# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1872_S68
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 68 —

The purpose of this thesis is to show that, although we teach that forgiveness of sins has been obtained for all men, and that, as to the obtaining, righteousness and salvation are at hand for all men, and although we teach in the second place also that in Word and sacrament this treasure is offered and set before all, we nevertheless do not deny that God holds the individual, when he only accepts this treasure, in Christ and through Christ to be one who has this righteousness, and that in that same hour, so to speak, he is written into the Book of Life, and that this is the justification which in ecclesiastical usage is called simply the justification of a poor sinner, because here each individual stands before God in judgment and is acquitted by Him for his own person. This actus forensis [forensic act], that is, judicial proceeding, goes through the whole life of man, for ever anew God declares man free from sin, death and judgment. So we teach: when the individual believer is partaker of the treasure which Christ has obtained, God lets that count in His judgment, since he has entered into Christ, as the apostle says: "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus"; now he has a share in the redemption which Christ has obtained. Before faith the sinner is righteous before God only according to the obtaining and the divine intention, but really (actu) righteous, righteous for his own person, factually righteous, he is only when he believes. It is similar herewith to reconciliation. God is reconciled with us before we believe, while we are still enemies; but when we come to faith, we also become reconciled with God. Thus Quenstedt says, for example: As Christ reconciled us with God through His dying, so He reconciles us with God by virtue of His death, in that He converts us through the word of the cross. For conversion of a man consists precisely in his being brought to faith. Thereby we are reconciled with God, after God has been reconciled with us through Christ's death. In the Formula of Concord it therefore says: "The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin, 1 John 1:7, not only according to the merit which was once accomplished on the cross, but John speaks in the same place of this, that in the work or act of justification not only the divine nature in Christ, but also His blood per modum efficaciae [by way of efficacy], that is, really, cleanses us from all sins." (Art. 8. p. 686.)