# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1930_S17
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1930. 17

the acceptance of his Word required by God, and thereby on the doctrine of his Word in the confession of the Church. This is not a Lutheran special doctrine, but the clear speech of the Word of God. Our Savior says: "If ye continue in my word (ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῷ ἐμῷ), then are ye my disciples indeed," John 8:32 [sic, as printed; the verse is John 8:31]. He prays in his high-priestly prayer: "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth," John 17:17. He commands his disciples in his last great mission charge: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you," Matt. 28:19, 20. Christ's own position is seen from Matt. 5:18: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven." Cf. Luke 16:17. And that this doctrine must include the confession of Jesus follows from Matt. 10:32: "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven." — With these demands of Jesus the accounts of the first Church and the statements of the apostolic epistles agree. Acts 2:42: "And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine." Rom. 10:10: "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." This confession is not an indefinite quantum, but it is the word of faith that Paul and his helpers preached. It is the same thought that the Apostle Peter expresses in 1 Pet. 1:25: "But the word of the LORD endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." 1 Tim. 4:16 St. Paul writes: "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." 2 Tim. 1:13: "Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus." Cf. 2 Tim. 1:13; Titus 1:9; 2:1, 7. Heb. 4:14: "Let us hold fast our profession." Heb. 10:23: "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised." So strong is the probative force of these many passages that we are entitled to apply the words about adding to this book and taking away from this book, Rev. 22:18, 19 (cf. Deut. 4:2; 12:32), to the whole Bible with all its doctrines. Only on the principle of accepting the whole Scripture with all its doctrines can unity in the Spirit exist.

This point is further confirmed by the prohibitions of the LORD in this field, by his warnings against all those who depart even in the least from the clear doctrines of Scripture. "Beware of false prophets!" says the Savior, Matt. 7:15, whereby he naturally asserts the existence of false doctrine and false teachers and warns against both. Rom. 16:17: "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them!" 1 Tim. 6:3, 4: "If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to the whole-