# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1892_S23
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1892. 23

there is, for those who are lost, no possibility of coming to faith, and God himself, according to our doctrine, would have cut off this possibility for them by having omitted to elect them too; whereupon God would be the cause that these do not come to faith and, persevering in it, are saved. With this inference of our opponents we really have nothing to do; they may answer for it themselves. Our business is only to show that our doctrine is the doctrine of Holy Scripture; that the conclusion drawn by the opponents is contrary to God's Word, that we do not draw it, and then they may show by what right they draw such inferences. Now, however, according to Scripture (as shown above) and the Confession, sonship and faith are a consequence of God's eternal election. That the Holy Spirit himself says. The same Holy Spirit teaches also, however, that God from eternity had mercy on all and resolved to send them all a Savior; he in fact laid the sins of all human beings on Christ, through him all are set free, he seeks every soul in earnest and does not will that anyone be lost. Nevertheless not all are saved, but only the elect, and all of these. If we ask whether all those are saved who are elected, Scripture says: Yes; but if we ask whether all those are saved whom God, according to his universal counsel, wills to save, Scripture says: No, "many are called, but few are chosen"; "How often would I have gathered your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not." Nevertheless the eternal election of God and the universal counsel for the salvation of all human beings are not to be thought of as two machines working side by side; there are not two wills of grace, but there is one will, which reaches fulfillment in the elect and which those who are lost set themselves against in unbelief. The conclusion is therefore false that, if the elect are elected to faith, the others must be destined to damnation. God's Word itself asserts the first and denies the latter. It is not true that thereby every possibility of being saved has been cut off by God for those who are lost, if what is meant is that God does not will to save them, Christ has not redeemed them, the Holy Spirit does not earnestly call them. Scripture does not speak at all of mere possibilities of being saved, and we do better not to use such an expression, which can be interpreted in so many ways. It is enough that we know of God's infinite mercy and our Savior's merit for us and for all human beings. In that we have comfort and the most blessed hope in all circumstances; more we need not know. Precisely those who will one day be saved are also humble of heart, are content with such revelation, and do not search into all sorts of possibilities. They know that it is not by their willing or running that they are saved but by God's mercy. Those, on the other hand,