# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1953_S340
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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' The uniting power of the Gospel becomes manifest both. in :

340 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS

caused by war. Christians, while careful not to provoke
resort to war, nevertheless in times of war have the respo
to defend their country when in danger or under attack
enemies,
Romans 13; 1 Peter 2:13-17; Titus 3:1-2; Matthew 22: 15-
Jeremiah 29:7; 1 Timothy 2:1-4; Romans 13:6-7.

Matthew 5:43-48; James 4:1-2; 1 Timothy 2:1-6; Ro na
9-21; Luke 3:14; Matthew 5:9.

viii. THE CHURCH AND CHURCH FELLOWSHIP

A. The Basis, Nature, and Extent of the Church

Church All believers in Christ, and only believers in:
Universal are members of the one, holy, Apostolic, Uni
Church. They are made and kept members

Church solely through the gracious work of God. God is.at
wherever His Word is preached and His Sacraments are ¢
istered. It is in the one Christ, who comes in the Word. an
Sacraments, that the Church Universal possesses its unity.

Church The oneness of the Church is not a goal to be a¢
Unity or a task to be completed. It is a unity that bel

the essence of the Church because the one Chri
Lord of heaven and earth, is its Head. Either a man. bel
this one Church, or he does not. Either the Church is
Church, or it is not the Church. This union with Christ ¢
Head also brings about the union of believers with one

congregations and groups of congregations throughout Chr

Marks of The means of grace (the Gospel in the Word
the Church Sacraments) are the only genuine marks’:
Church, and by them Christ through the Holy.
creates and preserves faith in the hearts of men. Through
the Church manifests itself on earth. The Gospel in the W
not to be thought of as an inarticulate possession of the t
as a real proclamation of the Christ for us, the declaration. g G
forgiveness for the sake of Christ, our Substitute, “who:
ered for our offenses and raised again for our justification:
wise, it is not mere knowledge about the Sacraments which
tutes a mark of the Church, but the actual administration
according to the institution of Christ. Without the G
preaching and Sacraments it would be impossible to speak:
Church, for then the Church would be non-existent.
Acts 16:30; Mark 16:16; Galatians 3: 26-28; Romans
Ephesians 4:1-16; Acts 2:41-47; Romans 12:4-5.

1 Peter 1:23-25; Romans 10:17; 1: 16; Matthew 28: 19-20
16: 15-20; Matthew 26: 26-28; Luke 29: 19- 20; 1 Corinthians