# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1912_S11
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1912. 11

But are there then no Christians at all in the church bodies that do not remain in all points with the word of the apostles? Do we condemn them all, do we deny salvation to all who deviate from God's Word in any point? This judgment is ascribed to us, but wrongly. We know from God's Word: in certain doctrines there is an erring out of weakness, with which Christianity can still exist, if the man in his heart is a poor sinner and trusts in Christ alone as his Savior. So many take part outwardly in division but at the same time cling with their hearts to Christ. We think of the two hundred who, called from Jerusalem, went with Absalom and knew nothing of the wicked affair, 2 Sam. 15:11. The apostle also points to this fact in our text when he speaks of "innocent hearts" who are led astray "by sweet words and fine speech" of those who cause division. But for all that, division remains an offense. God wants no other doctrine in the Church than His Word, and fellowship with those who teach otherwise is bad company forbidden by God and a constant danger to souls.

3.

Who gives us a means in hand, a thoroughgoing means, to remove division? Who shows us the way by which this offense of division in Christendom is prevented? The apostle indicates the means. The means is as simple as it is thoroughly effective. He says: "Watch out for those who cause division and offense contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them!" When in the Christian Church people appear who teach something other than Christ's Word and will not be instructed, the Christians are not to side with such people but to isolate them, not to make fellowship with them but to withdraw from them. This manner, prescribed by God, works. Had Christians from the very beginning and at every time followed this simple and clear divine direction, there would be no division in Christendom, but the whole of Christendom would be perfectly united. Where there are no buyers, there is no market. The Arian schism in the fourth century would not have arisen if the Christians of that time had, in accordance with the divine direction, withdrawn from Arius, who denied the eternal deity of Christ, instead of adhering to him. The offense at Rome would not have arisen and would not have spread over the whole world, if Christians had shunned as an abomination the pope, who under Christ's name with his own word arrogated to himself his own rule in the Church, and had given him the proper title, instead of calling him "Holy Father." The schism at the time of the Reformation would not have occurred if the Christians had withdrawn from Zwingli and his followers, who did not remain with the words of our LORD Jesus Christ about the Lord's Supper and about Baptism. There would be no division in the American