# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1930_S27
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1930. 27

In this, however, we do concede that churchly ceremonies, when rightly introduced and used, have confessional value. First of all it is to be noted that God is a God of order, and through the observance of order the outward worship can not only be simplified but can also shape itself into a confessional ceremony that has its value in the work of the Church. With a view to order in public worship Paul writes to the Corinthians: "Let all things be done decently and in order," 1 Cor. 14:40, and in this sense we accept the word and are guided by it.

On this some further statements of Luther. He writes in his "Vermahnung an die Christen in Liefland vom äußerlichen Gottesdienst und Eintracht" [Admonition to the Christians in Livonia concerning Outward Worship and Concord], X, 260: "Although the outward orders in divine services, such as masses, singing, reading, baptizing, contribute nothing to salvation, it is nevertheless unchristian that people are at variance over them and thereby confuse the poor people and do not much rather regard the improvement of the people than our own mind and opinion. . . . For, as has been said, although the outward ways or orders are free and, reckoning by faith, may with a good conscience be changed in all places, at all hours, by all persons, yet you are, reckoning by love, not free to carry out such freedom, but bound to take heed how it may be tolerable and edifying to the poor people; as St. Paul says, 1 Cor. 14:40: 'Let all things be done decently and in order,' and 1 Cor. 6:12: 'All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient,' and 1 Cor. 8:1: 'Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth'; and as he speaks there of those who have the knowledge of faith and of freedom and yet do not know how they ought to have the knowledge, because they use it not for the edification of the people but for the glory of their understanding." And in his "Kurzes Bekenntnis vom Sakrament wider die Schwärmer" [Short Confession concerning the Sacrament against the Fanatics] of the year 1544 it says: "For where it can otherwise be done without sin and danger or without offense, it is very fine that the churches, also in outward matters which are indeed free, agree with one another, as they agree in spirit, faith, Word, Sacrament, etc. For such a thing stands well and pleases everyone." (XX, 1790.)

It follows from this that it may easily happen that a Christian, in spite of the freedom he possesses, does not simply assert his Christian freedom in such matters of indifference or *Adiaphora*. Paul is a shining example to us in this respect too. He insists on his Christian freedom and defends it with all decisiveness. He refuses to circumcise Titus, because the Jewishly minded Christians in Jerusalem wished to make it a condition, Gal. 2:3; but he circumcised Timothy for the sake of the Jews who lived in his home town of Lystra, for they all knew that his father had been a Greek, Acts 16:3. He insists that the conscience of the weak must be spared, Rom. 14:1 ff., and reminds the Corinthians that their freedom must not become a stumblingblock to the weak, 1 Cor. 8:9 ff.; but he himself in Jerusalem in the year 58 is ready to submit to the purification ceremonies of the Jews, merely in order to spare the tender consciences of individual members of the congregation, Acts 21:24-26. He took upon himself, then, both in the case of Timothy and on the occasion of his last visit to Jerusalem, ceremonies of the Jewish law of which he nevertheless knew, of which he had also written by inspiration of God, that they had no real value. He let himself be determined and guided by the law of love. Luther did likewise. Indeed, one of the inter-