# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1872_S61
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 61 —

that he believes. Now, as regards the latter, no one is indeed to be admitted to the sacrament unless he has been examined and confesses that he believes; but whether he speaks the truth or is feigning, that I cannot know, for I cannot see into his heart; so I do what God has commanded me, and am certain that I truly absolve all; whether they enjoy it, I do not know. It is just that justification is not merely made possible, but obtained and accomplished. As we therefore speak of the nature of the Gospel and of absolution, so God's Word itself speaks of it, that God gives and bestows without regard to whether the thing is accepted or not. We hold simply, over against the opponents of this doctrine, to the word: "If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful; He cannot deny Himself," 2 Tim. 2:13; "For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid," Rom. 3:3, 4. According to the opponents' doctrine I would have to throw away everything I ever received as soon as I became doubtful whether I had believed rightly at that time. If I were to be baptized today, and a year later doubts came to me whether I had believed rightly, I would have to have myself baptized again. But, thank God, we may be certain to comfort ourselves with this: what God has done for us, that He has done for us for ever and does not, on His side, undo again; we need only believe it. Accursed, however, be the doctrine which makes the worthiness, power and validity of absolution depend on my faith. For that is precisely the poor sinner's comfort, that he knows: dear God does not deceive me when He speaks with me. If I was not, then, hitherto in the right condition, I will now comfort myself with this, that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. So my Baptism is valid even if I fall and reject the grace of it. True, I have then fallen out of the ship into the sea of perdition, but the ship is still there with everything that can bring me to heaven; I need only get back into the ship and anew comfort myself with my Baptism. Yes, were it possible that one could be godless and keep his Baptism, he would arrive rightly in heaven; but that is just an impossibility. This is a most comforting doctrine for the anguished sinner; for it shows him that the devil has no right and no power over him, if only he does not throw away the Word. We cannot emphasize enough what is said in the Augsburg Confession: The absolution which is spoken to me is always God's Word. By this it is not only meant to be said: the words are taken from the Bible, but: When the preacher absolves you, it is always God's Word to you; you can believe that it is God who speaks to you through the mouth of a poor sinner: As you believe, so be it done to you. As godless as it would be, when you hear: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" and you did not want to believe it, just so godless is it when you are absolved and you say: That is not true, that forgiveness is given to me there; I am a great sinner,