# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1872_S8
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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2.

But, my brethren, the holy Apostle calls out to his Timothy in our text not only: "Take heed to yourself," but also: "And to the doctrine. For if you do this, you will save both yourself and those who hear you," and thereby gives us to understand, second, that if we make the salvation of souls above all the ultimate purpose of our common work in Christ's kingdom, we will then certainly also take heed to the doctrine, and so be preserved from ever violating faithfulness to God's Word.

True, my brethren, as you know, it is said almost universally in our time that to stress doctrine so much is a most pernicious tendency, one that only hinders God's kingdom, indeed destroys it. Instead of disputing so much about doctrine, they say, one should rather be concerned to look after souls and lead them to Christ. But all who talk so truly do not know what they say or what they do. As foolish as it would be to scold the man who tills the land because he is so anxious about good seed, and to demand of him only that he care for good fruit, so foolish is it to scold those who take heed above all to doctrine, and to demand of them that they should rather seek only to save souls. For as the farmer, if he wants to harvest good fruit, must above all be concerned about good seed, so the Church, if it wants to save souls, must above all provide for right doctrine.

If we want to save people, we must first make them poor sinners, but this can be done only through the pure doctrine of the Law; then we must bring them to true faith in Christ and maintain, strengthen, fortify and ground them in it, but this can be done only through the pure doctrine of the Gospel; and finally we must also bring them to be grateful to God, through a truly Christian life, for the salvation given them out of free grace, and by it to make their calling and election sure; but this can be done only through the pure doctrine of sanctification.

Many, to be sure, now say: We certainly admit that it is therefore necessary to hold fast to those great general Christian truths on which the salvation of souls hangs; but should not everyone be allowed freedom with regard to all the remaining doctrines? What can the strife over subordinate doctrines accomplish other than that the body of Christ is torn apart and the work of saving souls is hindered? But all who talk in this way too truly do not know what they say or what they do. The holy Apostle says in our text not: Take heed to the chief doctrines, but: "Take heed to the doctrine,"