# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2007_S11
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

SYNOD REPORTS 11

Having received the treasure of God’s Word, as fallible human
beings we are challenged with being true to this Word in the midst
of a “dark and perverse generation.” Especially in this post-modern
era, we are called upon to heed the Scripture that warns of days
when people will listen only to what their itching ears want to hear.
Meanwhile, the Word of God teaches that there is only one voice to
be heard and followed, the voice of Jesus (John 10:4). It is impera-
tive that we always strive faithfully to adhere to the Word of God in
all aspects of faith and life, also in times of discord and discontent.

To that end, we in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod sin-
cerely desire to be faithful to the Word of God in our life and work,
both internally and externally. This includes our working relation-
ships with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. We will
continue to strive to be faithful, by the grace of God and under the
authority of God’s Word as the rule and norm of the Christian faith
and life. We encourage you and we pray for you in your efforts to
do the same.

We in the The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod are sensitive
to the struggles experienced within the ELCA, including the
strongly held, opposing positions in your church on issues acted
upon by this assembly this very day. We ourselves are no strangers
to internal struggles.

In the Constitutions of each of our national church bodies, we
pledge allegiance to the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confes-
sions. However, it is clear that our two churches do not always
share the same understanding of what is meant by such allegiance.
All too often we do not come to the same conclusions regarding
what we understand the Scriptures and Confessions to say. It is

clear that we have reached different conclusions in a number of
areas of faith and life, church and ministry, internal and external
relationships. Decisions made by LCMS national conventions and
decisions made by ELCA churchwide assemblies are apparently
reflective of different exegetical principles and hermeneutical con-
clusions at work in our respective church bodies.

We humbly and respectfully pray that we will be able to come
to harmonious conclusions regarding the authority and interpreta-
tion of the Word of God, so that the distance between us will not
be widened, but will be bridged. I pray for both of our church bod-
ies a special measure of wisdom, humility, understanding, and
faithfulness to God’s holy revelation for our faith and his holy will
for our lives.

Martin Luther writes regarding Baptism, “Therefore let every-
body regard his Baptism as the daily garment which he is to wear
all the time. Every day he should be found in faith and amid its
fruits, every day he should be suppressing the old man and growing
up in the new. If we wish to be Christians, we must practice the
work that makes us Christians” (LC, Baptism, 84-85, Tappert).

Marked with the Cross of Christ in Baptism, may God help us
in the fulfillment of our calling as the baptized children of God that
we may “be found in faith and amid its fruits . . . [and] practice the
work that makes us Christians.”

Please be assured that all of you are in my prayers and in the
prayers of the pastors and people of The Lutheran Church—Mis-
souri Synod. God’s grace, mercy, and peace be with you all!

Gerald B. Kieschnick, President

2007 Convention Workbook