# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1930_S23
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1930. 23

make a compulsion of it and put it into a general ordinance, until everyone has first been well instructed everywhere, so that the weak in faith may not be offended in this; but the Word one should drive, practice and preach, and afterward leave the consequence to the Word and commit it to God until his time." (Vol. XX, 37 f. Cf. *Visitationsartikel* [Visitation Articles], X, 1653.)

We have indeed also practiced similarly, especially in our Home Mission (Home Missions), as we in general work with great caution in missions, also in Germany. We have members rich in knowledge, especially among those who have enjoyed the full blessing of our school system, with pastors and teachers at their head. And yet there is again and again something to be found, here a lack of right understanding of Scripture, there a hesitation, indeed a cowardice, in applying the clear Scripture word. But love commands, so long as we stand on the same ground of Scripture and of the Confession, that we exercise forbearance, that with all patience and longsuffering we seek to lead out those who are entangled in an error, and also instruct one another again and again and accept such instruction with a humble heart when it rests on God's Word.

But it is one thing to bear with the weak, and quite another thing to tolerate a false doctrine and let it rule in the Church. The bearing with the weak must never amount to a recognition of error; it may, as our thesis says, under no circumstances occur with denial of the truth. Lack of knowledge and weakness of understanding can and must be excused; but no person, especially not a teacher of the Church, to say nothing of a whole church fellowship, can be excused when the truth is denied and when confession and practice are false. Weakness must not become the norm, must not claim recognition and a right to exist. Wilful participants in the falsification of the Word of truth are children of perdition. (Cf. Dr. Pieper's statements in "Christl. Dogmatik" [Christian Dogmatics] I, 99-102.)

This is clear Scripture doctrine. Already in the Old Testament the LORD shows through Elijah that one cannot halt between two opinions, holding both with the truth and with error and falsehood, 1 Kings 18:21; cf. Amos 3:3. And the New Testament passages that come into consideration here speak with great seriousness. John 8:31, 32, 43, 45: "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. Why do ye not understand my speech (τὴν λαλιὰν τὴν ἐμήν)? Even because ye cannot hear my word (τὸν λόγον τὸν ἐμόν). And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not." Acts 20:30, 31: "Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears." Rom. 16:17, 18: "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." Gal. 5:9: "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." Cf. 1 Cor. 5:6, 2. 2 John 10, 11: "If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house,