LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1992, Page 61

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REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT 61

to point 8 of 1977 Resolution 3-10A, which states: “Certain
doctrines held and taught by some individuals and groups
in the charismatic movement are mere human opinion, not
clearly taught in Holy Scripture and therefore contrary to
the Holy Scriptures, and therefore,dangerous to the sal-
vation of men to teach ... that God gives guidance and
leadership to the church today through visions and dreams
or direct. prophecy” (1977 Proceedings, pp. 131-32). We,
therefore, present those points concerning which disagree-
ments still remain, yet not, in our opinion, without hope
of resolution. We also list those areas where controverted
points exist where further examination is needed.

.B. Affirmations

Together we...

1, Affirm: That the assurance of our salvation is always
based on the atoning work of Jesus Christ
attested in Sacred Scripture and worked in
us through the means of grace. We are jus-
tified by grace alone through faith alone in
Jesus Christ alone.

That the ground or assurance of our salvation
can be based on the presence of some spiritual
gift or experience in the Christian life. (°
That-the inspired Scripture is the only judge
of movements, experiences, and theologies.
God’s Word judges experiences and not vice-
versa. ‘
That any movements, experiences, or theol-
ogies ever stand in judgment of Scripture.
: That it is the Holy Spirit who apportions his
gifts upon whomever and whenever he wills
(1 Cor. 12:11).
That the Scriptures teach that certain gifts
of the Spirit cannot be present in the church
today or that the Scriptures teach that all the
gifts of the Spirit are present in the church
today.
That spiritual gifts are given not only for the
edification of the individual (1 Cor. 14:4) but
also and primarily for the building up of the
church (1 Cor, 14:12). “The Christian church
today will accept with joy and gratitude any
gift that the Spirit in His grace may choose
to bestow on us for the purpose of edifying the
body of Christ” (‘The Charismatic Movement
and Lutheran Theology,” A Report of the
CTCR, 1972, p. 25).

That every congregation must have every one
of the Spirit’s gifts listed in the New Testh-
ment or it is somehow incomplete, inferior, or
spiritually deficient.

That the presence of the fruit of the Spirit,
rather than the manifestation of any spiritual

Reject:

2. Affirm:

Reject:

Reject:

4. Affirm:

Reject:

5. Affirm:

gift, is a mark of growing spiritual maturity. -

All forms of spiritual pride that point to self,
including any comparisons of sanctification
over against others in Christ’s body or any
judgment regarding the presence or absence
of gifts of the Spirit that lead either to boast-
ing, self-satisfaction, spiritual elitism, or to
despair. :

Reject:

6. Affirm: That although we live in a sinful and wicked
world confronted by “spiritual hosts of
wickedness in heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12),
Jesus Christ, who is “the same yesterday, to-
day and forever” (Heb. 13:8), is the ultimate
victor over every spiritual enemy through his
cross and resurrection. In the New Testa-
ment, the proclamation of this message of vic-
tory was often accompanied by signs and
wonders that demonstrated his lordship over
the enemy and blessed those in need. In as-
sessing whether such signs and wonders are
still present today, “The church will not reject
out of hand the possibility that God may in
His grace and wisdom endow some in Chris-

' tendom with the same abilities and powers

He gave His church in past centuries. It will

take care lest it quench the Spirit by neither

praying for nor expecting God’s présence and
power in building His church.” The church

“will also take seriously the admonition of the

apostle to ’test the spirits to see whether they

are of God, for many false prophets have gone

out into the world’ (1 John 4:1, 1 Cor. 12:10)”

' (CTCR, ibid.).

Reject: That Scripture teaches that God must per-
form certain signs and wonders today (e.g.,
healing) and if such do not occur, it is nec-
essarily due to a lack of faith;

' That suffering, which is a mark of the cross-
life for righteousness’ sake, is a sign that we
have missed some blessing of God;

j That temporal prosperity is a necessary con-
dition of God’s favor.

C. Issues Remaining to Be Resolved

' 1, The interpretation of SA III, viii, 3-13 (Tappert, pp.
312-13) and its application to 1979 Resolution 3-
10A, Point 8.

12, The relationships between the means of grace,

| prayer, and charismata.

3. Does the content of the promises made by Jesus
Christ to his church include the charismata?

i 4. The Word- and faith-confirming function of mani-

‘  festations of the Spirit.

: 5. How to discern the authenticity of spiritual gifts.

D, Recommendation

_ In view of the progress made in these discussions, we
recommend that further discussions be arranged for the
purpose of seeking resolution of the points of disagreement
which remain.

Participants:
Dr. Ralph Bohlmann
Dr. Richard Kapfer

' Dr. Robert Kolb
Dr. Albert Marcis
Dr. Samuel Nafzger

February 1992

Rev. Philip Gehlhar ,
Dr. Theodore Jungkuntz
Dr. Donald Miles

Rev. Delbert Rossin