# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1944_S244
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

244 Intersynodical and Doctrinal Matters

of various responsible leaders in our own as well as other synods ,
of the Synodical Conference; and the consideration given by the
leading commissioners of the American Lutheran Church gives us
reason to believe that the following letter will receive their official
consideration) : , ,

To tHe Hon. American LuTHeran CHuRcH: ;

In order to hasten the day of uniting all true Lutherans we, the
——, ask you for certain official’ assurances with regard to your
Declaration: ' .

1. When you use the word “authors” in I, b, you mean “inspired
writers” and not in the usual sense of “originator, or creator,” for
we believe that only God can be considered the Originator, the
Creator, of Holy Writ. (2 Tim, 3:16; 2 Pet.1:21.) -

2. In the same paragraph the phrase “without contradiction and
error” is not only to be applied to an “organic whole,” but to every '
word of the Bible. (Rev, 22:18,19; Deut. 12:32.)

3. Your statement in I,c, “The Bible is the Word of God...
a means of grace” refers only to the Gospel and the Sacraments and
not to the Law as revealed in the Ten Commandments. (Rom. 11: 6.)

’ 4, You will change the wording in the statement TI, A, “to this
end He also purposes to justify those who have come to faith” so
that it can be clearly seen that you officially believe that God in
Christ has declared the whole world righteous, “not imputing their
trespasses unto them” (2 Cor. 5:19; Rom. 4:5; 5:6,8), and that
faith, which in itself is purely a gift of God (Eph. 2:8), is the empty
hand which grasps what long ago has been accomplished on Cal-
vary’s cross (John 3:16; John 19:30). .

5. When you state II, C,3, you do not intend in the least to
Solve the Scriptural mystery of why some are elected and others
lost (1 Tim. 2:4; Hos. 13:9; Rom. 11: 32-34), nor do you permit the
false interpretation that by nature the believer is not guilty to the °
same degree as the eternally lost unbeliever (Rom. 3:10-12; Rom.
7:18), nor do you thereby wish to deny that God from eternity by
grace in Christ Jesus has elected a definite number to eternal sal-
vation (Rom. 8:29, 30; Eph, 1:4, 5).

6. In III faith and faith alone belongs to the essence of the in-.
visible Church. (John 3:16; Mark 16:16.)

7. Concerning Paragraph V, the teaching concerning Sunday
in which one day in the week must be set aside as a day of the
Lord is not tolerated in your Church. (Col. 3:16; Gal. 4:10,11; .
Luke 6:5.)

8. In VI, A, 1, 2,3, when you use the term “return of Christ,”

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