# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_October 1858_S315
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

The Glory of the Lutheran Church. 315

...of Christ still one of his seven congregations in Asia. It is therefore false to maintain that a congregation, in whose doctrine error is found, is no longer a congregation of Christ. Against this proposition the word of Paul in 1 Corinthians 3 also testifies: "No one can lay any other foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become manifest; the Day will disclose it..... if anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire." For according to this word of Paul, a Christian can hold opinions that deviate from the truth and nevertheless still hold fast the foundation, Jesus Christ. As long as he holds fast to that foundation, he is a Christian. And accordingly a congregation, so long as it publicly confesses this same one foundation of salvation and lays no other, is a congregation of Christ.

But now — the glory of the Lutheran church — ? I belong to the Lutheran church by descent from my forefathers; father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were servants of the Word in this church. But the ground on which I hold to the Lutheran church is its glory. And what is that? Not that it is the sole church of Christ on earth, but that, by God's grace, it has a confession of faith whose conformity to Scripture proves itself more and more the longer one considers it. That is its glory. But he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord. Whatever Lutheran is thankful to the Lord in humility for the pure, unadulterated doctrine of his Word, and who truly lifts up the treasure granted to him by grace (not merely knows where it lies), and who rejoices in that treasure through its right use — he will also be diligent to turn this treasure toward others and commend it to them. But alas! how many Lutherans, often very zealous for their church, know little of the treasure of their church's doctrine, and hold and harbor, despite their church's good confession, all sorts of teachings, opinions, and views that deviate from the truth of God's Word! Dear brothers! let us all hear and learn the pure doctrine of God's Word in all humility, that through it we may grow and increase! let us strive with all earnestness that all our thinking and judgment may be in accordance with the Word of God! If we do this, we shall recognize how very much our heart is inclined to stray from the truth, shall find ourselves caught in many an error, and, humbled thereby, shall then also be more capable of leading others to the truth, seeking in this not our own glory but our neighbor's salvation. And besides this, let us also, in our own lives, earnestly sweep out the leaven that still clings to us, that our light may shine to God's praise in our walk of life as well! If we do this, we shall be recognized as true members of Christ and his congregation, and shall contribute infinitely more to the furtherance of the church of Christ on earth than if we maintain, against the truth and against Scripture, that there is no Christendom on earth outside the Lutheran congregations. — Let us take care that we do not fall into hypocrisy!
Amen.                                        Ehlers.