# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1947_S490
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

490 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS

to be considered “in a bare manner (nude), as though God only
held a muster, thus: ‘This one shall be saved, that one shall be
damned’” (Formula of Concord. Triglot, p. 1065, § 9; M., p. 706);
but “the Scriptures teach this doctrine in no other way than to
direct us thereby to the Word, Eph. 1, 18; 1 Cor. 1, 7; exhort to
repentance, 2 Tim. 3,16; urge to godliness, Eph.1,14; John 15,3;
strengthen faith and assure us of our salvation, Eph. 1, 13; John
10, 27£; 2 Thess. 2,13.” (Formula of Concord. Triglot, p. 1067,
§ 12; M.,, p. 707). — To sum up, just as God in time draws the
Christians unto Himself through the Gospel, so He has already in
His eternal election endowed them with “sanctification of the
Spirit and belief of the truth,” 2 Thess. 2,13. Therefore: If, by
the grace of God, you believe in the Gospel of the forgiveness of
your sins for Christ’s sake, you are to be certain that you also
belong to the number of God’s elect, even as Scripture, 2 Thess.
2, 13, addresses the believing Thessalonians as the chosen of God
and gives thanks to God for their election.

Of Sunday.

41, We teach that in the New Testament God has abrogated
the Sabbath and all the holy-days prescribed for the Church of
the Old Covenant, so that neither “the keeping of the Sabbath
nor of any other day” nor the observance of at least one specific
day of the seven days of the week is ordained or commanded by
God, Col. 2, 16; Rom. 14, 5 (Augsburg Confession. Triglot, p. 91,
§§ 51—60; M., p. 66).

The observance of Sunday and other church festivals is an
ordinance of the Church, made by virtue of Christian liberty.
(Augsburg Confession; Triglot, p. 91, §§ 51—53. 60; M., p. 66.
Large Catechism; Triglot, p. 603, §§ 83. 85. 89; M., p. 401.) Hence
Christians should not regard such ordinances as ordained by God
and binding upon the conscience, Col. 2, 16; Gal. 4,10. However,
for the sake of Christian love and peace they should willingly
observe them, Rom. 14, 18; 1 Cor. 14, 40. (Augsburg Confession.
Triglot, p. 91, §§ 583—56; M., p. 67.)

Of the Millennium.

42. With the Augsburg Confession (Art. XVII) we reject every
type of Millennialism, or Chiliasm, the opinions that Christ will
return visibly to this earth a thousand years before the end of
the world and establish a dominion of the Church over the world;
or that before the end of the world the Church is to enjoy a season
of special prosperity; or that before the general resurrection on
Judgment Day a number of departed Christians or martyrs are
to be raised again to reign in glory in this world; or that before