# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1924_S17
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1924. 17

"If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free," John 8:31, 32. We do not claim perfect sanctification. We do not claim that the Lutheran Church is without hypocrites, but this we maintain, that God has given us His infallible Word and the pure doctrine, which we simply repeat and teach.

But have not strife, contention and division also arisen in the Lutheran Church through envy, jealousy, selfishness, hatred and enmity? To be sure, and that too was disobedience, and where these passions were not combated but were allowed to grow and run rank, false doctrine has also followed, and such disobedience has torn the Church. Brethren who are united should therefore not only pay attention to the pure doctrine, but must also guard against evil, hostile passions toward their brethren, otherwise Satan after all gains the upper hand. Heb. 12:14, 15: "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled."

But was there not strife and discord even in the apostolic Church? Certainly, we read in Acts 15:2: "When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question." We hear that no small discord and strife had arisen in Antioch over circumcision. And in Acts 15:37-39 we read: "And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus." We read that there was a great strife between Paul and Barnabas, and that at Antioch Paul publicly rebuked Peter before all. Gal. 2:11-15: "But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all: If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles." From the whole Epistle to the Galatians it appears that Paul combats false teachers. And in Gal. 1:8, 9 he pronounces a terrible curse on everyone who preaches another gospel than he himself preached to the Galatian congregations: "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again: If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." In 1 Cor. 1:11-13 Paul rebukes the congregation at Corinth because there was strife among them. "It hath been declared unto me, beloved