# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1922_S13
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1922. 13

they want to possess the greatest possible influence; everything must serve them for this, their money, their knowledge, their connections, their office, etc. In this they imagine themselves happy, that many people are dependent on them. In addition they probably also strive for this, that their fatherland be as strong and powerful as possible, that other countries fear it or seek to lean on it.

Others seek their blessedness in creating the best possible well-ordered conditions. It is intolerable to them that there should be so much inequality, so much want and misery on earth. They at least want to do their part, as far as their strength allows, to remedy these evils. And in making others happy they seek their own happiness. — Many more such things could be listed.

Can such people be witnesses of the Lord Jesus? Their views seem indeed to diverge widely and to contradict one another, yet in one point they agree completely: they all seek happiness, blessedness, here on earth. They are earthly-minded. Our Savior is not. He did not come to bring heaven to earth, but to draw us from the earth to himself in heaven. He preaches in his own person and through his apostles: "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Matt. 16:26. Therefore it is heathen superstition and idolatry to strive after the goods of this earth and to lay up treasures here. This earth is so little fit to harbor blessedness that it rather lies hopelessly in wickedness and must pass away with all its lust. Whoever therefore seeks his life, his good, here on earth, forfeits blessedness and will suffer pain for it in hell and in torment.

But that one is to seek blessedness on earth is not a slight, pardonable error of the natural man; it is a fundamental lie of his whole being. The natural man cannot but be earthly-minded and must, according to his innermost nature, oppose the heavenly mind as foolishness. It is said of the natural man not only in mockery: We leave heaven to the parsons and the sparrows; no, in venomous earnest the heavenly mind is opposed, because it hinders people from bringing about tolerable, orderly conditions here on earth. — The chief priests give expression to this disposition when they motivate their action against Jesus thus: "If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation." So firmly do they hold to their lie that on account of this difference in principle they consider themselves not only entitled but obliged to put Jesus out of the way. Whoever hesitates to draw this conclusion is, according to Caiaphas' judgment, a man who knows nothing and considers nothing, John 11:47–50.

That was also our mind when the Savior appointed us his witnesses. By nature we did not witness for him, but against him.