# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1922_S5
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1922. 5

congregation that he gathered in Europe, and they had remained faithful to him. He calls them his joy and crown. Second, they had helped the apostle in the spreading of the Gospel. Even when Paul sat imprisoned in distant Rome, they seized the opportunity to send him help. And Paul sent them a letter of thanks, the Epistle to the Philippians. He wrote: "I thank my God" — Paul knew that every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from above — "I thank my God for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now."

In the Synodical Conference [*Synodalkonferenz*], founded half a century ago, we too have had from the first day until now a fellowship like that of the apostle and his dear Philippians. We too must say with the holy apostle:

We thank our God for this fellowship.

For it is

1. a fellowship given by God;
2. a fellowship in the Gospel of God.

1.

We know from God's Word that not every fellowship is given by God or pleasing to him. God does indeed leave us freedom, in earthly matters, wherever we consider it useful, to enter into lawful associations. There are the ever stronger associations, founded for the benefit of their members, in business, in industry, among the workers. In politics people make mutual concessions and compromise in order to win as large a following as possible and to reach the desired goals.

And there are not a few church members who, because they see the success of uniting in other fields, think it wise to follow the wisdom of the world. For the supposed benefit of the church, namely to secure for it more influence and success and greater standing in the world, they enter into religious associations, make concessions and join together in church fellowships that cannot please God and cannot serve the true spiritual advancement of the people of God.

For what does God's Word say? Concerning the unbelieving world we have the express warning of Scripture: "Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers! . . . Come out from among them, and be ye separate!" 2 Cor. 6:14 ff., and: "Be not ye therefore partakers with them! . . . Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness!" Eph. 5:7 ff. Of the so-called "religion" that is practiced in the world in the most various forms and also stands in esteem with the great mass of our fellow countrymen, the word of Scripture holds: "The things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God. And I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils," 1 Cor.