# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1892_S28
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

28 Proceedings of the fourteenth convention

did not come to faith, that for his own person he would so gladly have brought it to faith: "How often would I have gathered your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings," Matt. 23:37. Faith, conversion, regeneration God himself therefore wills to work, and indeed through the means of grace, Word and Sacrament. "It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching (of the Gospel) to save them that believe." 1 Cor. 1:21. He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:4 [as printed]. Therefore he sent out his apostles among the Gentiles with the preaching of the Gospel "to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith." Acts 26:18.

These means of grace are also powerful means to work all this, repentance, conversion, faith. His Word is a word of life, John 6:68, an imperishable seed of regeneration, 1 Pet. 1:23, a power of God which saves all who believe, Rom. 1:16; faith comes from preaching, and preaching through the Word of God, Rom. 10:17. And finally God earnestly calls on all human beings to hear his Word, as the only means of their rescue and salvation, Luke 16:29: "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them," if they do not want to come to the place of torment. "Search the Scriptures; for you think that in them you have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me," John 5:39. "Receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls," James 1:21. That God himself, through his means of grace, which contain within them all the necessary power, wills to convert human beings who are wholly unable to convert themselves, our Confession also testifies.

Formula of Concord (*Concordienformel*, II, page 600 [48]): "So we will now further report from God's Word how man is converted to God, how and through what means (namely through the oral Word and the holy Sacraments) the Holy Spirit wills to be effective in us and to work and give true repentance, faith and new spiritual strength and ability for the good in our hearts, and how we ought to conduct ourselves toward such means and use them.

"It is not God's will that anyone be damned, but that all human beings be converted to him and be saved eternally. Ezek. 33. As I live, I have no pleasure in the death of the sinner, but that he turn and live. For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that all who believe in him should not perish but have eternal life.

"Therefore God, out of immeasurable goodness and mercy, lets his divine eternal law and the wondrous counsel of our redemption,