# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S356
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

494 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS

ism of our times, in which also members of our Synod are becom,
ing involved; now therefore be it ~

Resolved, That we, the undersigned, petition The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod, in convention assembled in June, 1959
at Milwaukee, Wis., to declare anew that Rom. 16:17-18 is plainly
a condemnation of all who teach false doctrine, persist in they
error, and make propaganda for it; and be it also
Resolved, That Synod reaffirm its acceptance of the interpre.
tation of Rom.16:17-18 as found in Stoeckhardt’s Roemerbries
long a textbook at our seminaries, page 642: ,
“Here we have God’s commandment, teaching us that
Christians are not only to avoid false doctrine, but also false
teachers, including church bodies in which false doctrine and
false teachers are tolerated. All unionism, which unites truth
and error in the same church organization, is condemned by
this word of the Apostle, which is the Word of God.”
Wm. SINGLE Watter J. Luecxe
G.R. Naumann’ Kart H. Eurers

A. R. Remkine M. F. Krerzmann

[629]
On Rom. 16:17

Wuenreas, Synod’s Constitution, Art. II, applies Rom. 16:17 also
to such errorists as may yet be Christians; and

-Wuereas, Synod’s Catechism, Question 186-D, quotes ‘Rom.
16:17 to prove that we must “avoid all false churches and all other
organizations that profess a religion that is false”; and

Wuereas, Synod’s Brief Statement, reaffirmed in 1947, cites
Rom. 16:17 to prove that “all Christians are required by God to
have church fellowship only with orthodox church bodies, and,
in case they have strayed into heterodox church bodies, to leave
them,” and, again, refers to the passage to prove that we must
avoid “church fellowship with the adherents of false doctrine,” and
thus uses the passage without in any way limiting its application
to non-Christians only; and
:  Wuereas, On the other hand, the Lutheran Witness, an official
periodical of Synod, has declared (February 25, 1947, p.59): “We
incline to the notion .. . that Rom. 16:17 f. refers to un-Christian
enemies of the Church who by their deceitful tactics are trying
to'seduce Christians”; and
“  ‘Wuereas, The Lutheran Witness on December 14, 1948 (p. 414)
| quoted these words without disapproving comment: “To apply the
' passage [Rom. 16:17] to fellow Christians with whom we do not
agree in all points, or, to put it the other way, who, we are certain,

eS

INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS ‘495

rr from the truth of God’s Word in some particulars, is a ‘mis-
e jication of the Word of God, an affront to such children of God,
we an insult of which we ought not to make ourselves guilty”; and

Wuereas, These statements raise the accusation that in’ its
Constitution, Catechism, and Brief Statement, as well as in many
books. and articles published under official censorship, Synod has
misinterpreted and misapplied the Word of God; and
| Waereas, Synod is responsible for every doctrinal statement
made in its official organs (Handbook 11.231); therefore be it

Resolved, That we request our Synod in its 1950 convention to
inform us whether it still holds the position on Rom. 16:17 taught
in its Constitution, Catechism, and Brief Statement; whether' it
rejects the contrary teaching; and whether it will require repudia-
tion of the contrary teaching; and be it further

Resolved, That we request that this overture be. printed in
the Boox or Memortats for the 1950 convention.

Trinity Lurueran Cuurcu, Oak Park, IL.
E..L, Krert, Secretary

[630]
On Rom. 16:17-18
Wuereas, God in Rom. 16:17 clearly and unmistakably com-
mands us to mark and avoid those who cause divisions and offenses
contrary to Apostolic doctrine; and

Wnereas, Rom.16:18 is GOD’S judgment on those whom we
are to mark and avoid, because they cause divisions and offenses
contrary to Apostolic doctrine, and is not serviceable to us for the
purpose of identification; and .

Wuereas, It has been falsely contended (1) that Rom. 16:18
must always be consulted for the purpose of identifying those whom
we are to mark and avoid, (2) that Rom. 16:18 can be applied only
to a false teacher who shows by his teaching that he destroys the
fundamentals and is truly an enemy of Christ, and (3) that there-
fore Rom. 16:17 can be applied only to those who by their. false
teaching destroy the fundamentals and are the enemies of Christ;
now therefore be it :

Resolved, That we petition Synod to declare that it holds:

1. That all.the marks necessary for identifying those whom we
are to mark and avoid are given in Rom. 16:17; ;

2. That the command of Rom. 16:17 to mark and avoid .those
who cause divisions and offenses contrary to Apostolic . doctrine