# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1908_S30
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

30 Proceedings of the twenty-second convention

The Essayist [Referent].

Various objections are raised against the present thesis, for example: "One can hold outwardly to false teachers without approving their false doctrine in the heart. One takes from the sermons of the false teachers only what they still teach rightly." So some speak in our time and also act accordingly. When there is no orthodox congregation in the place, they join erring communions. To this it is to be said: Granted that this were possible — although it is not possible —, Christians nevertheless have an express command to turn away from all who bring a doctrine other than the apostolic. Rom. 16:17: "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them." Two things are stated here: first, what those do who present a doctrine other than the apostolic: they thereby cause divisions and offences within the Christian Church (they are διχοστασίας καὶ σκάνδαλα ποιοῦντες). Second, it is said here how Christians are to behave toward the people who do this: they are to turn away from them, not to hold to them, but to hold off from them or separate (ἐκκλίνετε ἀπ’ αὐτῶν). God's command to Christians is not merely that they should not agree in their heart with the false teachers, but quite expressly that they should turn away from them precisely also outwardly. It is precisely outward church fellowship with the false teachers that is forbidden to Christians.

Further objection: "Many are false teachers only out of weakness in knowledge, and those who are weak in knowledge one should receive, not separate oneself from them." We receive those who are weak in faith, who do not set themselves up as teachers, and seek to heal them of their weakness by instruction. But as teachers we do not accept even those who present false doctrine only out of weakness in knowledge. God's order in the Church is that only those administer the teaching office who proclaim God's Word without admixture of man's doctrine, etc. He who still errs out of weakness belongs not in the pulpit but under the pulpit.

Thesis IV.

The sadder it is that so many Christians remain in erring camps and thereby cause, and help to keep up, division and offense in the Church, the more diligently and sincerely ought those Christians who by God's grace are in the orthodox camp to maintain fellowship with one another as brethren in the faith, and carefully to avoid all disturbance of it, to the honor of God and to the greatest benefit of the world and of the Church.

The fact that many Christians remain in the erring camp and thereby outwardly separate themselves from us is a sad