# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1882_S8
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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nevertheless to grant seat and vote in a body representing the church, then it could also not be against God to belong to such an ecclesiastical body, even if many, indeed even if the great majority of its members consisted of persons to whom the orthodox believer would have to refuse brotherly fellowship and church fellowship for conscience' sake.

God's Word declares clearly and definitely that unity in faith, doctrine and confession is a property, a requirement and a mark of the church that wishes to bear that name with full right. Thus, among other places, St. Paul writes to the church at Corinth, when disunity had arisen in it also in doctrine: "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." (1 Cor. 1:10.) And to the church at Ephesus the same Apostle writes: "Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (Eph. 4:3-6.) But just as clearly and definitely God's Word also demands of the orthodox that they refuse brotherly and consequently also church fellowship to those who are not of their faith. Thus St. John writes, e.g., in his second epistle: "If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds." (2 John 10, 11.)

Both the necessity of the unity of the true church in faith, doctrine and confession and the necessity of separation from all heterodox persons are also attested by the precious public confession of our orthodox church. As to the former, we read in the 7th article of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession: "It is also taught that one holy Christian church must be and remain at all times, which is the assembly of all believers, among whom the Gospel is purely preached and the holy sacraments are administered according to the Gospel. For this is enough for the true unity of the Christian church, that the Gospel be preached in harmony according to one understanding and the sacraments be administered in accordance with the divine Word." Exactly the same is repeated and confirmed in the last common public confession of our church, the Formula of Concord, in the following words: "We believe, teach and confess also that no church should condemn another because one has fewer or more external ceremonies not commanded by God