# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1882_S25
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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Proposition 9.

We believe, teach and confess: 1. that election does not consist in a mere foreknowledge of God as to which men will be saved; 2. that election is also not the mere purpose of God to redeem men and save them, so that it would be a general one and extend universally to all men; 3. that election does not concern those who believe only for a time (Luke 8:13); 4. that election is not a mere decree of God to save all those who would believe to the end; we therefore reject and condemn from the whole heart the opposing false doctrines of the Rationalists, Huberians and Arminians.

Proposition 10.

We believe, teach and confess that the cause which moved God to elect the elect is His grace alone and the merit of Jesus Christ, and not something good foreseen by God in the elect, not even the faith foreseen by God in them; and we therefore reject and condemn the doctrines of the Pelagians, Semipelagians and synergists opposed to this teaching as blasphemous, terrible false doctrines overturning the Gospel and thereby the whole Christian religion.

Proposition 11.

We believe, teach and confess that election is not the mere divine foreseeing or foreknowing of the salvation of the elect, but also a cause of their salvation and of everything that belongs to it; and we therefore reject and condemn from the whole heart the opposing doctrines of the Arminians, Socinians and all synergists.

Proposition 12.

We believe, teach and confess that God, with regard to the mystery of election, "has kept much still hidden and concealed, and reserved to His wisdom and knowledge alone," which no man can nor should search out; and we therefore reject it when one wants to ponder out also this unrevealed matter and to reason together with one's reason what seems contrary to our reason; whether this be done through Calvinistic or through Pelagian-synergistic human doctrines.

Proposition 13.

We believe, teach and confess that it is not only not useless or even dangerous, but necessary and salutary, to set forth publicly also to the Christian people the mysterious doctrine of election, so far as it is clearly revealed in God's Word; and we therefore do not side with those who hold that this doctrine should either be passed over in silence altogether or be disputed only among the learned.