# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1914_S22
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

22 Proceedings of the twenty-fifth convention

What has the stranger become through this? "Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God." (Eph. 2:19.) The stranger has become a citizen with the saints, the guest a member of the household. Guests must ask in due form for admission to the house and for access to the master of the house; members of the household have free access to the father of the house, at any time they can speak with him without an intermediary, present their concern to him, ask his counsel, call upon his help.

How proud we are that we are Americans! And our American citizenship protects us even in the most remote parts of the earth. But it is incomparably more glorious to be a citizen in Christ's kingdom. And what protection could equal that of the legions of angels who encamp about us? Therefore, how we should rejoice over our heavenly citizenship!

Who has obtained this citizenship for us strangers? Jesus Christ has broken down the fence that was between. "But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been made near by the blood of Christ, who by his flesh has taken away the enmity, that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross, having slain the enmity thereby." (Eph. 2:13–16.) Christ has taken away the enmity between God and men. Thereby Christ has also taken away the enmity between Jews and Greeks, between strangers and citizens, between guests and members of the household of God. Christ is our peace, who has made of both one. Christ did this by dying for us, in our place, the Righteous for the unrighteous. "If anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, who is righteous. And he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world's." (1 John 2:1, 2.)

Is that certain? How do we know it? "Christ came and preached peace in the gospel to you who were far off, and to those who were near." (Eph. 2:17.) The last commission that Jesus gave his disciples reads: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature! He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:15, 16.) So Christ has peace proclaimed, the state of peace announced. He speaks peace to the world, speaks peace into men's hearts. Our heathen forefathers heard the proclamation of peace of the Lord through the Gospel. Through them it has come to us, so that we too are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ being the cornerstone.

What now do we want to do as citizens with the saints and members of God's household? When a Gentile became a Jewish proselyte, he re-