c




 


     
 

Speaker: Dr. P.E. Kretzmann

Concerning the question of Christian unity, of brotherly fellowship in the faith, [this
question] has been discussed in the midst of the Synodical Conference many times before, at
individual conferences and synodical districts as well as at all synods and in the various
publications that have dealt with this important issue in popular and scientific ways. For
example, the Eastern District of the Missouri Synod in the year 1888 heard a presentation on
the preservation on proper unity, the Oregon and Washington District in 1924, and the same
subject also appears elsewhere frequently as a part of a longer work.

Also at the meetings of the Synodical Conference is this point often especially discussed.
Known is the history of the preliminary discussions of 1870 and 1871 that proceeded the
formation of the Synodical Conference, in which reference was constantly made to the Biblical
principles that must be considered with such a connection. Known also is the "Memorandum"
from the year 1871 in which the words of the Tenth Article of the Formula of Concord
concerning the proper unity of the Church are mentioned. These principles stand out clearly in
the Doctrinal Proceedings of the year 1888, which were led by Prof. F. Pieper of St. Louis on the
basis of the following theses:

1. Under unity of faith, we understand the agreement in  articles of Christian 


revealed in Holy Scripture.

2. This unity of faith is  

, because all articles of Christian doctrine are clearly
revealed in Holy Scripture.

3. This unity of faith is 


 , because He both commands the faithful
acceptance of all His revelation and strictly forbids any deviation from it.

4. The necessary outward testimony of the unity of faith is that those standing in the
unity of faith profess each other to be brethren in the faith.

5. Those standing in the unity of faith, should nourish and seek to preserve this [unity of
faith] as an extremely wonderful possession conferred with all diligence from the free grace of
God.

In 1906 the following written guidelines were drafted for the Synodical Conference by
Prof. J. Ph. Köhler:

1.  
 What does the term mean? 1. Not the unity of the Spirit
as the third Person of the Godhead in the sense, a) that He is the only one who rules in the
Church, or, b) that he creates unity in the Church, but, 2. the unity of the Spirit that is from the
Holy Spirit who created new life in the individual Christian. - What is the content of this new
life? Faith, life, hope.

2.    
   
 Its importance as an
essential part of the true Church, prescribed by God, manufactured by Christ, carried out by the
Holy Spirit through the Gospel among men. Its practical importance in the life of Christians on
earth: 1. unity of Spirit and purity of doctrine are mutually dependent and likewise, 2. Unity of
the Spirit and purity in change.

3.    


   
 The meaning of the term
"bond of peace". 1. Not the inner peace with God but the outer peace of Christians among
themselves, uniting them with each other. 2. This peace is not in opposition against the truth of
the Gospel or the peace of conscience. - The peace is obtained through humility, gentleness,
patience and mutual endurance. All this can only be carried out by the power that the Lord
gives through His Gospel.

For the 1908 Synodical Conference gathering Dr. F. Pieper from St. Louis, in turn, made
assumptions about "The Glorious Blessing of Brotherly Fellowship in Faith". The Theses run
thus:

1. All Christians are in inner, invisible fellowship with each other, because through the
working of the Holy Spirit all of them believe in Christ as their Savior and through this faith are
united with Christ as the  head of the Church and with one another in one spiritual body. In
this fellowship also are Christians who are in heterodox congregations (unitas ecclesiae |
 
sive fidei in Christum).

2. It is God's will and order that those who believe in Christ in their hearts, also enter
into

  

   with each other, above all by joining together into local
congregations in which the Gospel is purely preached and the Sacraments are administered
according to God's Word, and also acknowledge and treat Christians who profess the true faith
in other places as fellow believers (unitas ecclesiae 
  sive professionis fidei). The purpose
of this external fellowship is the preaching of the Gospel in the world, the spreading of the
Church and the mutual refreshment and strengthening in the faith.

3. Because many Christians out of weakness in knowledge do not obey Christ's

command to hold only to  Word, but contrary to Christ's prohibition have fellowship with
false teachers, but they turn away from the God-ordained fellowship with brothers in the faith,
and this is only for application among Christians who cling to the Church according to Christ's
order, that is, confess the pure doctrine of God's Word and avoid false teachers.

4. The sadder it is that so many Christians stay in heterodox camps and thereby cause
and help to maintain schism and scandal in the Church, all the more zealously and sincerely will
Christians, who by God's grace are in the orthodox camp, maintain brotherly fellowship in the
faith with each other and carefully avoid all disturbance of it, for the glory of God and for the
highest good of the world and the Church. 1

For the gathering of the Synodical Conference six years ago, in 1924, Prof. M.S. Sommer
had taken charge of the doctrinal proceedings concerning the theme: "The Unity of the
Christian Church". There were four theses for discussion, namely:

1. The inner, spiritual unity of the Christian Church is in the union of each Christian with
Christ through faith, whereby he is a member of the body of Christ, in which all other Christians
are also members and so by the same faith all also with each other "members of one another"
(Romans 12:5).

2. According to God's will this inward unity should now outwardly show through
agreement of all members of the Church in doctrine under 
Lord, Jesus Christ.

3. Disobedience against our Lord Jesus Christ is the cause of all division, sectarianism,
false doctrine, separation, and disunity in Christendom.

4. The Holy Spirit is the effecting cause of all true inward and outward unity of the
Church.

Since so much material is available concerning this question, then perhaps some would
like to ask: Why yet another topic that is so closely related to the others that they are basically
the same? I answer: First of all, because the subject even in our days is particularly timely, as
only that will be seen frequently in the course of work; the other, because the biblical principles
on which the Synodical Conference is based, [this topic] repeatedly must be stressed, especially
in this year of great jubilee celebrations and the ecclesiastical unions in our country. What's
more, the subject this time is different, and therefore should be treated somewhat differently
than in the aforementioned papers. We therefore treat in these days the important doctrine:


     
 

The explanation will be done in six theses:

1. The unity of the Spirit is an essential property of all Christendom on earth, the Church
in the true sense of the word. This unity is a fruit of the Spirit, an expression of faith that relies
on Christ as the Savior of sinners and therefore embraces and clings to the Scriptures in all
things. Because the members of this ‘  holy Christian church are known only to God, it is
conscious to him alone how complete knowledge and confession are of an individual member
of His Church.

1
A combination of my translation and James Langebartels' translation available through http://wlsessays.net.
 2. This inner unity should express and apply itself according to God's Word in perfect
accord in all revealed articles or parts of doctrine in Scripture. This includes within it the
recognition of all those associated with the true believers in the truth on the same Scriptural
basis.

3. Although in the Church for the sake of true unity much must be forgiven, under no
circumstances should this be done with denial of the truth. On the contrary: Any deviation from
a clearly revealed doctrine in Scripture conceives church-dividing opportunities in itself and
must lead in continued perseverance into error on the part of the dissenting party to a severing
of the brotherly-band.

4. Although uniformity of ceremonies is not necessary for the true unity of the Church,
such uniformity has a confessional value and must be required under such circumstances.

5. Against the unity of the Church infringes syncretism and unionism of every kind.

6. Against the unity in the Spirit infringes schismatics and separatists.

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"Unity in the Spirit" is a Biblical term. It is used by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:3,
where he exhorts his readers: "Be diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit" (Ë








 
). With the term "unity in the Spirit" is certainly not
meant as some old and new interpreters have adopted "the oneness of the Holy Spirit that
unity creates and maintains", but as this is in Luther's translation, "the unity of conviction".
However, it is true that this oneness or unity is a creation of the Holy Spirit, but that is not an
essential property of the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, yet is in the word "hold" or "keep";
because the apostle would not want to exhort the Christians to maintain an essential property
of the Holy Spirit. No, the unity or oneness of the Spirit is that created new life by the Holy
Spirit in Christians, by virtue of which all believers, wherever they may be, are 
heart and

soul, as that also is explicitly stated about the visible congregation in Jerusalem.2 Because
all Christians have 
Lord, 
faith (the acceptance of Christ as Savior and confidence in His
salvation), 
baptism (as the Sacrament of admission into the Christian Church), 
God and
Father of us all,3 because by 
Spirit they are all baptized into 
body, whether Jews or

2
Acts 4:32.
3
Ephesians 4:5-6
Greeks, slaves or free, and all are made to drink in 
Spirit,4 so they are completely united in
one Spirit. This oneness is an essential property of Christians in its totality.

This unity is a  

, an expression of faith. In His high-priestly prayer our
Savior spoke: "I pray not only for them but also for those who will believe in Me through their
word, that they may all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also be in Us,
that the world may believe that You have sent Me. And I have given them the glory that You
gave Me, that they are one, even as We are one, I in them and You in Me, that they be made
perfect in one, and the world know that You have sent Me and have loved them even as You
love Me."5 We pay attention here to the expression, "that they may be one", that the Savior
repeated four times. He described the unity of the Spirit according to mind, will, and spirit. This
unity is a fact; it is found in all people who have come to faith by the power of the Holy Spirit in
the Word; it is an expression and witness of this faith. The apostle Paul speaks the same idea in
Galatians 3:28: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither
male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus." How namely this oneness comes about,
the apostle shows in the same context: "You all are children of God through faith in Christ
Jesus."6 So faith is the work of the Holy Spirit, that is why in the last words of Jesus the
Comforter, the Holy Spirit, is the main topic, as for example in John 14:26: "But the Comforter,
the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind
you of everything I have told you." And once again John 15:26: "But when the Comforter is
come, whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father,
He shall testify of me." And again: "But when He, the Spirit of Truth is come, He will guide you
into all truth."7 Through this Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, the Comforter, the unity in the Spirit, the
oneness of faith in mind, will, and spirit, is worked.

However, the foundation of this unity, its essential characteristic on the basis of faith
that calls and keeps them into life, that relies on Jesus Christ as the Savior of sinners, is
therefore the acceptance of Scripture. What the Enthusiasts at the time of the Reformation
clung to on their part, that namely faith is worked and can exist without Scripture, Luther and
his colleagues have fought with all determination. For the unity of the Spirit cannot exist on the
basis of imagination, on lies, but only on the basis of truth. But only God's Word as a whole and
in all its parts is the truth, as our Savior says in John 17:17.8 The whole Scripture, all parts of
Scripture, is the Name of God, is revelation of His presence, especially His grace in Christ Jesus.
A truly believing Christian, therefore, accepts the Word of God as truth. This is essential,
because he neither comes to faith without this Word nor can he remain in it. He makes in his
faith, therefore, no academic difference between Scriptural doctrine in the true sense and
other revelations of God that are recorded in Scriptures: in the field of history, ethnology,
geography, natural history; he does not distinguish between doctrine and religion; he does not
make first a difference between fundamental and non-fundamental doctrines; for it is all truth,
4
1 Corinthians 12:13.
5
John 17:20-23.
6
Galatians 3:26.
7
John 16:13a.
8
"Sanctify them in Your truth, Your Word is truth."
what God has taught and revealed, whether talking about God personally or whether the Holy
Spirit speaks through prophets, evangelists and apostles. It is with him: "The Lord's Word is
true",9 "Your Word is nothing but truth",10 "in the Word of truth";11 "He has begotten us
according to His will through the Word of truth".12 There is no faith except the one that comes
through the Word, and therefore it belongs to the essence of faith, to accept the revelation of
truths. In this all Christians agree, where they also may be found: their faith is in God's Word as
truth and keeps to the Word.

We understand this rightly. There is no question about it, that a member of a false
Church fellowship, but who belongs to the invisible Church, understands a word of Scripture
falsely and therefore also has a false confession. One can well assume a difference between
outward and inward convictions, as indicated in Scripture in Romans 8:26-27: "Because we do
not know what we should pray, as is fitting, but the Spirit itself represents us in the best way
with inexpressible sighs. But he who searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit,
because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." We may say confidently that
the actual, innermost, faith in the heart always means the unconditional acceptance of Divine
truth. Doubt and false views and opinions in convictions may also be found in a Christian (as
indeed all Christians learn again and again), so this does not affect the actual, inner faith. For
this Christ has indeed taken as the essential word, as the content of the Gospel. Faith in Christ
and faith in the Gospel, in the Word, is identical. Therefore the Holy Spirit gives the power of
this faith to every Christian as it were in the innermost heart a knowledge of the truth, that no
point of the Word doubts or wrongly understood in its context.

Yet another way: Saving faith may well exist in ignorance and false understanding of
fundamental doctrines and all parts of Scripture, but not in the explicit denial of any part of
Scripture. Church fellowship, on the other hand, can only exist in complete agreement in all
doctrines of Scripture, as we shall see later. This is demonstrated in Dr. Pieper's Christian
Dogmatics: "It should be noted that the ˜|| 
|˜|
  and   also can be in those who do
not know the Scriptures in all parts, and even in those who err from weakness in certain parts
of revealed doctrine, as Scripture abundantly testifies. Orthodoxy and [one's] state of belief do
not coincide. There is certainly no orthodoxy without saving faith; and whoever does not
believe the Gospel believes no part of Christian doctrine woven with faith from the Holy Spirit.
But there is saving faith without any orthodoxy with respect to all parts of Christian doctrine.
This truth Luther, the Lutheran Confessions, and the dogmaticians bear witness to, though they
admit to no one the power to dispense with the assumption of even a part of Christian
doctrine."13

What is explained in these remarks on the basis of the Word of God, is also attested in
our Confessions. In the Apology in Articles VII and VIII, "On the Church", it states, "The Christian
9
Psalm 33:4.
10
Psalm 119:160. Cf. v. 86 and 142.
11
2 Corinthians 6:7.
12
James 1:18.
13
German II:506, English II:424-425.
Church is not only in [the] fellowship of external signs, but is primarily in [the] inward fellowship
of eternal blessing in hearts, as the Holy Spirit, faith, fear and love of God.... For the true
Christian kingdom, the true home of Christ, is and remains always those whom God's Spirit has
enlightened, strengthened, ruled, whether he is probably not yet revealed before the world,
but is hidden under the cross, even as he always is and remains 
Christ, the time He was
crucified and now there in eternal glory and reigns in heaven.... We do not talk about a
fictitious Church that is to be found nowhere, but verily we speak and know that this Church,
wherein are the holy ones, really is and remains on earth, namely that some children of God are
scattered here and there in all the world, in all sorts of kingdoms, islands, countries, cities, from
the rising of the sun to its setting, Christ and the Gospel are rightly recognized."14

This excerpt also serves as a transition to the next point of our thesis, that namely  
 
  
, in the proper sense of the word, has this essential property of unity in
faith. This follows, among others, from the description of the Church that the Scriptures offer
us. In Ephesians we find first of all 

 

   

 . "And
[God] has all things under His feet and has set [Christ] over all as the head of the Church, which
is His body, namely the fullness of Him who fills all in all."15 "Because the man is head of the
wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church, and he is Savior of the body. But as the Church is
subject to Christ, so also the wives to their husbands in all things. Husbands, love your wives,
even as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for her, that he might sanctify and
cleanse her through the washing of water by the Word, that he might present her to Himself as
a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and
without blemish."16 The same picture is found in Colossians 1:18: "And He [Christ] is the head of
the body, the Church: He who is the beginning and the firstborn from the dead, that he may
have the precedence in all things." According to these points, Christ is the head of the
congregation or Church, and this is His body. The members of the body are however most
intimately connected with the head, a perfect unity must prevail among them, so that "the
whole body is joined together and one member hangs by all the joints on another, thereby one
to another doing a helping hand according to the work of every member in its measure and
making the body grow into its own bettering, and all this in love."17

The same conclusion also follows when we pay attention to another image that the Holy
Spirit uses repeatedly in the New Testament, namely 

. "Now therefore you are no
more strangers and foreigners, but citizens with the saints and household of God; built on the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the cornerstone, in whom
the whole building is joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also
are being built together for an habitation of God's will in mind for a dwelling place of God in the
Spirit."18 "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone corrupts the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, which
14
Concordia Triglotta, 226ff. ¶ 5, 19, 21 (German).
15
Ephesians 1:22-23.
16
Ephesians 5:23-27.
17
Ephesians 4:16. Cf. Colossians 2:19.
18
Ephesians 2:19-22.
temple you are."19 That in a large building, a temple, oneness or unity is an essential quality
hardly needs proof. If even only 
stone would leave the unity in the spiritual temple of the
Church of Christ, then it would no longer be a part of the building. And this same [image] is in
other images that Scripture paints for us before our eyes, in order to give us somewhat of an
idea of the nature of the Church, as in the image of the vine and its grapes, the children of God
who form a harmonious family, and many others.

Let us not forget in the whole undertaking that this is about the ideal of the Church in
the strict sense, about the invisible Church. This is about what we confess in the Third Article [of
the Creed]: "I believe one holy Christian Church, the congregation of holy ones." The
membership of this Church is known only to God, the infallible Lord of the Church. "The
kingdom of God comes not with outward gestures (
 Ë ); neither will they say,
'Look here!" or "There it is!" For behold, the kingdom of God is within you" (

).20
The context clearly compels to depart from the classical use of the preposition and accept
Luther's translation, just as he himself explains: "As the evangelist says: Here or there is Christ,
and the like, is the whole Christ, that is, from the kingdom of Christ, spoken, how that with
force compels the text, Luke 17:20f., there He says: 'The kingdom of God comes not with
outward gestures.' One will not say: 'See here, behold, it's here,' which the other evangelists
finish: 'Here or there is Christ.' This is all said so much: Christ's kingdom is not in outward things,
places, times, persons, works, but, as He Himself says, 'The kingdom of God is within you'.
Hence it does not follow that Christ is nowhere, but that He is everywhere and fills
everything."21 - "And you also, as living stones, He builds into a spiritual house and into a holy
priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."22 Here
the true Church is clearly and distinctly called a spiritual, that is, an invisible building. - "The
solid foundation of God stands and has this seal: 'The Lord knows those who are His'; and:
'Depart from unrighteousness, those who call on the name of Christ.' "23 Therefore only the
Lord can see His own, they are known only to Him. But only the true children of God are His
Church; therefore no mere man can see the Church.24

In connection with this is the last part of our thesis: "Because the members of this one
holy Christian church are known only to God, it is conscious to him alone how complete
knowledge and confession are of an individual member of His Church." This addition has been
made on purpose, because one namely repeatedly blends together and mixes up these two
things, the invisible and visible Church. Of course, all true believers of all visible Churches or
congregation members are of the invisible Church; but this is beyond our control. However, this
is not to say that all member of the invisible Church are thereby also members of a visible
fellowship or Church. Because one can often ignore this, one often transfers the statements
that only apply to the invisible Church, to the visible, as when one applies the word of Jesus in

19
1 Corinthians 3:16-17.
20
Luke 17:20-21.
21
Against the Heavenly Prophets, St. Louis Edition, XX:282f.
22
1 Peter 2:5.
23
2 Timothy 2:19.
24
See Walther, Kirche und Amt, 1-29 (German). 27-48 (English).
John 17:2125 to the visible Church or transfers a knowledge of the saving doctrine, as this is
without doubt sufficient in the invisible Church (faith of baptized children), to the confession of
the visible Church and thereby under certain circumstances may open the gate and doors to
indifferentism and unionists. We want to treat this point in question a little more.

God's arrangement to control the legitimacy and the membership of the invisible
Church for the justification of their existence will be continued further in the next thesis. He has
laid down requirements that determine exactly how it should thereby behave. He has even
established certain principles of a minimum level of knowledge and understanding. He has
given us practical rules for the treatment of such persons and especially those teachers who do
not agree in doctrine and confession with the whole truth of the Word of God.

But in relation to the invisible Church, God has reserved the right to act on the basis of
His omniscience, without consulting in any way with human judgments. He seems to make a
contrast between theological " 

and an actual #" 

of truth for salvation.
It may meet a minimum of knowledge in his reckoning, that cannot be applied by us considering
the circumstances of the visible Church. To Him alone it is known how much real " 

is
present in the faith of a baptized (and perhaps an unbaptized) child or in a thief on the cross.
He seems to refer to similar things in 1 Corinthians 3:11-13: "Other foundation can no man lay
than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man build upon this foundation [with] gold,
silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; each man's work shall be revealed: for the day will
make this clear." If one were to understand this passage from the Christian congregation of the
visible Church, they would certainly face other clear teachings of Scripture that convict all false
doctrine and opinion of men presented in the Church as confession. Therefore, without a doubt
the Apology is right when it says: "And although now in the body, which is built on the true
foundation, that is, Christ and faith, many are weak, which build on such foundation [with]
straw and hay, that is, some human thoughts and opinions, with which they still neither upset
nor reject the foundation, Christ, wherefore they are still Christians and such error will be
forgiven them, they will also perhaps be enlightened and better informed: also we see in the
Fathers that they also sometimes have built [with] straw and hay on the foundation; but they
did not want to upset the foundation."26 It can also perhaps occur that a member of the Church
of Christ has a misconception or idea of a revealed truth, because "we know in part and we
prophecy in part."27 Even on this side of the grave, with further careful study of the revealed
Word, many of these erroneous opinions disappear, in order to be done away with completely
in the light of the coming great day. As for the teaching of the Church, that is presented by its
preachers and teachers, this must be exact in its features as well as in its completion with God's
Word.

25
"That they may all be one, as You, Father, are in me and I in You, that they also be in us, that the world may
believe that You have sent me."
26
Concordia Triglotta, 232, ¶22.
27
1 Corinthians 13:9.
 That the declaration of our Confessions agrees best with the Scriptures is also apparent
from other places, especially the New Testament. We are told in 1 Corinthians 12:12ff of the
congregation of God as the body of Christ: "For just as a body is 
and yet has many
members, but all the members of the body, although there are many, yet are one body: so also
is Christ.... For the body is not one member, but many.... But God has so composed the body
and given the greatest honor to the most needy member, so that there is not a division in the
body, but [that] the members ensure equal care for one another." "The solid foundation of God
stands and has this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His"; and 'Depart from
unrighteousness, those who call on the name of Christ.' But in a great house there are not only
gold and silver vessels, but also wood and clay, and some for honor, but some for dishonor."28
And we can say about the invisible Church as a temple of God, that not all members are like
plants, like hewn bay windows, like palaces, but many a member is like a nondescript stone, like
an unnoticed in the church building that God builds for eternity. Some of these imperfections
and weaknesses also come to the surface in the visible Church but certainly we find it stated by
individual members of the Church that it is rightly called the invisible. And yet it remains that
the Church, all her members, is cleansed through the blood of Christ, so that she presents
herself a congregation that is glorious, that does not have spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but
that she should be holy and without blemish.29

For all the weakness that clings to the individual believer in this life, there remains what
the Third Article says: "I believe 
holy Christian Church, the congregation of the holy ones."
And we confess with Luther in the Large Catechism: "But this is the meaning and summary of
this addition ["congregation of the holy ones"]: I believe that there is upon earth a holy little
handful and congregation of pure saints, under 
head, Christ, called together by the Holy
Spirit in 
faith, mind, and understanding, with many gifts, yet agreeing in love, without sects
and division. I am also a part and member of the same, a partaker and joint owner of all the
goods it has, brought to it and incorporated into it through the Holy Spirit, by having heard and
continuing to hear God's Word, which is the beginning of entering into her. For earlier, before
we had attained to this, we were altogether of the devil, as one who had known nothing of God
and of Christ. So until the last day, the Holy Spirit remains with the holy congregation or
Christendom, through which He brings us and wants her thereby, to lead and carry on the
Word, because he makes and increases sanctification, that she day by day increases and
becomes strong in the faith and its fruits that he makes."30 These words may also serve equally
well as a transition to the second thesis, in which the outward demonstration of the unity in the
Spirit in the visible church fellowships should be treated.






28
2 Timothy 2:19-20.
29
Ephesians 5:27.
30
Concordia Triglotta, 692 ¶ 51-53.
 K

 
  




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So far we have dealt with the invisible Church and found in her the ideal state of the
actual unity of the Spirit as an essential property of the congregation of the holy ones. We have
seen that this unity actually exists in the fellowship of faith and the Holy Spirit, that all members
of the congregation of the holy ones known to God and are characterized by their trust in
salvation purchased through Christ and through the gift of the Holy Spirit who dwells in them.
But what already is 
 in reality concerning the Church in the true sense and concerning
their entire membership, namely, that all members, wherever they may be, unite in faith a daily
"Our Father" before the throne of God to the Redeemer, should also apply to the members of
visible Church fellowships according to God's will, from all those who are Christians according
to their confession and want to capture their reason in all parts under the obedience of Christ.

Now the present thesis is not so much about the personal faith position of the individual
Christian as a member of the invisible Church (fides j  creditur) as to the confession of faith
(fides j  creditur) of the external operation of the inner unity that increases its commitment
to the confession. This is a smaller circle. In the visible Church are namely the confines that deal
with associations of any kind, narrower than in the invisible Church, where in reality the
members are known to God alone. The Lord of the Church commands to Christians to bring
about inner unity in the Spirit, but He specifies quite exactly in which way this should be done.
Love must prevail in the Church, but that does not mean a weak sentimentality that operates
without true unity, without inner harmony, that serves as a cover of the denial of basic truths of
salvation, but the Christian attribute that speaks the truth in love (


 ), as
the apostle expresses it in Ephesians 4:15. All Christians, not only teachers but also hearers,
should confess and defend the truth, the Christian truth, whose content is in the 
Word of
Christ, both to help for the Truth for their right and to serve one another with the testimony of
the truth.

Therefore, our thesis says that the existing inner unity operates and demonstrates
under the confession and is in complete accord in all revealed articles and parts of doctrine in
Scripture. It is not in this connection not so much according to the so-called outward sign of the
Church, where their presence can be detected, as to 


   

, and not
so much as according to the minimal knowledge of the individual Christian31 as to the common
confession of a congregation or a church body. The Apology certainly speaks in a very
interesting way about the first point, and then immediately moves on to the next point: "This
same Church also has outward signs, whereby one can know it; indeed, where God's Word is
pure, where the Sacraments are administered according to the same, there is certainly the
Church, there are Christians, and this same Church is alone called in Scripture Christ's body. For

31
Hebrews 5:12-6:2; Ephesians 4:13-16.
Christ is her head and sanctifies and strengthens her by His Spirit...it certainly remains true that

group and 
people are the Church, which here and there in the world truly believe in
Christ from the rising of the sun to its setting, who have then 
Gospel, 
Christ, 


! 

 , being ruled by 
Holy Spirit, whether or not they have
unequal ceremonies."32

We repeat: It is not about the marks of the Church, but about the claims of the Lord of
the Church in regard to the 
 
. Rightly is this idea summarized in the
Formula of Concord: "Since for thorough, stable unity in the Church, it is necessary, above all
things, that one have a summarizing, unanimous concept and form wherein the general
summary of doctrine (which the Churches that are of the true Christian religion confess) is
brought together from God's Word - just as the early Church always had for such usage its
certain symbols - and such [general summary of doctrine] should not be stated in private
writings, but in such books that have been made, approved, and adopted in the name of the
Churches that pledge themselves to 
doctrine and religion... since for the preservation of
pure doctrine and for thorough, consistent, pious [godly] unity in the Church it is necessary that
the pure sound doctrine not only be rightly presented, but that also the opponents, those who
teach otherwise, be chastised... so we have thoroughly and clearly declared ourselves to one
another."33

This is in line with what Scripture says. On what are all confessions of the orthodox
Christian Church based? On the required acceptance of His Word from God and thereby in the
teaching of His Word in the confession of the Church. This is not a Lutheran special teaching,
but this is clear speech from the Word of God. Our Lord says: "If you continue %  (




), then you are truly My disciples."34 He prays in His high-priestly prayer:
"Sanctify them & '&   is truth."35 He orders His disciples in His last
great mission mandate: "Go therefore and teach all nations and baptize them in the name of
the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to hold to  

(



 . And see, I am with you always, even to the end of the world."36 Christ's
own position is seen in Matthew 5:17-19: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the
prophets: I am not come to destroy but to fulfill. For I tell you truly: Till heaven and earth pass,
one jot nor one tittle of the law, till all be fulfilled. Anyone who breaks one of these least
commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but
whoever does and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."37 And it is clear
that this teaching must include the confession of Jesus in Matthew 10:32: "Whoever confesses
me before men, him will I confess also before my Father in heaven." These claims of Jesus are
in the reports of the first church and agree with the statements of the apostolic epistles. "They

32
Concordia Triglotta, p. 226ff, ¶ 5, 11.
33
| |, p. 848, 854, 856
34
John 8:31.
35
John 17:17.
36
Matthew 28:19-20.
37
Cf. Luke 16:17.
continued steadfastly in 
 
$

."38 "For with the heart one believes unto
righteousness; and then one confesses with the mouth, then one will be saved."39 This
confession is not an uncertain quantum, but is the word of faith that Paul and his helpers
preached. It is the same idea that the apostle Peter expresses: "
  
)  endures
forever. That is the Word that is preached among you."40 Saint Paul writes: "Pay attention to
yourself and to your 

; continue in them. For where you are doing such, you will make
yourself happy, and they will listen to you."41 "Keep to the 
    that you
have heard from me, in faith and love in Christ Jesus."42 "Let us hold fast the

 ."43 "Let
us hold fast 


    
without wavering, for He is faithful who promised
them."44 So strong is the evidence of these many points, that we are justified to use the words
from adding to this book and from taking away of this book,45 to the whole Bible with all its
teachings. *



 



r ‘
 

 

 



 

This point is further confirmed by the     

)  in this area, by His
warnings against all those who deviate in the slightest from the clear teachings of Scripture.
"Beware of false prophets!" says the Savior in Matthew 7:15, by which, of course, He claims the
presence of false doctrine and false teachers, and warns of the two. "I beseech you, brethren,
that you take heed to those who cause schism and offense   


which
you have learned, and depart from them!"46 "If anyone teaches otherwise and does not remain
with the salutary words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the doctrine that is according to godliness,
he is puffed-up and knows nothing."47 "Let us not be tormented with    



; for it is a good thing that the heart be established, which happens through grace."48
"Anyone who transgresses and 
 



   does not have God. He
that abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you
and does not bring this doctrine, do not take him into your house and also do not greet him."49

All this should be done on the basis of Ephesians 4:3, in order to preserve the true unity
of the Spirit. It is not that one wants here to distinguish between fundamental and non-
fundamental doctrines, as has been demonstrated particularly by Rudelbach. 50 The words of

38
Acts 2:42.
39
Romans 10:10.
40
1 Peter 1:25.
41
1 Timothy 4:16.
42
2 Timothy 1:13. Cf. Titus 1:9; 2:1, 7.
43
Hebrews 4:14.
44
Hebrews 10:23.
45
Revelation 22:18-19 (cf. Deuteronomy 4:2, 12, 32).
46
Romans 16:17.
47
1 Timothy 6:3-4.
48
Hebrews 13:9.
49
2 John 9-10.
50
Reformation, Lutheranism, and Union, chapter 12. (Andreas Gottlob Rudelbach (1792-1862) was a Danish-
German ‘

 theologian who fought against Rationalism in Saxony. Later he was professor of dogmatics
Jesus: "Teaching them to observe " and that of the apostle: "If anyone teaches otherwise...he
is puffed-up and knows nothing" are too powerful. A union in truth can exist only where the
unity of the Spirit, which in the members of the invisible Church is another fact, becomes
evident and is active in the full confession of and full commitment to the truth. "We can  
 p p

, but ˜‘
", writes the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 13:8, and
he speaks about the condemnation of God upon those who have not understood the love of
truth, that they might be saved. "That is why God will send them strong delusion, that they
believe the lie, that they all might be condemned who did not believe the truth."51 

 


  

 
   
   
 



 
" 



What the orthodox Church confesses about unity in the Spirit has been laid down
particularly in all the Confessions of the Lutheran Church, in the Concordia of 1580. On the basis
of the Word of God and these Confessions and in light of recent historical developments, one
could summarize it like this:

We believe that all of Scripture, that is, all the canonical books of the Old and New
Testaments, are inspired by God, that by virtue of    the Holy Spirit has driven certain
people at certain times to write down and to proclaim certain historical facts as well as absolute
revelation of His saving will, especially the word of reconciliation through Christ. With this
inspiration, however, the Holy Spirit has made use of natural gifts, acquired skills, and human
understanding of the sacred writers, but above all He has made known to them the mystery of
redemption through Christ in such a way that in the original documents no error was found,
neither in the divine teachings and holy truth nor in the statements in the realm of history or in
any other point of divine or human knowledge (Geology, Geography, Astronomy, Psychology,
Pedagogy, Biology, etc.). The Bible, as Scripture inspired by God, is completely without error up
to the individual words and letters, namely, insofar as these words are formed, so that one not
only distinguishes between singular and plural, but even to have respect for the smallest jot
and tittle.52 The possibility of any error is impossible.

We believe that the work of


   of man is wholly and exclusively God's work of
grace, that man in no way makes himself worthy, prepares himself for that, can act at all, that
for the sake of his conduct God would have or could have His work in him; even then bestow
man with the gift of grace-works, as if a prevenient grace is to be understood in the sense that
man, as it were, could acquiesce in a preliminary stage of conversion to grace. The natural man
can probably hear and read God's Word externally, however, he can in no way in this case
contribute to his actual conversion, to his awakening to the spiritual life, but can, so much as in
him lies, only prevent this work of God.

at the University of Copenhagen. He was an early ally of Grundtvig, but later became critical of Grundtvig's view of
the Church.)
51
2 Thessalonians 2:11-12.
52
Matthew 5:18.
 We believe that the eternal counsel of God, or 

  for short, in no way is
done with the purpose of any conduct and activity of man, even in respect of the persistent
belief of some people, as though God would have taken toward the selection on the basis of
this faithful continuance, but that this counsel of grace is done for the sake of Christ all alone,
on the basis of the mercy of God and the holy merit of Christ. As a result of this election, the
Holy Spirit through the Word brings the elect to faith, they can, even in times of temporary
unfaithfulness, die in the faith and enter into the bliss that God has ordained for them before
the world began. While the general gracious will goes to all people, the election of grace
performs this gracious will effectively in the elect, while those who are lost, the gracious will of
God fails because of their persistent, willful opposition. Scripture knows nothing of an election
to wrath or an election to eternal damnation.

We believe that the 
   in the true sense, which the Holy Spirit through the
Means of Grace founded and is edifying the totality of true believers, that is, who place their
trust in the vicarious life, suffering, and death of Jesus Christ and who are connected precisely
through this common faith with each other. "And this same Church also has external signs,
whereby one knows her; namely where God's Word goes purely, where the Sacraments are
served in accordance with the same, there the Church certainly is, there Christians are, and is
called Christ's body only in Scripture."53

We believe that Christ has made all believers in Him " 
 before God, His
Father, which He confers to them all good things that He has acquired through His reconciling
suffering and death, in the saving Gospel and the Sacraments. This universal priesthood should
apply to every Christian, depending on how God offers him an opportunity, according to the
extent of his knowledge and powers, and within the limits set by God through His testimony for
the saving truth.

We believe that in contrast to the universal priesthood, 

 

*



 

or the pastor's office is according to its nature and purpose, that one efficiently
and properly called person edifies, teaches, and governs a specific congregation in Christ's
stead through God's Word and conducts in their midst of them the Sacraments on behalf of the
fellowship. This Office is established by God and its present stated functions are precisely
determined in God's Word. The erection of the Office is therefore the right and duty of every
Christian congregation and done through their call; it is an exercise of the universal priesthood.
The calling is a right of that congregation, in which the preacher should administer the pastor's
office; and through such calling of the congregation Christ places His servant. Ordination is not
a divine, but an ecclesiastical order for the public and solemn acknowledgment of the call.

We believe that, although there are many false teachers or antichrists, the Pope in
Rome is indeed the actual, proper 
  in the full sense of the word and therefore must be
fought as an archenemy of the Church with all seriousness.

53
Concordia Triglotta, p. 226.
 We believe that any doctrine of a so-called   

 that makes the
kingdom of our Savior Jesus Christ into an external, earthly and worldly kingdom of glory or in
any way denies the permanent character of the cross of the Church, is rejected as one with
clear statements from Scripture in opposition to standing doctrine. This includes in itself the
rejection of the view that even a spiritual flowering of the Christian Church or a general
conversion of the Jews or a resurrection of the martyrs before the Last Day and whatnot
expected.

We believe that our Savior Jesus Christ is born 

+% as a true and natural
man of the world, so that from the first moment of conception by the Holy Spirit the divine and
human nature have united in His person has already occurred and that this union still takes
place even after His ascension, although He now communicated divine attributes according to
His human nature in the total, constant use of His human nature even in His incarnation.

All this is clear Scriptural teaching and the points mentioned are therefore mentioned
because they were in the last decade the objects of special interest, partially of controversy.
Now wherever Christians, adherents of Scripture, accept these teachings of Scripture, as they
are well demonstrated particularly in our beliefs, there is this assumption, according to our
thesis in itself, to close the recognition of all those who with us should stand as confessors of
the truth on the same Scriptural basis. This may and should be done not only through the
exchange of friendly greetings, but also through joint work together at conferences and synods,
through pulpit exchanges and altar fellowship. As it is not necessary that all congregation
members are connected to 
synod, it is even less necessary and important that all
congregations form only a single large organization. Since the formation of large church bodies
is indeed implied in God's Word, however, the question in the other belongs to the field of
indifferent things, then let congregations unite themselves into state or district synods, into
German or English church bodies, synods or districts, as long as only the unity in the Spirit is
expressed in the right way and everyone can see that concerned Christians, even as
congregations, stand for the same Scriptural basis. But at any rate the actually existing unity of
the Spirit should be active.

We close this part of our paper with the words of our Confessions: "That is why he
[Paul] writes and teaches in all other places that in this life is no perfection in our works, it is
not remembered that he speaks to the Colossians54 on perfection of the person, but he speaks
of unity in the Church, and the word, as they read perfection, means nothing other than to be
untorn, that is, to be united [ ]. That he now says: 'Love is a bond of perfection', that is,
it binds, fixes, and holds together the many limbs of the Church among themselves (for as in a
city or in a house unity is obtained in this way, that one considers the benefits of the other, and
can remain neither peaceful nor restful, where one does not provide for the other, where we
do not bear with one another), thus here Paul will admonish that one should suffer and bear
the other's error, weakness, that they should forgive one another, so that unity will be kept in
the Church, so that the Christian's home is not torn, cut apart, and share in all sorts of sects and

54
Colossians 3:14.
cults, consequently there is much rubbish, hatred, and envy, all kinds of bitterness and evil
poison, finally public heresy would occur."55 This idea will first be carried out in the next thesis.

,

- 

 
 "
 

 
 
 
 


 

   
 

 
 *

.-
 
 














#  


 







 
  
 

 


 
 
#

The first premise of this thesis is based on the total explanation in Article III of the
Apology, especially in paragraphs 113 and 114: "On the other hand, perfection and unity is
obtained, that is, the Church remains undivided and whole, when the strong tolerate and
endure the weak, when people have patience with preachers also, when the bishops and
preachers know how to exercise forbearance according to people, with respect to all kinds of
weaknesses and faults. Of the way and manner to keep unity, is also written much everywhere
in the books of the philosophers and worldly-wise. For we must forgive each other much and
have good for the sake of unity."

The true Church has practiced this affectionate indulgence at all times. We have an
excellent example in the manner in which the Lord accepted His covenant people at the
beginning of the New Testament period, to disengage the members of the Jewish Church,
where possible, from the false idea of an earthly Messianic kingdom. The Savior Himself came
to His own, to the people of the Jews, to which He belonged by virtue of His biological ancestry
and birth. He explained that He, for His part in His personal Office, was not sent except to the
lost sheep of the house of Israel. 56 He gave to His disciples the direct mandate: "Go not into the
way of the Gentiles and draw not into the cities of the Samaritans, but go to the lost sheep of
the house of Israel."57 Although the Savior said to the Jews: "I have other sheep that are not of
this fold"58, namely that of the Jewish Church, but Paul also followed in his practice the rule: "to
the Jew first and then to the Greeks."59 Nevertheless, he was the apostle to the Gentiles, so we
find that he almost regularly visited the Jewish synagogue first, and that not only for a
convenient point of connection, but in principle. He preached in Pisidian Antioch first in the
synagogue, and until such time as the Jews contradicted and blasphemed.60 And then he made
the solemn declaration: "The Word of God must be spoken to you first; but since you reject it
and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles."61 So it went in

55
Concordia Triglotta, p. 184.
56
Matthew 15:24.
57
Matthew 10:5-6.
58
John 10:16.
59
Romans 1:16.
60
Acts 13:45.
61
Acts 13:46.
Iconium,62 in Thessalonica,63 in Corinth,64 where he was eventually forced to leave the
opposition and blasphemy of the Jews in the face of the explanation: "Your blood be upon your
heads! From now on I go to the Gentiles."65 Even still as Paul came to Rome as a prisoner in the
year 61, after he had already written in the year 58 his glorious epistle to the Christian
congregation in Rome, he called together the chiefs of the Jews in order, where possible, to win
them for the Gospel.66 And just as they also opposed the Gospel throughout, he reminded them
of the words of the prophet Isaiah, chapter six, that had been used also by Christ under certain
circumstances.67 While the apostles had to put up with a lack of knowledge and with weakness
in the view and understanding of Scriptural doctrine, while there was still some hope that one
could win people to the pure Gospel, as long as they exercised forbearance, patience, kindness,
as long as they were willing to forgive much for the sake of love.

It was a similar situation at the time of the Reformation; especially Luther and those
standing next to him have so practiced. In the Apology, in Article III, paragraph 122, we read:
"The apostles did not admonish without cause for such love, which the philosophers have called
  . For love in unity should be and remain together, whether in the Church or in
secular government, so they do not have to settle all weaknesses against each other on gold
scales; they have to allow each other more room in the water and make allowances for [each
other] as much as possible, to have brotherly patience with each other." As long as it was a
question of weakness, of affliction, of lack of knowledge or even a human error in connection
with the preaching of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments, Luther went - and
with him the other reformers of Germany - really to the utmost limit of the permissible. Seldom
in the history of the Church were sermons given under similar circumstances that expressed the
spirit of true peace and the efforts to preserve the unity in the Spirit, as the eight sermons that
Luther held at Wittenberg from March 9-16, 1522 after his return from the Wartburg. Although
Luther, namely in the period between December, 1519, when he said "Although one does not
now give both kinds to the people every day as aforetime, it is not necessary"68, and October,
1520, where he in the writing On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church called for the Lord's
Supper under both kinds, had come to the right knowledge and probably knew that this was a
clear teaching of Scripture, yet he still could say in the fifth sermon of that series: "Although I
think it's certain that it was necessary to receive this Sacrament under both kinds according to
the institution of Christ, our dear Lord, as described clearly by the three evangelists and St.
Paul: but one should not make it compulsory so soon and so suddenly and put into a common
order, until everyone everywhere beforehand was well informed, in order that the weak in faith
here inside [the Church] are not angry; but the Word should drive one to practice and preach,
but then the result of the Word should follow and God should command until His time."69

62
Acts 14:1.
63
Acts 17:1.
64
Acts 18:4.
65
Acts 18:6.
66
Acts 28:17ff.
67
Matthew 13:14-15; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10-11; see also John 12:39-41.
68
"Sermon on the Venerable Sacrament of the Holy, True Body of Christ", St. Louis Edition Vol. XIX:426f.
69
St. Louis Edition Vol. XX, 37f. See Visitation Articles, Vol. X, 1653.
 We have practiced similarly, particularly in our inner mission (Home Missions), because
we work in general with great caution in mission, even in Germany. We have insightful
members, particularly among those who have enjoyed the full blessing of our school system,
pastors and teachers at the top. And yet there is always something: here a lack of right
understanding of Scripture, there a hesitation, even a cowardice in applying a clear Word of
Scripture. But love commands, as long as we are on the same ground of Scripture and
Confessions, that we make allowances, that we, with all patience and suffering, look out for
those who are caught in error and also teach each other again and again, and accept such
instruction with a humble heart when it is based on God's Word.

But it is one thing to bear with the weak, and a completely different thing to tolerate
false doctrine and to allow it to reign in the Church. !


"



  

  
 ; it may, as our thesis says, under no circumstances occur
with denial of the truth. Lack of knowledge and weakness of understanding one can and must
excuse; but no person, particularly not a teacher of the Church, let alone an entire church
fellowship, can be excused for denial of truth and false confession and false practice. 
"

 



 , it may not claim recognition and the right to exist. Willful
participants in the falsification of the Word of Truth are children of damnation.70

This is clear Scriptural teaching. Especially in the Old Testament the Lord showed Elijah
that one cannot limp on both sides, to maintain truth also with error and falsehood.71 And the
New Testament passages that here can be considered, speak with great seriousness. "If you


% , then you are my disciples and you shall know the truth and the truth
shall make you free.... Why do you not understand my speech (
 

)?
Because you cannot hear My Word (



).... But I, because I speak the truth,
you believe me not."72 "Also from your own selves men will rise up, speaking 





, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore be alert and remember that
for three years I have not ceased, day and night, to admonish every one with tears."73 "I
beseech you, dear brothers, that you take heed to those who cause divisions and trouble next
to the doctrine that you have learned, and 
 
! For such do not serve the Lord
Jesus Christ but their belly, and by smooth words and fair speech seduce innocent hearts."74 "-



 leavens 
 
."75 "If anyone comes to you and brings not this doctrine,
do not take him into the house and do not greet him. For he who greets him makes himself
partaker of his evil deeds."76

70
See the comments of D. Pieper in Christian Dogmatics, Vol. 1:99-102 (German), 88-91 (English).
71
1 Kings 18:21; Cf. Amos 3:3.
72
John 8:31-32, 43, 45.
73
Acts 20:30-31.
74
Romans 16:17-18.
75
Galatians 5:9. See 1 Corinthians 5:6, 2.
76
2 John 10-11.
 On these and other Scripture passages we establish ourselves, when it says in our thesis:
"Any deviation from a clearly revealed doctrine in Scripture conceives church-dividing
opportunities in itself and must lead in continued perseverance into error on the part of the
dissenting party to a severing of the brotherly-band." The Scriptural evidence is not only just
given, but in some cases already mentioned in the previous thesis. For if Scripture is the pure
Word of God, then all parts themselves are also accepted as Truth; then naturally also all parts
have validity as Scriptural 

, and the only exceptions are the sections of which God
Himself has limited direct application, partly because the ceremonial law is abolished, partly
because we as believers of the New Testament have the fulfillment of the prophecies as the
basis of our faith-promise. Therefore whoever either advocates and implements a union across
the boundaries set by God or also intends to maintain that it does not serve the unity of the
Spirit, only greatly aggravates the inner conflict and disruption of outward Christianity.
Therefore, Luther writes in his conversation with Dr. George Major: "It makes you even suspect
with silence and disguise; but as you believe, as yours speaks before too, then such talk in the
Church, in lectionibus, concionibus et privatis colloquiis, and strengthens your brothers and
helps the erring back to the right way and contradicts the mischievous spirits; otherwise your
commitment is only a larval plant and good for nothing. Whoever rightly and certainly keeps his
doctrine, faith, and commitment for truth, that can lead others into false doctrine or are
devoted to the same, neither stays in 
stable nor ever gives good words to the devil and his
shed. A teacher that is still silent to errors and nevertheless will be a good teacher is worse than
a public enthusiast (Schwärmer).... or he is entirely and even to himself uncertain and not
worthy that he should be called a student, let alone a teacher, and neither will offend anyone
nor speak Christ's Word nor will hurt the devil and the world."77

We cannot help but quote several sections from the writings of Luther, the so-called
great interpretation of Galatians. He writes particularly with reference to Galatians 5:9: "Hence
this passage must also be considered carefully in opposition to the argument by which they
accuse us of offending against love and thus doing great harm to the churches. We are truly
ready and willing to show them peace and love, provided they leave the doctrine of faith safe
and sound for us. Where we cannot obtain such from them, it is vain that they praise Christian
love so highly. 


 

  
   



 
 


 , to which everything must yield - love, an apostle, an
angel from heaven and whatever it may be. Therefore when they minimize this issue in such a
dishonest way, they give ample evidence of how highly they regard the majesty of the Word. If
they believed that it is the Word of God, they would not play around with it this way. No, they
would treat it with the utmost respect; they would put their faith in it without any disputing or
doubting; and they would know that 
Word of God is all and that all are one, that 

doctrine is all doctrines and all are 

, so that when one is lost all are eventually lost, because
they belong together and are held together by a common bond.... Therefore if you deny God in

article of faith, you have denied Him in all; for God is not divided into many articles of faith,
but He is everything in each article and He is one in all the articles of faith.... Therefore let us
learn to praise and magnify the majesty and authority of the Word. For it is no trifle, as the

77
St. Louis Ed. XVII:1179f.
fanatics of our day suppose; but one dot 78 is greater than heaven and earth. 

 



 
 

 



 
  

, but we simply employ the tribunal; that
is, we condemn and curse all those who insult or injure the majesty of the divine Word in the
slightest, because 'a little leaven leavens the whole lump.' But if they let us have the Word
sound and unimpaired, we are prepared not only to exercise charity and concord toward them
but to offer ourselves as their slaves and to do anything for them."79

This corresponding Scriptural doctrine, as set forth in the above-mentioned witnesses,

the Church has always practiced. The same Paul, who appears so carefully and especially
protects the weak in faith with all determination, holds with respect to the Judaizing skulker the
false teachers of his time in general a very different position. Not only in Galatians does he
punish them with unrelenting focus, but also in the last chapter of Second Corinthians. Even the
doubt concerning the doctrine of the resurrection gives him reason to reject such resolute
aberrations80, and what especially concerns Hymnaeus and Philetus, who had been missing the
truth and saying that the resurrection had already happened, he thus confronts them with all
vehemence.81 - The same is true of the Age of the Reformation. The same Luther, who, as we
have seen, could exercise much patience and tolerance, who could accept even a Tetzel and a
Carlstadt, as these were in need of such friendliness, who could also negotiate for years with
the South German theologians, with Bucer at the top, of which the Wittenberg Concord is a
witness, had to act for the sake of the truth with all severity against the Romans and later
against the Zwinglians, because otherwise his behavior would have amounted to a relinquishing
of the truth. - The whole question of separatism with its evil practical consequences will be
treated in the last thesis.

/

-   


 
  


 

 

  

  

 
 

0

 


 



This thesis has been included for completeness. Although ecclesiastical ceremonies are
among indifferent things and for this reason alone should not should not affect the unity of the
Church, yet [they] occur in connection with slight misunderstandings, so that even in the
Lutheran Church an adiaphoristic dispute is noted that contains some important lessons for us.
It has been stated in the first three theses what is sufficient for the true unity of the Church.
Therefore it should actually be the end of the matter. All Christians should be able to agree on
the words of the Eighth Article of the Augsburg Confession where it states: "For this is enough
for true unity of the Christian Church that the Gospel be preached harmoniously according to a
pure understanding [of it] and the Sacraments are administered according to the Divine Word.

78
Matthew 5:18.
79
St. Louis Edition Vol. IX:642ff. AE 27:38-39, 46. Translation altered in some places by author. See also Luther's
writing, "That These Words of Christ, 'This Is My Body' etc. Still Stands Against the Fanatics" St. Louis Edition
XX:762ff. AE 37; likewise Walther's Church and Office, German p. 113ff.
80
1 Corinthians 15:12ff.
81
2 Timothy 2:17-18.
And it is not necessary for the true unity of the Christians Church that ceremonies, instituted by
men, be kept uniform everywhere, as Paul says in Ephesians 4:5-6: '*
body, 
Spirit, as you
were called to one hope of your calling; 
Lord, 
faith, 
baptism."82 This occurs later in
the Apology: "The adversaries condemn this part from the Seventh Article, as we have said, that
it is enough for the unity of the Church that all the same Gospel, all the same Sacraments are
administered, and it is not necessary that human traditions are uniform everywhere. These
parts they also allow, that it was not necessary for the unity of the Church that
|
|‘ 

|
 are equal. But that
|
|‘  |are equal was necessary for true unity of
the Church.... Concerning the same unity we now say it was not necessary that human
traditions, be they | or 
|
, are the same everywhere. For righteousness,
which is before God, that comes through faith, is not bound to outward ceremonies or human
traditions. For faith is a light in the heart that the heart renews and gives life; because external
ordinances and ceremonies, be they universal or particular, helps little.... For this is Paul's
opinion [in Colossians 2:16-17]: Faith in the heart, through which we get religion, is a spiritual
thing and light in the heart, through which we are renewed, obtains another sense and
courage. But human traditions are not such a vivid light and power of the Holy Spirit in the
heart, they are not something eternal; therefore they do not bestow eternal life, but are
outward, physical exercises that do not change the heart. That is why it cannot be held that
they were necessary for justification that is before God."83 Also in the 12th Article of the
Schmalkald Articles it is said: "For so the children pray: 'I believe one holy Christian Church.' This
holiness is not in surplices, plates, long robes and their other ceremonies, invented by them
over [going beyond] the Holy Scriptures, but in the Word of God and true faith." Finally, the
case is also explained properly in the 10th Article of the Formula of Concord, to which we shall
return later.

In these different quotes from our Confessions is the dogma that is observed explained
briefly and correctly. Whenever and wherever ecclesiastical rites and ceremonies are observed
in the sense and spirit as if they had any relation to the justification of the poor sinner before
God, then they must be condemned. The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, not
lighting of candles, wearing of garments, altars, pulpits, images or the like, but righteousness
and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. That is noted especially in this question.

But we admit as well that ecclesiastical ceremonies, when rightly introduced and used,
have a confessional value. First of all it should be noted that God is a God of order and through
the observation of order the external Divine Service can not only be simplified, but also become
a ceremony of confession that has its value in the work of the Church. With intent toward order
in the public Divine Service, Paul writes to the Corinthians: "Let all things be done honestly and
orderly"84 and in this sense we approve the Word and act accordingly.

82
Concordia Triglotta, p. 46.
83
Concordia Triglotta, p. 236, 240. See Article XV of the Apology.
84
1 Corinthians 14:40.
 For this purpose there follows passages from Luther. He writes in his "Admonition to the
Christians in Livonia Concerning External Divine Service and Concord": "Whether it is perhaps
the outward orders in Divine Service as masses, singing, reading, baptisms, do not make for
salvation, it is still un-Christian that one is also divided and thereby misleads poor people and
does not respect the bettering of people than our own sense and discretion.... For, as has been
said, even though the external procedures or orders are free and, to reckon according to faith,
may with good conscience in all places, for all time, be changed by all persons, then you are still
likely, to reckon according to love, not free, to carry out such freedom, but guilty to have
attention thereof, as it was tolerable and better to poor people; as Saint Paul says in 1
Corinthians 14:40: 'Let all things be done honestly and in order' and 1 Corinthians 6:12: 'All
things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful' and 1 Corinthians 8:1: 'Knowledge puffs
up, but love edifies'; and as he there speaks to those who have the knowledge of faith and
freedom and yet do not know how they should have the knowledge, because they do not apply
the same for the relief of the people, but for the praise of their understanding."85 And in his
"Brief Confession of the Sacrament Against the Fanatics" in 1544 it says, "For where else can it
take place without sin and without danger or nuisance, it is indeed to be, that to compare the
Churches, even in external parts, that really are free, as they compare themselves in spirit,
faith, Word, Sacrament, etc. For such is fine and pleases everyone well."86

It follows from this, that it may easily befall, that a Christian despite the freedom, that
he has, nevertheless in such "middle things" or adiaphora his Christian freedom is not easily
enforced. Paul is for us also in this regard a shining example. He has confidence in his Christian
freedom and defends it with the utmost determination. He refuses to circumcise Titus namely
because the Jewish-minded Christians in Jerusalem wanted to make this a requirement87;
however, he circumcised Timothy for the sake of the Jews who lived in his hometown Lystra,
for they all knew that his father was a Greek.88 He insists that the conscience of the weak must
be protected89; but he himself is willing in Jerusalem in the year 58 to undergo the purification
ceremonies of the Jews, only to spare the tender consciences of individual congregation
members.90 So he took upon himself, both in the case of Timothy as well as on the occasion of
his last visit to Jerusalem, ceremonies of the Jewish law, of which he actually knew, of which he
had also written through inspiration of God, that they had no real value. He was defined and
guided by the law of love. Luther also did the same thing. Yes, one of the most interesting
writings of the Great Reformed is the document, "On the Freedom of A Christian" from 1520, in
which he explains two points: "1. A Christian is a free man over all things and subject to no one;
2. A Christian is a ministering servant of all things and subject to everyone."91 In this sense and
spirit the work of the Church should proceed.

85
St. Louis Edition X:260.
86
St. Louis Edition XX:1790.
87
Galatians 2:3.
88
Acts 16:3.
89
1 Corinthians 8:9ff.
90
Acts 21:24-26.
91
St. Louis Edition XIX:986f.
 We therefore say that ecclesiastical ceremonies have a definite confessional value and
the Church therefore always with great caution must go to work in the observation of such
customs and ceremonies. This is shown by the history of the liturgy, that herein can be our
teacher. It is a fact that more heresies have come to people through the consistent
presentation of Divine Services of Sunday and Festival Days than through all Papal decrees,
through all decisions of councils and through all the writings of the Scholastics. The Post-Nicene
Church had not simply invented the doctrines of adoration of the saints and purgatory, but
these have evolved over the course of time from quite innocent appearing ceremonies. It was
so: the first Christians were so very set on the hereafter that they took together and saw the
congregation on this side of the grave and beyond it as 
great Church, an idea that was not
wrong in itself. This was why, according to the first liturgies, the prayers in the great Church
prayer were done for all, whether they were still here on earth or were already among the
blessed perfected. But it did not last long at all, as these prayers were changed by small
additions and turned into prayers for the dead. As a result, it was then soon there that the
sleeping brethren were no longer regarded as dead, their fate was already decided, but as
brothers who were merely at a different place and whose location and future destiny was not
yet fully determined. This evolved into the actual prayer for the dead. - It was similar with the
doctrine of purgatory. Beginning with Origen and Cyprian, one can follow the wrong idea
through individual sayings of a Chrysostom and an Augustine, until finally Gregory the Great,
who discovered and then expanded the prayers in this sense, won the courage to carry on the
doctrine of purgatory even in public. - The idea of sacrifice developed in exactly the same way
in connection with the holy Lord's Supper. While the fathers before the Nicene Council by and
large still focused on the question of the true presence of the Body and Blood in the Sacrament,
yet soon after we find points that indicate a gradual aberration. And here held the development
of liturgical texts with false thoughts, so that one drifted away from the doctrine of the true
presence of the Body and Blood of Christ in, with, and under the bread and wine, then a local,
physical presence was taught and finally it was claimed that earthly elements in the Sacrament
are transformed into the heavenly possessions of the Body and Blood of Christ. But these ideas
found entry by people through the regular performance of erroneous ideas in the Sunday and
festival Divine Services.

Even in the age of the Reformation this cause was difficult. We know well that Carlstadt
and the iconoclasts had made the attempt to abolish all ecclesiastical ceremonies by force,
while Luther through patient, friendly instruction concerning the essential wrongs in the
liturgical rites paved the way for a purified, truly Christian order of Divine Service that he
proposed and recommended in the years 1523 and 1526. But shortly after Luther's death a
transition came to the disadvantage of the Church of the Reformation. In two regulations in the
year 1548, namely in the so-called Augsburg and Leipzig Interim, the Romans wanted to
reintroduce the old ceremonies. However, the Augsburg Interim, written by the papist bishops
Pflugk and Helding and the unscrupulous Lutheran-in-name-only Johann Agricola of Eisleben,
that while the Lutherans allowed the marriage of priests and the Lord's Supper under both
kinds, but asked in return from them submission to the Pope as the supreme bishop, the
imposed reintroduction of many papal rites and in many important articles the teaching of
truth and error was horribly mingled with each other, was so universally hated that little of it
prevailed, although they sought with the full force of imperial authority to give it full validity.
The Leipzig Interim of December 22, 1548, however, was in a sense far more dangerous,
because it had been approved by the Wittenberg professors under Melanchthon's leadership.
The most dangerous points in this document were those that brought an ambiguous
representation of the disputed points and demanded submission under the rule of papal
bishops. But in a little less degree of concern were also those points that sought to introduce
again all sorts of ceremonies and practices that had been stopped because of their inherent
papal leaven. Many of these practices were now actually in and of itself adiaphora and would
also henceforth be regarded and can be treated as such, if they would not become over the
course of more than two decades on the papal side a confessional act that the participants of
these ceremonies identified with the Papal church. But just because these practices of
Melanchthon and those like-minded with him by preference were described as adiaphora
(middle-things), so that even Bugenhagen, Paul Eber, and George Major coincided with [it] in
the very general assertion that one could certainly yield to enemies in adiaphora, yes, should
yield for the sake of peace and continuance of the orthodox Church, it came to the
Adiaphoristic Controversy. In this controversy the discussion finally came to a head on the
question whether one could and should give in to the opponents of pure doctrine in order to
insist for peace and unity in adiaphora and enter into a sort of union, by which the other
question was linked to whether one could be included in the Emperor's order of the charge that
the Pope is the antichrist.92

The adiaphoristic question has been solved in the Lutheran Church by the Formula of
Concord in Article X, where distinctly and clearly it is said: "We believe, teach, and confess, that
the congregation of God in every place and every time have the same opportunity according to
good right, force, and power, to change, to increase, and to reduce the same [Church customs
and adiaphora] without frivolity and offense ordinarily and duly, as it is considered always for
good order, Christian discipline and cultivation, evangelical prosperity and for the edification of
the churches in the most useful, most beneficial, and best [way]. How one could also waver and
give way to the weak in faith in such external adiaphora with a clear conscience, Paul teaches in
Romans 14 and proves it with his example in Acts 15 and 21 and 1 Corinthians 9. We believe,
teach, and confess also that in a time of confession, when the enemies of God desire to
suppress the pure doctrine of the Holy Gospel, the entire congregation of God, especially the
servants of the Word, as the manager of the congregation of God, are bound by God's Word to
confess freely and openly the doctrine, and what belongs to the whole of religion, not only in
words, but also in works and with deeds; and that then, in this case, even in such adiaphora,
they must not yield to the adversaries, or permit these to be forced upon them by their
enemies, whether by violence or cunning, to the detriment of the true Divine Service of God
and the introduction and acknowledgment of idolatry."93

Yet the faithful Lutheran Church has remained to this day. And although one would be
inclined to regret that the consequences of the Thirty Years War and the influence of

92
See Walther, "The Formula of Concord Core and Star" 14 ff., 25. Lehre und Wehre 75:327ff.
93
Concordia Triglotta, p. 828, 1054.
Rationalism (together with certain Pietistic tendencies) have greatly diminished our liturgical
inheritance, yet that changes nothing about our 
 position. Also it would be desirable
that one would again go back to the principles that Luther has stated in his liturgical writings in
a further development of the liturgical expansion of the Lutheran Divine Service. But in all this,
the principle of the Tenth Article of the Formula of Concord remains.

One thought must here of course be added to our thesis, namely this, that
circumstances may occur that force us, as indicated in the Formula of Concord, to express our
confession by ecclesiastical rites and ceremonies. There were only two cases mentioned.
Because the Baptists and sects related to them hold the form of immersion in baptism as the
only correct form and insist on that, thus it has become a confession in the Lutheran Church to
refrain from this form of baptism. Because most Reformed sects believe it is essential that the
bread be broken in the holy Lord's Supper, therefore the Lutheran Church refuses to accept this
rite, and we make use of the hosts or wafers already common in the ancient Church. In a similar
manner we insist also in other cases in the freedom whereby Christ has set us free, so that we
are not trapped in the slavish yoke of human ordinances. So also Luther, who strongly
advocated in the early years immersion in baptism, especially of children, has taken a different
position later, in order not to be condemned in his freedom by another's conscience. In this
sense, we follow the world of the apostle in Romans 14:19: "Therefore let us pursue what
makes for peace and what serves for the edification of one another."

1

- 
 


 

    

"

The word "Syncretism", used as a verb in classical Greek, at the beginning of the
Reformation, referred to the standing together of parties that, although they are not united
with each other in all things, want to form a stronger united front against a common enemy.
Nevertheless, because such groups are conscious of the points of difference, still these points,
the position in doctrine and practice, more or less influence, but allows it to rest there, namely
in the interest of church politics. Since the time of the Reformation, and particularly since the
so-called Syncretistic Controversy in the 17th century, the term is used in a broader and
narrower sense. Dannhauer defines it as a mixing of different religions, and he especially seems
to think about Protestantism and Catholicism. Calov understands concerning syncretism
particularly the attempts at unification between Reformed and Lutheran, but without the
common basis of Scripture being adopted beforehand. Pfaff more generally defines [it]:
"Ecclesiastical syncretism is churchly-brotherly fellowship with such, that differ from us in the
foundation of faith."

Unionism differentiates itself from syncretism particularly in that the united front
against a common enemy usually lacks, and that the ignorance of doctrinal differences is
probably not as well pronounced and expressed. But a significant difference can hardly be
stated. Unionism is the ignorance of doctrinal differences by an external with those with whom
one was not previously in union.    


   

 

   or also without concord in the understanding of confessions that one recognizes on
paper. "The union does not want to create a new dogma as the doctrinal basis of a new
confessional church," writes Meusel [Andreas Musculus], "but they want two churches to link
up with each other that they, without all working together, on the basis of common ground and
with total disregard of division form 
fellowship. The union is then pronounced externally in
Lord's Supper fellowship and in church government fellowship, and the goal of all this is that
everything that divides is increasingly recognized and treated as indifferent and that the
consensus that the whole thing finally makes for some an inwardly united church."

The two -isms are therefore closely related; for while syncretism is the blatant form of
mixing religions, unionism represents a more refined form of church fellowship without any real
confessional fellowship. Both have emerged strongly in the history of the Church at times. We
must refer to the worship of the golden calf as syncretism of the worst kind; because the idol
that Aaron made upon the demand of the people should, according to the opinion of the
Israelites, move the gods that had led them out of Egypt.94 It was a similar case with the idol
that Micah from the mountains of Ephraim had made, for which he even won a Levite as his
priest.95 Syncretism was also caused by the Alexandrian theologians, especially Clement of
Alexandria, to discover in the writings of various Greek philosophers and in their system of
Christian evidence, because various general heresies (Gnosticism, Manichaeism) are due to
such attempts. A syncretistic spirit was there when Melanchthon and his colleagues were
persuaded to adopt the Leipzig Interim, because the same spirit was already put in
Melanchthon in Augsburg, where he was so intimidated after the handing over of the
Confession by the threatening attitude of the Romans, that he himself was ready to make the
most far-reaching concessions. Uhlhorn writes: "The Interim found the sharpest opposition
among the uncompromising Lutherans. Some Lutheran pastors wanted to follow Melanchthon,
themselves knowingly or unknowingly deceived concerning the scope of the Interim and
looking to save with half measures one thing, they further had no real confidence to force the
victory, others were more fully committed to sacrifice everything for the pure Gospel.
Melanchthon's reputation now received a sharp blow in their circles; even many of his former
friends broke away from him. Brenz wrote to him that it was a chimera to merge evangelical
doctrine, the Papacy, and the Interim into one. Corvinus, who had always been concerned
about Melanchthon's cowardice, whom he still revered in the highest, painfully broke away
[from him] in these words: 'Melanchthon's yieldingness is the ruin of the Church.' He also
directed a cautionary letter to Melanchthon with a number of clergy, especially those returning
to Hannover and Göttingen, to return back to the earlier truth. In many circles of Lutherans in
North and South Germany the trust of the collaborator of Luther had fallen. His letter to
Karlowitz that was distributed everywhere on the Roman side, and his cool response to those in
Hamburg really aroused animosity against him."96

94
Exodus 32:4.
95
Judges 17.
96
The Beginnings of the German-Lutheran Church, Vol. 1, p. 63f.
 A syncretistic spirit also reveals itself especially in recent times in every area of church
work. The unfortunate theory of evolution is also seen in the field of the philosophy of religion
and the comparative history of religion. Because one believes in a development of religion from
the first signs of trembling in the presence of the incomprehensible to monotheism and
Christianity, one wants to put all religions on 
level. The idea that Christianity is an absolute
revealed religion is incomprehensible to modern history of religion scholars. The most
outspoken among them includes even Lao Tzu, Confucius, Gautama Buddha, Zoroaster,
Akhnaton, Mohammed, Socrates, Isaiah [of Babylon], Paul, along with Jesus Christ in their
pantheon as "Saviors of Mankind". 97 Even in men who call themselves Lutheran theologians we
find that they build their dogmatic lectures on the psychology of religion and comparative
religion instead of solely on the revealed and infallible Word of God. In general are false gods
and founders of false religions recognized as [having] a right to exist even on an equal footing
with the one true God of Scripture and our only Savior Jesus Christ. A sign of our syncretistic
age are the so-called "Good-will Sundays" as Baptists of St. Louis schedule one such [day] on
March 16, where a peaceful resolution of conflicts should occur between them and the Jews.
An equally alarming sign of the times are "interchurch conferences" or "Seminars" between
Jews, Catholics, and Protestants, as one has organized one such in May in St. Louis. One is in
many cases not even aware of the differences between the different religions if these until now
have existed, or one will simply set them aside in a lazy and false love of peace without
considering that one thereby undermines the foundation of Christianity.

We must also raise this same charge against Unionism, as revealed particularly in the
aspirations of union between Reformed and Lutherans, between the various Reformed bodies
and between various Lutheran confessions and various teaching. We already find such efforts in
Johann Sigismund (1572-1619) [of the House of] Hohenzollern and then particularly under the
Great Elector98, by which Paul Gerhardt was repressed through the Decree of 1662 (intensified
in 1664). Particularly prominent, however, were the attempts at union under Friedrich Wilhelm
III, through whose proclamation the Union Church was born on September 27, 1817, by which
unspeakable tyranny of conscience was done. But the consequences of this decree was that the
Saxons, the Prussians, the Wends and others have been expelled from their homes in Germany
so that then by God's gracious providence here in America a Lutheran Church of pure
confession was built.

But the unfortunate, mischievous attempts at union were made again and again and
one yet always grows bolder. The federation that is known as "Federal Council of the Churches
of Christ in America", that Deissman99 and Athearn100 so highly praise, pushes itself as the
representative of the Protestant Church in America. The "United Church of Canada", a welding
together of Methodists, Presbyterians and Congregationalists in 1925, is a monster than can
barely even speak of a confessional basis. It is the same for the union of the Scottish State

97
See [William R.] Van Buskirk, Saviors of Mankind.
98
Friedrich Wilhelm I (1620-1688). - Tr.
99
The Ecumenical Awakening, p. 19.
100
Ten Reasons for Federation.
Church and the United Free Church of Scotland in October, 1929, with the union of the
Evangelical Synod of North America, the Reformed Church in the United States and the United
Brethren in Christ and with the expected union of the Northern Presbyterian Church, the United
Presbyterian Church and the Reformed Church of America, [and] other similar experiments that
are impossible to remember.

And what about the Lutheran camp? The "National Lutheran Council" was established in
1918. It has no actual confessional basis, but the name "Lutheran" is enough in order to gain
membership. But it is active in an excellent way in generous attempts at union. The Lutheran
World Convention at Eisenach (1923) and at Copenhagen (1929) are largely the work of the
National Lutheran Council. An exchange paper summarizes the results101: "The first step toward
reunion [namely the separate Lutheran bodies] was taken at the First Lutheran World
Convention, held at Eisenach, Germany, in 1923. The sessions, significantly enough, were held
in the Wartburg Castle, where Martin Luther four hundred years ago translated the Bible
[should read "the New Testament"] into the language of the common people.... The movement
progressed until at a meeting of the National Lutheran Council in New York the actual
organization was effected, and Dr. John A. Morehead, who had resigned as executive director
of the National Lutheran Council, was made president of the Lutheran World Convention. The
only Lutheran body not represented is the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri [should read
Synodical Conference], which, we are told, declined to cooperate."

Meanwhile, however, union attempts have continued in spite of many naming even a
concern with the giant steps. The Norwegian Lutheran Church of America emerged in June,
1917 from the (majority of the) Norwegian Lutheran Synod of America, the United Norwegian
Lutheran Church and the Hauge Synod. In November, 1918 followed the United Lutheran
Church of America, a union of the General Synod, the General Council and the United Synod of
the Ev. Luth. Church in the South. In the next few days (August 11 and 12, 1930) the American
Lutheran Church forms. It is composed of the Ohio, Iowa, and Buffalo Synods. The bodies just
mentioned then intend to join an even larger federation of synods, namely the "American
Lutheran Conference" as other members come from the Augustana Synod, the Norwegian
Lutheran Church of America, the United Danish Church and the Lutheran Free Church. The
majority of these have already approved of the plan of federation.

Therefore, the spirit of union is in the air. It is a phenomenon that appeals to earnest
reflection. Without any reflection on the personal doctrinal and faith position of all concerned it
should be well allowed to ask the question whether the decision of the Ohio Synod in 1918102
has been consistently kept in mind103: "Much as an organic Lutheran union is desired, we, in
agreement with our worthy president, declare we can never enter into union with any Lutheran
synod unless we agree in doctrine and practise (|
), especially at this time, when the unionistic
spirit is threatening to creep into our Lutheran Church." Where in all these cases is their really

101
The following quote is in English in the original essay. -Tr.
102
Proceedings, p. 121.
103
The following quote is in English in the original essay. -Tr.
an expression of unity in the Spirit? Is it actually a union in truth as God's Word demands? Or
has one for the sake of outward union given away some of the inner unity? Are all or only some
of these unions done on the basis of Scripture and Confession, so that the ambiguousness of
"Opgjör", the relationship between the Augustana Synod and Bishop Söderblom, the doctrine
of inspiration in real facts, and the question of the possibility of errors in Scripture, of
collaborating with the General Lutheran Conference and other points have been effectively
abolished, as we should give ourselves certainty about that; for then our course is presented in
Scripture, namely the recognition of brotherly-faith fellowship. On the other hand, if everything
is not cleared out of the way that, according to God's Word, does not hinder unity in faith, 



  
 
  "

 

)
 

 


. We are always ready for further doctrinal negotiations, but unification
may be made only on the basis of true union.

How namely Scripture stands on that has been set forth in the first part of this work. We
here point out the following passages. "May also two walk together, except they be one with
each other?"104 "'Whoever has My Word, let him preach My Word right. How does straw and
wheat rhyme together?' says the Lord"105 "Comfort My people in their distress, that they
should despise it and say: 'Peace, Peace!' and there is no peace."106 "But whoever is ashamed of
Me and My Words....also will be ashamed of the Son of Man."107 "Whoever confesses Me
before men, him I will confess before My heavenly Father. But whoever denies Me before men,
him I will also deny before My heavenly Father."108 For these and other passages it is clear that
it is not sufficient to preserve unity that one recognizes a common confessional basis - ,
otherwise Scripture would eventually satisfy in full - , but it must also clearly emerge that
everyone has the same right understanding of Scripture and the Confessions.

What Meusel says of the German union efforts is also


||  about the other:
"The Lutheran Church has always been hostile to union, and indeed not less against the
conservative than against the absorptive. If it has also willingly accepted a certain consensus
between themselves and the Reformed, then yet not less such between themselves and the
Roman Catholic Church. In addition, however, it has also always stressed the fundamental
difference between the two churches, the 'other spirit' that separates it from the Reformed no
less than from the Romans.... Though a church body believing something different must be
taken in certain circumstances, it can never be regarded as something normal, but only as
something unhealthy." An English Lutheran rightly points out difficulties that cannot so easily
be removed110: " True church unity...will not be brought about by an easy accommodation of
our practises (|
) and usages to those of others. To bring about this desired consummation

104
Amos 3:3.
105
Jeremiah 23:28.
106
Jeremiah 8:11. See Jeremiah 6:14; Micah 3:5, 11; Ezekiel 13:10, 16.
107
Mark 8:38.
108
Matthew 10:32-33.
109
"all other things being equal".
110
The following quote appears in English in the article. - Tr.
leads one on a more rugged road than an agreement in outward practise (|
) which is of a
piece with the shallowness of the age in which we live."111

Finally, a word from Luther in this thesis, wherein he stresses that the striving of a
merely superficial unity, no matter what happens with this pageantry, only serves further
uncertainty and thus ultimately the disruption and nuisance that we have indeed seen in the
eyes of the papal church. He writes: "For now I ask: What about this day, as all are under the
rule of 
Pope? Is the unity preserved intact, when one shall come together under the
external name of the Pope?... 



  

 


   .
Therefore, although under the pope is an outward pomp of unity, inwardly is nothing but the
ugliest Babylon that no stone is left upon another or one heart is unanimous with the other, so
that one sees how beautiful human boldness knows to recommend spiritual matters to their
statutes. One must also look for another way for the unity of the Church. And that is this, which
Christ indicates in John 6:45: 'They will all be taught from God. Anyone who hears from the
Father and learns that comes to me.' 

  (   
 

 


 



 
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. And where it is about, there it is only external and white-washed."112

3

- 



 

 

As unionism first demands recognition, then equality, then precedence, so also

separatism. Yes, the latter set themselves up much like a martyr in order to arouse sympathy.
The unionist fondly chooses his motto: "In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things
charity", but too often reduces the essentials to the minimum of essential Christian knowledge,
while he demands the maximum of love and tolerance. The fact that confessional and doctrinal
unity are only all too easily blurred into an ideal, that, in order to talk with a picture of
Scripture, the trumpet in most cases gives a very uncertain sound, if it is still audible at all,
makes little impression on diehard unionists. On the other hand, separatists also operate with
the same weapons, as he especially gladly demands tolerance for his special views. The
schismatic claims for patience and tolerance and yet protects with fondness against his inability
to hold the ceremonies that one has hitherto represented.

We therefore ask: What is separatism? Separation in the good sense is a division that
occurs in the interest of pure doctrine that withdraws from a wrong-becoming church
establishment or from an aberration in doctrine in order to stay belonging to the true Church. A
separation from a false teaching church is not to be called a sin against unity, but a duty to the
Truth. - In contrast, schism or separatism in the bad sense is a division in the Church perhaps

111


 , March 30, 1930.
112
"Luther's Answer to King Henry VIII of England's Book", St. Louis Ed. XIX:345.
out of church law, often for personal reasons only. The schismatic goes his own, subjective way;
he departs from the usual formulas; he begins a new interpretation of Church terms. In certain
circumstances one such special position may come into consideration as a mere academic
question or be regarded as a harmless fad, something in a doctrine that is not absolutely
necessary for salvation. We usually distinguish it this way: the separatist, the false teacher
(heretic), departs because of doctrine, the schismatic because of the formula or ceremony.
Meusel was right when he said that there is a wider circle in doctrine and practice, within which
the members of an ecclesiastical fellowship have to practice toleration with each other, as long
as the substance of faith stays intact and as long as Scripture and Confessions stay the
undoubted guide of all doctrine and action. But Luther's dictum that all of God's Words are one,
is Scriptural. And when a teacher or a church body continues in its deviation consistently in any
doctrine, then not just any other doctrines of God's Word are affected, but it will also be seen
as a rule in practice, that one has left the full and whole Truth. Therefore, actual separatism is a
more serious phenomenon.

We have Scriptural basis for both of the above definitions and explanations. About
separation, which can be not only justified, but which is even expressly commanded by God, we
read in many places, and the Lord uses in this context such expressions as "go out from", "have
no fellowship with", "withdraw from", "avoid", "hate". "I do not sit with vain people and have
no fellowship with the false."113 "Depart, depart, walk out from there and touch not the
unclean thing; come out from her, cleanse yourself, you who bear the vessels of the Lord!"114
"Hate evil!"115 "Therefore 'Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord, and
touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you and will be your Father, and you all shall be
My sons and daughters', says the Lord Almighty."116 "Have no fellowship with the unfruitful
works of darkness; but rather chastise them."117 "We command you, dear brothers, in the
Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother that walks disorderly and
not according to the statutes that he received from us. For you know how you should follow
us.... And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note him, and have nothing to do
with him, so that he may be ashamed."118 "Dismiss the unspiritual and old wives' tales."119 "If
anyone teaches otherwise and does not stand by the salutary words of our Lord Jesus Christ
and by the doctrine that is according to godliness, he is puffed up and knows nothing, but has
the disease of questions and word wars, from which springs envy, discord, blasphemy, evil
suspicion. School squabbles with such people that have shattered minds and are deprived of
the truth, who think godliness is a business. Withdraw yourselves from such!"120 "They have

113
Psalm 26:4. See Psalm 1:1; 119:128.
114
Isaiah 52:11.
115
Romans 12:9.
116
2 Corinthians 6:17-18.
117
Ephesians 5:11.
118
2 Thessalonians 3:6-7, 14.
119
1 Timothy 4:7.
120
1 Timothy 6:3-5. See v. 20.
since denied the appearance of godliness, but they deny its power, and from such turn
away!"121 "Shun a heretical man when he is admonished again and again."122

These various admonitions and warnings were also observed by the people of God at all
times and put into practice. To cite just one example, we find that Paul, who in Corinth had
preached the Gospel first, according to his custom, in the synagogue of the Jews, by the
constant opposition of the Jews set out from there and went into the house of one named
Justus, who was God-fearing.123 Paul here undertook a separation, as occurred repeatedly
during the entire apostolic period, until finally the particular time of grace of the Jewish people
as such came to an end and God's visitation devastated the country of their fathers. - A very
similar separation took place in the Reformation era. The Reformation proposed no new
invention, the creation of a new Church, but the Lutheran Church of the pure Word and
Confessions is the old apostolic Church, as purified by Martin Luther of the filth and dross of the
false teachings of the Middle Ages. But from another point of view, the significance of the
Reformation lies in the fact that it was also a departure from a false fellowship, particularly on
the canonical side. Meusel expresses it like this: "Luther wants to reform the existing Church,
but it renders itself as irreformable and thus separates from one another by the end of the
Reformation. The Reformation is as much separation in the passive as in the active. As the
reformers are separated, they separate themselves now also in turn from the 

‘|
to the 

 ||, and by leaving the existing, corrupt church, they want to form
nothing new, that is, not a sect, but they want to stay with the true, ancient Church of the
prophets and the apostles." - Exactly the same is also true of the Orthodox Lutheran Free
Churches in Germany, particularly the Saxon [Lutheran Free Church]. "Those Lutherans have
always taken their part in denying that they themselves had ever separated; rather, they have
remained with the old Lutheran Church, while the State Church through the introduction of the
Union had lost its previous character and had become a new, no longer Lutheran Church."126
This opinion is without doubt right, because it rests on the basis of Scripture and remains fully
valid under similar circumstances.

This brings us to the question of actual separatism as defined above. Here we find that
Scripture speaks in the strongest terms about separatists and schismatics. "...who cause
   

p p



that you have learned."127 "It is declared to me...that
quarrels are among you. Now I say this, that among you one says: I am of Paul, another: I am of
Apollos, a third: I am of Cephas, a fourth: I am of Christ."128 "And having faith and good
conscience, which some 
2


, and have suffered shipwreck in the faith; under which
is Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, that they will be punished, no

121
2 Timothy 3:5.
122
Titus 3:10.
123
Acts 18:7.
124
Age of error.
125
Age of the Gospel.
126
Meusel.
127
Romans 16:17.
128
1 Corinthians 1:11-12.
more to blaspheme.129 "But the Spirit distinctly says that in the last days some 
 

 and heed seducing spirits and doctrines of the devil."130 "That you know, that all those
in Asia 

 
."131 "Demas has   "

, and      
 ."132 "[They have] 

 and gone astray."133 "

   , but
they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but it should
be obvious that not all are of us."134 "These are those who are  
, carnal, those that have
not the Spirit."135 - To these statements of Scripture are joined the many examples that show us
schismatics, as in John 6:66, where we are told: "From that [time] many of [Jesus'] disciples
went back and walked no more with Him."

These passages are sufficient to characterize the nature of separatism. Equally clear
from them is that these separatists who cause division and offense against the doctrine, as it
has always been done according to God's Word in the orthodox Church, who leave the teaching
of the apostles, who leave the right way, who then go out of the faithful adherents of the Truth,
are also to blame for the further breakup of the Church. These are the one who destroy the
unity of the Spirit and tear apart the bond of love. In most cases, the word of the prophet, that
God has spoken through him, finds its application on them: "My people have committed two
evils: they have forsaken Me, the living source, and made for themselves hewn wells here and
there that are full of holes and give no water."136

There may yet be found a place for Luther. "For where this unity is lost, then it is certain
that both parties cannot be the right Church, one must be the whore of the devil, the other is
godly. On the other hand, since unity of faith and mind remain, so also a righteous, true Church
of God remains, notwithstanding that there also is weakness."137 "For where love and unity are
destroyed, and schism and discord rises, there peaceable doctrine also perishes, that one falls
away from Christ."138 "Where disagreement, sects, and division are, that is a sure sign that the
cause of such division do not respect the sure, right doctrine or do not quite understand and
are also already adept that they let themselves be tossed and carried by every wind of doctrine,
as St. Paul says in Ephesians 4:14."139

Finally, we repeat:
  
 

 
   



  




 






  



4




5 


   . The
blame for division in the Church are solely those who raise up and defend false doctrine, not
129
1 Timothy 1:19-20.
130
1 Timothy 4:1. See 1 Timothy 6:3.
131
2 Timothy 1:15.
132
2 Timothy 4:10.
133
2 Peter 2:15.
134
1 John 2:19.
135
Jude 19.
136
Jeremiah 2:13. See Jeremiah 17:13.
137
St. Louis Edition XII:740. English translation in Complete Sermons of Martin Luther 4:122. Translation mine.
138
St. Louis Edition VIII:549 (John 15:10).
139
St. Louis Edition XII:818. English translation in Complete Sermons of Martin Luther 4:204. Translation mine.
those who refuse to approve such a position. Indeed, a teacher or a fellowship has this debt
upon themselves, so he should, respectively, they should repentantly dismiss it and not seek to
pass it on to others.

We conclude with the words of our Confessions: "Therefore the devil with his members,
setting himself against the Word of God, is the cause of the schism and want of unity. For we
have most zealously sought peace, and still most eagerly desire it, provided only we are not
forced to blaspheme and deny Christ. For God, the discerner of all men's hearts, is our witness
that we do not delight and have no joy in this awful disunion. On the other hand, our
adversaries have so far not been willing to conclude peace without stipulating that we must
abandon the saving doctrine of the forgiveness of sin by Christ without our merit, though Christ
would be most foully blasphemed thereby. And although, as is the custom of the world, it
cannot be but that offenses have occurred in this schism through malice and by imprudent
people; for the devil causes such offenses, to disgrace the Gospel; yet all this is of no account in
view of the great comfort which this teaching has brought men, that for Christ's sake, without
our merit, we have forgiveness of sins and a gracious God. Again, that men have been
instructed that forsaking secular estates and magistracies is not a divine worship, but that such
estates and magistracies are pleasing to God, and to be engaged in them is a real holy work and
divine service."140

Grant to us peace in church and school,

Grant peace also to the police,
Peace to the heart, peace to the conscience
Give to enjoy!

*)(c6*)*7(-8

140
Apology 28. Concordia Triglotta p. 450.