# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1947_S489
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS 489

place the two in opposition to each other. On the contrary,
aches that the grace dealing with those who are lost is altogether
est and fully efficacious for conversion. Blind reason indeed
es these two truths to be contradictory; but we impose silence
mM our reason. The seeming disharmony will disappear in the
ght of heaven, 1 Cor. 13, 12.
89. Furthermore, by election of grace, Scripture does not mean
‘that one part of God’s counsel of salvation according’ to which He
will receive into heaven those who persevere in faith unto the
end, but, on the contrary, Scripture means this, that God, before
e foundation of the world, from pure grace, because of the
. redemption of Christ, has chosen for His own a definite number of
persons out of the corrupt mass and has determined to bring them,
through Word and Sacrament, to faith and salvation.
40. Christians can and should be assured of their eternal elec-
on. This is evident from the fact that Scripture addresses them
as the chosen ones and comforts them with their election, Eph. 1, 4;
2 Thess. 2,18. This assurance of one’s personal election, however,
.springs only from faith in the Gospel, from the assurance that God
so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that
‘whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have ever-
___lasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn
the world; on the contrary, through the life, suffering, and death
of His Son He fully reconciled the whole world of sinners unto
Himself. Faith in this truth leaves no room for fear that God
might still harbor thoughts of wrath and damnation concerning us.
Scripture inculcates that in Rom. 8, 32. 33: “He that spared not
His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not
with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to
the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.” Luther’s
pastoral advice is therefore in accord with Scripture: “Gaze upon
the wounds of Christ and the blood shed for you; there pre~-
destination will shine forth.” (St. Louis Ed., II, 181; on Gen. 26, 9.)
That the Christian obtains the personal assurance of his eternal
election in this way is taught also by our Lutheran Confessions
(Formula of Concord. Triglot, p. 1071, § 26; M., p. 709): “Of this
we should not judge according to our reason nor according to
the Law or from any external appearance. Neither should we
attempt to investigate the secret, concealed abyss of divine pre-
destination, but should give heed to. the revealed will of God.

it manifest through Christ that it might be preached, Eph. 1, 9 ff.;
2 Tim. 1, 9£.” — In order to insure the proper method of viewing
eternal election and the Christian’s assurance of it, the Lutheran
‘Confessions set forth at length the principle that election is not

For He has made known unto us the mystery of His will and made |