers are present.

In the exercise of fellowship in worship (praying together) and joint church work, we cannot recognize our brethren by the faith in their hearts, which is not visible to us. Instead, by the grace of God and in accordance with His instruction, we are permitted to exercise fellowship only with those who in their confession and life bow to the rule of the divine word of God. Because Christ Himself urged: “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you“; and because the Holy Spirit inspired St. Paul to write: “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” – we know in faith that it is the divine will that Christians are to be perfectly united in doctrine and practice, and that they are not to be indifferent in this matter (perhaps “agreeing to disagree agreeably”) but are to seek agreement on the basis of God’s word. Where there is such unity in doctrine and practice there is to be the practice of fellowship in all its phases; where there is not such unity, God’s word in Romans 16:17 sets forth the God-pleasing refusal of the practice of fellowship: “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark (keep on taking note of) them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.”

The CLC, accordingly, upholds the following in the Brief Statement of 1932: “Since God ordained that His Word only, without the admixture of human doctrine, be taught and believed in the Christian Church (1 Pet. 4:11; John 8:31,32; 1 Tim. 6:3,4) all Christians are required by God to discriminate between orthodox and heterodox church-bodies, and, in case they have strayed into heterodox church-bodies, to leave them (Rom. 16:17). We repudiate unionism, that is, church-fellowship with adherents of false doctrine, as disobedience to God’s command, as causing divisions in the Church (Rom. 16:17; 2 John 9,10), and as involving the constant danger of losing the Word of God entirely (2 Tim. 2:17-21). … The orthodox character of a church is established not by its mere name nor by its outward acceptance and subscription to, an orthodox creed, but by the doctrine which is actually taught in its pulpits, in its theological seminaries, and in its publications.”

In place of the above, which was once held by the LCMS, that church body now practices what they term “levels of fellowship,” according to which fellowship may be practiced among Christians of varying confessions under certain curcumstances: such as open communion, ecumenical services and the like.

The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS) are in fellowship with each other, though not completely agreed on the involvement of admonition in the process of terminating fellowship on their part with a church body which has “become infected with error.” Both bodies, however, do maintain that it is necessary to make the judgment (“come to the conviction”) that “admonition is of no further avail” before termination of fellowship can take place. The CLC, on the other hand, holds that such a subjective judgment regarding the further results of admonition is not only impossible, because only God can read human hearts, but also unnecessary; for Rom. 16:17 says only that when it has been ascertained that an individual or a church body is causing divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine of Holy Scripture, the directive to avoid is as binding as any word addressed to us by our Savior God in Holy Scripture. The apostle’s premptory “avoid!” is the voice of the Good Shepherd Himself, as He lovingly protects His sheep and lambs from the deception of error and as He graciously gives warning to the false teacher. … We reject any interpretation of Rom. 16:17-18 which, in the name of Christian love, would make the avoiding of causers of divisions and offenses contingent upon the subjective judgment that admonition is of no further avail and that an impasse has been reached.

It might be felt that the CLC exists merely to testify against the errors of others. The truth is that the CLC is, in fact, for
something very precious, namely the full and complete revelation of God’s word to the world of sinners, among whom we include ourselves. Surely, then, the CLC is an evangelical church, in the full sense of the term; our most important mission is to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news that God has redeemed the whole world and has declared it righteous through the death and bodily resurrection of the God-Man, Jesus Christ; and that believers in Him will inherit everlasting life in heaven.

As part of its mission, the CLC is deeply interested and involved in Christian education. Christian day schools, taught by professionally trained teachers, are operated by more than one-fourth of its congregations. The CLC also educates young people for leadership as dedicated lay members, Christian day-school teachers, or pastors, at its Immanuel Lutheran College in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The college has three departments: high school, liberal arts college, and theological seminary. There are four-year programs leading to a bachelor’s degree in elementary education or pre-theological studies, and a two-year general studies program granting an associate degree.

Member congregations of the CLC are located in 23 states and Canada, and the church body presently supports missions in 18 U.S. cities. While not in fellowship with any other U.S. Lutheran body, the CLC has fellowship with three overseas church bodies it is helping to support in India and Nigeria.

The CLC has three official publications: Ministry by Mail, Lutheran
Spokesman, and Journal of Theology.

Prof. John Lau
07/09/95

Church of the Lutheran Confession Introduction

The Church of the Lutheran Confession aims to be what its name implies
– a church that continues to uphold the scriptural teachings and Christian
values which God restored through the Lutheran Reformation some 450 years
ago.

The historic Lutheran creeds, especially the Augsburg Confession, make
it clear that salvation is a gift of God’s grace, that Jesus Christ paid
the full price – His life – for that gift, and that the Holy Spirit works
repentance and kindles the faith through which one receives the blessing
of salvation.

The foundation for such saving faith is the Bible, which is the Scripture
that cannot be broken.  Since “all Scripture is given by inspiration
of God,” it is completely reliable. It is the only safe basis for faith
and true guide for living.

We believe that there is much to be learned from church history; the failures
as well as the triumphs. One glaring failure is the growing tendency to
put reason and its sciences into the proper place of the Scriptures. Philosophy,
psychology, and sociology have their place in analyzing the problems of
men. They do show the crying need for God’s healing Word with its Savior
from sin. But they do not offer that solution. If people are to accept
this Savior, they must learn about Him. Hence our general emphasis on the
teaching of the Word of God, the Bible.

We believe that the Kingdom of God is essentially the gracious rule of
God in heart and life.  Men grow by the light which the Holy Spirit
gives through the Word.

Our teachings and practices are as narrow and as broad as the Scriptures
themselves.  The Bible does not require a certain form of church service,
nor a particular type of music, nor any specific kind of church building.
The Bible does specify what we are to teach “all nations.” To His great
commission our Savior added, significantly: “Teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded you.”  There is no liberty to tamper
with His teachings.

There  is  common approval  of  alliances 
being fashioned today in pursuit of unity; even when such are made at the
expense of the Christian witness. Toleration is asked even for outright
denial of such basic Biblical teaching as the deity of Christ, the virgin
birth, the natural sinfulness of man, and redemption through Christ alone.

In opposition to this trend we maintain that unity of doctrine is necessary
for a God-pleasing organizational unity and fellowship, since the Apostolic
Word requires an avoidance of errorists.  Yet we are anxious always
to extend the hand of fellowship to individuals and groups under conditions
of harmony in the doctrine of Scripture.

A  number  of pastors and  congregations  that
could not in good conscience take part in the trend toward laxity and liberalism
(defined in the church as modernism, disobedience to the Word, and plain
unbelief) felt that they must make this confession to the world, and also
to the world of Lutherans. Taking the name  Church of the Lutheran
Confession, they banded together in 1959 to maintain the historic doctrine
and confession of the Lutheran Reformation.

Many are the pitfalls in the way of orthodoxy. Legalism, rigorism,
formalism, exclusivism and arrogance are only some of the temptations which
beset especially those who are concerned about true teaching of the Gospel.
Against them we implore the life of the Spirit, desiring to be faithful
in service as ready instruments of God’s ministering grace in Christ Jesus
our Lord, even as we stand fast in the faithful Word as we have been taught
of God.

John tells us that this miracle took place at the time of the Passover. This would place this event at about a year before Jesus’ crucifixion. Matthew places this event immediately after the beheading of John the Baptist by King Herod. Matthew tells us that “When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat to a solitary place.” The opposition to Jesus was increasing. The storm clouds of the cross were beginning to gather. Jesus was in the northern province of Galilee far from Jerusalem. His ministry centered around the Sea of Galilee and the fishing village of Capernaum. From Capernaum he got into a boat and sailed across the Sea of Galilee to the area known as the Decapolis (the ten cities). This was a Gentile area and a remote place. However, the crowds followed Him on foot from the towns. The multitudes walked around the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee to be with Jesus. Jesus could have just moved on, but he didn’t. “Jesus had compassion on them.” Mark gives us further insight when he tells us that Jesus had compassion on the people “because they were like sheep without a shepherd.” Jesus saw the people’s needs in terms of their larger spiritual needs. They needed to partake of the Bread of Life which would satisfy their deepest spiritual needs.

The disciples wanted the problem to go away. They came to Jesus, “This is a desolate place and day is now over; send the crowds away to go into village and buy food for themselves.” Even if there were a 7-Eleven, they didn’t have enough money to buy food for this multitude. Jesus replied, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” The practical nature of the disciples caused them to protest, “We have only five loaves here and fish.” What is so little in the face of so many needs? Don’t you often feel that way when you look at your resources? The needs are so great and I have so little, Jesus said, “Bring them to me.” And you know the rest of the story. He caused the people to sit down, and He said a blessing. He then gave the five loaves and fish to the disciples to distribute. I wonder how many of the disciples looked at the five loaves and two fish and then looked at the crowd and rolled their eyes. Jesus was able to meet their needs. There were five thousand men not counting women and children. The disciples distributed this pitifully small amount of food. Matthew simply tells us, “And they all ate and were satisfied.” More than that, “And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.” Immediately Jesus sent the disciples back across the Sea of Galilee at night.

We are assured that Jesus is able to know all of our needs and in His compassion is able to meet those needs. This should remind us that Jesus cares for us and feels our pain in every challenge of your earthly life. It also should strengthen our faith and trust in Jesus as our provider. This miracle invites us to cast all our care upon Jesus because He cares for us. This miracle also reinforces the truth that if God be for us who or what can be against us? Jesus also answers our protest, “What is so little when the needs are so many?” Our small resources and abilities highlight the power of Jesus. Jesus would teach us to look to Him instead of measuring our strengths. In our personal lives, we often despair of the meager nature of our resources. We look at the massive famines that threaten Africa, the poverty of India, and the financial crisis in our own country, and we throw up our hands, “What is so little when the needs are so many?” The problem is that we look to ourselves or to a conservative political revolution or our own intelligence. The truth is that we do have so little. Jesus answers the question by providing for our daily needs. Jesus had the power to feed the multitudes with so little.

More important, spiritually we have so little. All our imagined righteousness is like a filthy rag. We have no strength to come to Jesus or to believe in Him. We cannot by our own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ our Lord or come to Him. As we look at our work as pastors, we have so little to work with when we look at ourselves and our congregations. As ILC begins another year of training pastors and teachers, we have so little. We continually struggle to allocate dwindling financial resources and shrinking demographics to maintain the program at ILC. This also has an impact on meeting the need to go out and proclaim Christ to the nations. We look at the needs overseas and the shrinking base of congregation in the United States, and we like the disciples say, “What is so little in the face of such great needs.”

Jesus has so much. He is able to meet all our needs. He is able to send His Word into the remotest areas of the earth. Jesus who fed the 5,000 is able to satisfy all our needs and give us more than we need. “The disciples gave them (bread and fish) to the crowds. And they were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.” The problem is not that our needs are so great. The problem is that in our minds our God is too small. Because of our pride and our egos we diminish God through our lack of faith.

Please remember the professors and the students at ILC in your prayers. Remember the lambs in our Christian Day School and their teachers. Remember your fellow pastors and congregations. Remember our missionaries and brethren overseas who have so little and yet do so much. Remember the miracle of the loaves and fish.

God has given us so much!

“Oh, hear the word of the Lord.”Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ Therefore prophesy and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it,” says the LORD.” (Ezekiel 37:11-14)

This familiar Negro spiritual gives a graphic picture of God’s power to restore dry bones to life. The priest Ezekiel was given visions of the kingdom of Christ against the backdrop of God’s chosen people being taken into the Babylonian captivity. The people of God were being whipsawed between carnal overconfidence and fleshly despair. Ezekiel laid bare the spiritual rebellion of Judah and the need for God’s chosen people to repent of their disobedience. Ezekiel warns the early captives that Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed. The nation of Judah had become a valley of dead bones.

To counter the despair of God’s people who had lost all hope, the Lord pictures the miracle of His breathing life into these dead bones. In a remarkable picture these bones came together bone to bone. And then tendons and skin covered these bones. Still there was no life in these dead, dry bones. The Lord then breathed “life” into these dead bones. “Breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.” It is a remarkable picture as this army of dead bones came to life.

At first glance, it may seem that Ezekiel is picturing that great day when all the dead will come out of the graves and live. “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.” Sometimes the children in confirmation class try to visualize the physical resurrection of the dead in pictures from a bad horror movie. They think in terms of Ezekiel’s graphic picture of the bones, the tendons, and the skin coming together on that great day of resurrection.

However, Ezekiel’s picture gives God’s Old Testament people the hope of spiritual life. “‘I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it,’ says the LORD.” The Lord God promises that He will not abandon His people in Babylon. He will breathe spiritual life into the deadness of Judah and return them to their land. Ezekiel points to the coming of the Messiah King who would establish an everlasting kingdom. Out of the deadness of the religious and political life of Israel the dynasty of David would come life. The fulfillment of this picture of dead bones coming to life is found in those who are a part of God’s people through faith in Jesus. Jesus promised that the Spirit would breathe life into His Church, and not even the gates of hell would be able to prevail against it.

This Easter we see the dead bones of our personal lives and the dead bones which is the CLC. The message of the prophets reveals the hopelessness of our spiritual condition. We were born dead in sins and trespasses. Overconfidence in our powers and our righteousness leads to dead and dry bones. By nature we are dead bones needing the Spirit to breathe life into our dead bones. Our organizational forms (congregations and church body) tend to follow the pattern and history of Old Testament Israel. We look at our growth as measured by numbers over the last fifty years, and there has been very little. We see members taking for granted the means of grace and gradually losing their first love. We are tired of the struggles to apply the fellowship principles to real life, and our knees grow weary of the race that is our life. There is always the tendency to use evangelical practice as an excuse for not dealing with problems within our ministries and congregations. Sinful despair and overconfidence in ourselves lead us to complain, “Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!”

The Spirit breathed life into the dust pile that was Adam. Jesus brought the dead bones of Lazarus to life. God brought spiritual life to Judah and the house of David through Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit breathed life into the Church of God on the day of Pentecost. God is able to bring life to our dead, dry bones.

This Easter then we rejoice to see the Spirit breathing life into our dead bones. The Gospel is being proclaimed to the ends of the earth. People are finding rest for their souls in our ministries. Jesus will continually revitalize His Church, His people, and His pastors. Rejoice this Easter in God’s message of physical life for dead bones like Lazarus in the grave. But also rejoice this Easter in God’s message of spiritual life for dead bones like we.

Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk aroun’
Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk aroun’
Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk aroun’
Oh, hear the word of the Lord.

A Blessed Easter Celebration to You and Your Families,

Please remember Pastor Kevin McKenney and his family in your prayers

“This is the King of the Jews”

(Luke 23:38 ESV).

The season of Lent reveals Jesus to us as the promised messiah-King. Jesus established His everlasting kingdom by delivering us out of Satan’s kingdom of darkness and sin into His everlasting kingdom of light. Luke ends his Gospel by presenting to us “Christ the King!” The events of Palm Sunday revealed Jesus as a strange kind of king. Jesus entered Jerusalem meek and lowly, riding on a borrowed donkey. Jesus came as a king to die in the place of His subjects. So it is at the cross that we see the strange truth captured by the inscription on His cross, “Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews.”

Unbelievers laugh and mock at the idea of a crucified king. The people in Jerusalem had gathered to watch this Jesus die. Many had hoped that He was the Messiah, but they hoped that this King would establish an earthly kingdom. The cross was the end of their hopes. The people saw no King. The rulers and religious leaders of the Jews scoffed at the idea that this carpenter’s son was the Anointed One, the promised Messiah. They mocked Him saying, “This one (pointing up to the cross) claimed to save others. Look! He cannot even save Himself.” They challenged Jesus, “If He is the Christ (Messiah), let Him save Himself.” The religious leaders saw no King. The rough Roman legionnaires joined in the fun, mocking this ragamuffin Jew. These Roman soldiers had watched many criminals die. They offered Jesus cheap wine to ease His suffering. They also joined with the religious leaders in the mocking challenge, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” This was the kind of a joke of a king that the Jews deserved. The Roman legionnaires saw no king.

The inscription on the cross was also designed to ridicule the Jews and their King. Pilate, the Roman governor, had caved in to the demands of the Jews and sentenced an innocent man to death. Pilate now got his revenge. The inscription above Jesus’ head on the cross was written in four languages, “Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews.” It would be the only king they would ever have. The Jews understood, and asked Pilate to take down the sign, but Pilate would not. Pilate saw no king.

Even the two criminals crucified with Jesus, turned on Him. They mocked Jesus’ saying, “If you are the Messiah then save Yourself and save us also.” It is remarkable how even among criminals the weakest and the most pathetic becomes an object of ridicule and bullying. Even the condemned criminals saw no King.

The world still rejects the idea of a crucified king. People would rather have a king who gives them what they want. They are like Israel who did not want God to rule over them, but wanted a king like the other nations. People locked in their sins do not want Jesus to be their King. They do not want to follow Him. The world mocks the idea that Jesus could be the answer to their problems. We too by nature are like the two criminals who also mocked the idea of Jesus as a Savior-King and refuse to follow Him.

However, there will come a day when this crucified King returns in all His glory to judge the living and the dead. This will be a day of terror for those who mocked Jesus. John in Revelation describes what will happen on that great Day of Judgment. (Revelation 1:7) “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.”

However, there was one who confessed Jesus as His King and sought entrance into His everlasting kingdom. It was the most unlikely of that cast of characters on Good Friday. One of the two hardened criminals crucified with Jesus had a change of heart. After initially joining in the mockery of Jesus, he rebuked his fellow criminal. The Holy Spirit brought him to repentance as he acknowledged his sins, “We are punished justly.” The Holy Spirit  also worked faith in this man’s heart. He confessed before the world that “this man has done nothing wrong.” This criminal saw Jesus as his King.

And then acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah-King promised by God to His people, the criminal asked in faith, “Remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” These words are a cry for help and salvation and also a confession of faith. The Greek word for remember doesn’t mean to simply think about me again. It has the context of “turn to me again and again in grace and mercy.” We read in the Old Testament that God remembered Noah, Abraham, and His people in Israel. So this criminal prayed on his death bed that Jesus would again and again turn to him in grace and mercy and save him as Jesus had promised. By faith, this hardened criminal understood. He saw the promise of Jesus’ everlasting kingdom to come. He prayed, “Thy kingdom come” with all the trust of faith in the forgiveness of sins in spite of who he was and what he had done.

And Jesus answered him with words of grace and forgiveness, no strings attached, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” All of history is compacted into its final result. This world will be destroyed, but Jesus, the King, when He returns will raise all the dead. Then the believers will go with Jesus into that restored Paradise. Sin will be finished, The Devil will be conquered. Death will be swallowed up in victory. This thief would be with Jesus forever because of the free forgiveness of sins. He believed this even though he was dying a horrible death that he deserved.

Jesus gives us the same hope in our dying hour. He says to us, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” Today we also confess that Jesus is our King and that He has made us part of His kingdom through the forgiveness of sins. So we look forward in anticipation to the second coming of our King. This crucified Jesus is our Savior-King.

A Blessed Lenten Season to You and Your Families,

John the Baptist was the greatest of the prophets according to Jesus’ own words. John was set aside before his birth for a special purpose, “And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in  the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. “He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:14-17). And yet when it came time for John to reveal Jesus as the Son of God and the promised Messiah, he stated twice, “I did not know Him.”

John the Baptist and Jesus were cousins. He knew who Jesus was. He knew that Jesus was the Messiah. So did John’s mother Elizabeth, who said to the Virgin Mary, “Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” John’s father, Zechariah, prophesied of his son, “And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him.” Who can doubt that John discussed these things with his parents many times over the years? And John certainly recognized Jesus when Jesus came to him to be baptized. John tried to deter Jesus, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Yet, twice in this text, John the Baptist says of Jesus, “I did not know him.”

What is he telling us? That he did not recognize his own cousin? No. He’s telling us that based on outward appearances he would not have recognized Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus was poor. Jesus was ordinary-looking. By his own admission, Jesus had no place to call home.

On his own, John the Baptist would have never recognized Jesus as the Messiah. He did not point others to Christ; he did not witness about Christ; he did not specifically say “Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” UNTIL God the Father revealed this to him by means of the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus like a
dove. Through the Holy Spirit John was able to testify to others, “And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God” (John 1:34).

This Epiphany we celebrate the fact God has revealed to us that this Jesus is the Son of God and the Lamb of God that carries away our sins. It is not that we, as professional clergy, do not know about Jesus. We know the facts about Jesus. But we also, like John the Baptist, do not know (recognize) Jesus. We, by nature, do not understand the miracle of Son of God also being God’s Lamb. The cross of Christ remains a stumbling block and foolishness to us and to those to whom we preach Christ crucified.

Each of us would not known Jesus (believed in Him as our Redeemer) except for the fact that the Father has revealed Him to us through the Holy Spirit. “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given by God” (1 Corinthians 2:12). God has revealed His saving glory to us through the Word so that like John we might be “witnesses for Christ.” God has called us in our ministries to decrease so that Christ might increase. It is our privilege to point others to Jesus saying, “Behold, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin the world.” We know Jesus, “And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:13).

This is the miracle of Epiphany. God has revealed Jesus to us so that we might reveal Him to others. What a wonderful privilege! We have been called as witnesses for Christ. Witnessing is not a professional process. It is a personal process of knowing Jesus. It does not start with our witness to others but God’s witness to us.

May God continue to reveal Jesus to you this Epiphany season.

Thanks to Mark Weis who in his “AfterWord” provided the thoughts and impetus for this letter.

Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. (Psalms 37:5-7)

Advent is a season of preparation for us and our people. In the season of Advent, the people of God wait for the coming of Jesus, their Messiah. God’s Old Testament people waited for the coming of the promised Messiah with faith. With that same faith, God’s New Testament people wait for the second coming of Jesus. Sometimes we get tired of waiting. As children, in December the time seemed endless as we waited for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. God’s Old Testament people did get tired of waiting for the fulfillment of His promises. To counteract this, God encouraged His people as they waited. We need this same encouragement in these last days.

In Advent Wait With Patience

The Psalmist confidently sings, “Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.” This Psalm was directed toward God’s Old Testament people who saw the reality of how the wicked prospered and the righteous suffered. This is a waiting of faith because it rests in the Lord. The Psalmist asserts, “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” Patience means that faith never stops waiting confidently for God to act.

We live in an impatient world as people hurry to get ready for Christmas. It seems that more and more people are getting frustrated from rushing around too much. Anti-anxiety medications are an increasing part of our modern existence. Impatience is revealed in traffic “road rage,” in the pushing and hurrying of crowds, and in the exhaustion of preparing for Christmas. But there is a deeper growing impatience in people today with the political process and the economic future. As pastors we also grow impatient because of the press of things that have to be done and the problems we encounter in our ministries.

There is a deeper and more dangerous impatience. Spiritual impatience is a very real danger as we grow discouraged with the long wait for God to act. When things don’t do our way, we grow impatient with God. God’s Old Testament people grew tired of waiting after they left Egypt. They grumbled and complained when God did not act fast enough for them. We also grow impatient in our lives with the way God is acting on our behalf.

We need to hear the words of the Psalmist, “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will bring it to pass (act).” God will act. He has already acted on our behalf by sending His only Son into this world of sin and death to save and rescue us. This trust in the God Who has acted will enable us to be still before the Lord and to patiently wait for him. In our needs, in our troubles, in our suffering God is not far from any of us. Learn to trust in him and to wait patiently for him to act.

Be patient and quietly wait. The Christian does not simply say that things are bad and we need to muddle through. We are waiting expectantly for God’s answer, God’s help, God’s rescue. Endurance means waiting for someone real and something real. God is real. God’s salvation is real. Jesus second coming is real. Advent waiting looks forward to God’s ultimate gift of everlasting life. For God gave up His own Son for our sins and raised Him from the dead for our righteousness in order that we might live lives of patient waiting for something that is a done deal. We already are the special people of God. We are already his children through baptism. We already are people of faith. We already are citizens of heaven on the way home. We already have a foretaste of the new, perfect life to come. And yet we are waiting to receive the end of our salvation.

The Psalmist encourages us to hang on to God, and therefore to wait patiently for Him because He will act on our behalf. This advent we are reminded not just to be stoically patient because things happen. We are to wait patiently for God to act in our lives and in history. It’s like grandparents at the airport expectantly waiting to see their grandchildren. In a picture that Jesus uses, it’s like patiently and expectantly waiting for your wedding day.

Don’t worry about the way things are going in this world of Satan’s domination. Don’t fret over the one who progresses in his own way, over the man who carries out evil devices. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him to act. Then Christmas will be a real celebration of joy. This is the season to prepare for His coming!

Blessings to you and your families as you wait on the Lord,

John Schierenbeck

CLC President