# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1888_S17
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1888. 17

We maintain the opposite. Yes, if it were a matter of agreement in obscure human opinions or in hard-to-grasp philosophical problems, then a union would be impossible. But here it is a matter of agreement in the articles of the doctrine revealed by God himself in Holy Scripture. And how is this doctrine revealed? Not obscurely and unintelligibly. It takes no great human arts to recognize the revealed truth. Here only the simple faith in God's Word is needed. Whoever believes the Word of Scripture has the truth. It is not so that in God's Word there are found only obscure hints, only beginnings of the truths of faith, and that men with their cleverness and art would have to construct the actual doctrines of faith themselves. It is not so that God the Lord in his revelation says only A and has left it to men's cleverness to say B and C and so to find the alphabet of Christian doctrine for themselves. No, all articles of Christian doctrine lie before us in Scripture, revealed in clear words. God in Holy Scripture has dictated the whole ABC of Christian doctrine. All that is needed is the acceptance of what is revealed, the repeating of what has been dictated, the simple faith. And Holy Scripture is clear and plain for all Christians, not merely for the pastors. All articles of doctrine are revealed in such passages of Scripture to which learned and unlearned alike have access. That is as certainly true as Scripture says of itself that it is a light for all Christians, 2 Pet. 1:19, a word that makes the simple wise, Ps. 19:9 [19:7 in English versions], which even children can understand, 2 Tim. 3:15, and as certainly as all Christians are to test all doctrine presented to them by this Word of Scripture. God's purpose with Scripture is not to set men riddles but to reveal salvation to the whole human race. Whoever denies the possibility of unity in faith must also deny that Holy Scripture is plain. As certainly as the whole Christian faith is clearly revealed in Scripture, so certainly is unity in faith possible.

Unity in faith is, however, not merely possible but also actual. God has provided for that through his clear and at the same time powerful Word. An example of it is the Lutheran church. We Lutherans — this we know for certain — have the whole doctrine of salvation revealed in Holy Scripture and are therefore one in faith. In such unity stand not only the pastors but also the so-called laymen. That is as certain as it is certain that they too know and believe, e.g., our Small Catechism.

Such talk is, to be sure, very offensive in our time. People want to allow only "views" about Christian doctrine. No Christian communion is to say that it certainly has the whole, full truth.