# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S439
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS
Ov. 5-26

To Give Thanks for God’s Holy Word
Rationale
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of
joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions
of the heart. (Heb. 4:12)
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have
firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how
from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred
writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through
faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and
profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for
training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete,
equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:14–17)
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Ps.
119:105)
Therefore be it
Resolved, That the Wyoming District of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod give thanks to God that He has given to us “[t]he
Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament as the written Word
of God and the only rule and norm of faith and of practice”
(Constitution Article II 1); and be it further
Resolved, That we give thanks that “Holy Scripture possesses
divine authority, that is, in all that it says it is entitled to the same
faith and obedience that is due God,” and that this divine authority
is “not founded on the personal repute of the holy writers nor on the
endorsement of Scripture by individuals, or any number of men, or
even by the Church Universal” (Francis Pieper, Christian
Dogmatics [St Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1950], 1:307)
but on its nature as God-breathed; and be it further
Resolved, That we give thanks that the Holy “Scriptures alone,
among all the books of the world, are God’s Word out and out, they
alone have the vis vera divina (truly divine power) outright”, and
that “[w]hat the Church proclaims (the “Word of the Church”) also
has divine power and efficacy, but always only insofar as the
Church remains true to its commission and proclaims only God's
Word” (Pieper, 1:315); and be it further
Resolved, That we give thanks to God that Holy Scripture is
sufficient for our salvation, that is “Scripture teaches perfectly
whatever we need to know to obtain eternal life” (Pieper, 1:318);
and be it further
Resolved, That we give thanks to God not that “men illumine
Scripture, but Scripture illumines men,” that Scripture “presents, in
language that can be understood by all, whatever men must know
to be saved,” that “all Christians are to read the Scriptures, are to
believe on the basis of Scripture and to judge truth and error on the
same basis,” that “[Scripture] most emphatically protests against
ever regarding Scripture as an obscure book, as do ... unbelievers”
(Pieper, 1:320); and be it further
Resolved, That we pray God would protect us from listening to
“those who do not care to learn from the Scriptures, but aim to set
Scripture right and criticize it with their own human notions,”
(Pieper, 1:321) as our Lord warns in Matt. 11:25, “you have hidden
these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to
little children”; and be it finally

439

Resolved, That the Wyoming District, in convention,
memorialize the Synod to join us in giving thanks to God for the
gift of his Holy Word in the Sacred Scriptures, and that we pray that
this Word be taught faithfully in our congregations, schools,
universities and seminaries.
Wyoming District
Ov. 5-27

To Reaffirm Our Historic Stand of a Church
that Believes and Practices Ministry
“By Scripture Alone”
WHEREAS, The foundation of the Reformation and our
confession is found in the three “Solas”: “Sola Fide, Sola Gratia,
and Sola Scriptura” (by Scripture alone); and
WHEREAS, This historic belief that God’s Word alone is true and
trustworthy is found in our Lutheran Confessions, for example in
the Introduction to the Epitome of the Formula of Concord:
…the distinction between the Holy Scriptures of the Old and of
the New Testament and all other writings is preserved, and the
Holy Scriptures alone remain the only judge, rule, and standard,
according to which, as the only test-stone, all dogmas shall and
must be discerned and judged, as to whether they are good or
evil, right or wrong.
But the other symbols and writings cited are not judges, as are
the Holy Scriptures, but only a testimony and declaration of the
faith, as to how at any time the Holy Scriptures have been
understood and explained in the articles in controversy in the
Church of God by those then living, and how the opposite dogma
was rejected and condemned [by what arguments the dogmas
conflicting with the Holy Scripture were rejected and
condemned]. (FC Ep, Introduction, 7–8)
and
WHEREAS, In this time of diversity in our culture, the voice of
God is often lost, and God’s Church must even more clearly share
His power, His glory, His wisdom, and His salvation in Jesus found
in Holy Scripture; therefore be it
Resolved, That we give thanks to God for the blessings of God’s
saving truth to guide our lives found in Scripture; and be it further
Resolved, That workers and congregations continue study of
Holy Scripture as the primary source of God’s truth and the
Lutheran confessions as its faithful exposition; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Northwest District of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod (LCMS) reaffirm its historic stand of “Sola
Scriptura” and emphasize God’s Word as the only source of
teaching and doctrine and move the LCMS in convention to also
reaffirm this historic, faithful stance.
Northwest District

Ov. 5-28

To Encourage Our Pastors to Preach and Teach in
a Very Clear Way the Promise of Everlasting Life
WHEREAS, “God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal
life” (John 3:16); and

2019 Convention Workbook