# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1930_S13
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1930. 13

Evangelist says: Lo, here or there is Christ, and the like, this is spoken of the whole Christ, that is, of the kingdom of Christ, as the text Luke 17:20 f. forcibly proves, where he says: 'The kingdom of God cometh not with observation. Neither shall they say, Lo here, lo there!' which the other evangelists put thus: Here or there is Christ. All this is as much as to say: Christ's kingdom does not consist in outward things, places, times, persons, works, but, as he says there, 'the kingdom of God is within you.' From this it does not follow that Christ is nowhere, but that he is everywhere and fills all things, Eph. 1:23." (Wider die himmlischen Propheten [Against the Heavenly Prophets], XX, 282 f.) — 1 Pet. 2:5: "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." Here the true Church is clearly and plainly called a spiritual, that is, an invisible, building. — 2 Tim. 2:19: "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." Only the LORD can therefore see his own, only to him are they known. But only the true children of God are his Church; therefore no mere man can see the Church. (Cf. on this Walther, *Kirche und Amt* [Church and Ministry], 1-29.)

In connection with this the last part of our thesis reads: "Since the members of this one holy Christian Church are known only to God, he alone knows how perfect the knowledge and confession of the individual member of this Church are." [Sic: the German text of the thesis as quoted here omits "or imperfect" ("oder unvollkommen") found on p. 8–9.] This addition was made deliberately because people constantly confuse these two things, the invisible and the visible Church, and mix them together. To be sure, all truly believing people in all visible churches or congregations are members of the invisible Church; but this escapes our control. On the other hand, it is not said that all members of the invisible Church are thereby also members of a visible fellowship or church. Because this is often overlooked, statements that apply only to the invisible Church are frequently transferred to the visible, as when one applies the word of Jesus, John 17:21, to the visible Church, or transfers a knowledge of the saving doctrine, such as suffices without doubt in the invisible Church (the faith of baptized children), to the confession of the visible Church, and thereby under certain circumstances opens door and gate to indifferentism and unionism. We therefore wish to treat this point somewhat further.

God's ordinances control admission to and membership in the visible church that has a right to exist, as shall be set forth further in the next thesis. He has laid down requirements that determine exactly how this is to be. He has even set up certain principles of a minimum of knowledge and understanding. He has given us practical rules for the treatment of such persons, and especially of such teachers, as do not agree in doctrine and confession with the whole truth of the Word of God.

But with respect to the invisible Church God has reserved to himself the right to act on the basis of his omniscience, without in any way drawing in human judgments. He appears to make a distinction between theological knowledge and an actual recognition of the truth by faith unto salvation. In his reckoning a minimum of knowledge may suffice, which differs from