LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1965, Page 271

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THEOLOGY OF FELLOWSHIP 271

were all dead, and that He died for all that they which
live should not henceforth live unto themselves but
unto Him which died for them and rose again. Where-
fore henceforth know we no man after the flesh. Yea,
though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now
henceforth know we Him no more. Therefore if any
man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things
are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to
Himself by Jesus Christ and hath given to us the
ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in
Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing
their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us
the Word of reconciliation. Now, then, we are ambassa-
dors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us.
We pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
For He hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin,
that we might be made the righteousness of God in
Him.” 1 John 1:1-7. “That which was from the beginning,
which we have heard, which we have seen with our
eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have
handled, of the Word of life (for the Life was mani-
fested, and we have seen it and bear witness and show
unto you that eternal Life which was with the Father
and was manifested unto us), that which we have seen
and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have
fellowship with us. And truly our fellowship is with
the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these
things write we unto you that your joy may be full.
This, then, is the message which we have heard of
Him and declare unto you, that God is Light and in
Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have
fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and
do not the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is
in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and
the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from
all sin.”

Cc. IN GUARDING THIS FELLOWSHIP

A Christian’s fellowship with God in Christ as well
as his fellowship with other Christians is an exceedingly
great and precious possession (1 John 3:13,14; Eph.
4:1-6).1 For this reason Satan constantly strives to
disrupt this fellowship by every means at his disposal.
Therefore it is necessary for the church to safeguard
this fellowship in every way.

1 1 John 3:13,14. “Marvel not, my brethren, if the
world hate you. We know that we have passed from
death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that
loveth not his brother abideth in death.” Eph. 4:1-6.
“J, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that
ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering,
forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the
unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one
body and one Spirit, even. as ye are called in one hope
of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one Baptism, one
God and Father of all, who is above all and through all
and in you all.”

This the church does —

1. By remaining steadfastly under the power of the
Gospel in Word and Sacrament (Acts 2:42; Rom. 6:3-5;
Gal. 3: 26-28; 1 Cor. 12:13; 1 Cor. 10:16,17; 1 Cor. 11:
26),! since Christian fellowship can be nourished and
sustained only by the Gospel, which created it (John 8:
31, 32; Matt. 28;19, 20; Acts 20:20; Acts 20:27, 28; Luke
11:27, 28; John 15:7-9; 1 John 2:24, 25; Col. 3:14-16).?

1 Acts 2:42. “And they continued steadfastly in the
apostles’ doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of
bread and in prayers.” Rom. 6:3-5. “Know ye not that
so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were
baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with
Him by Baptism into death that like as Christ was raised
up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so
we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have
been planted together in the likeness of His death, we
shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection.” Gal.
3:26-28. “For ye are all the children of God by faith in
Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been bap-
tized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither
Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is
neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ.”
1 Cor. 12:13. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into
one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we
be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into
one Spirit.” 1 Cor. 10:16,17. “The cup of blessing which
we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?
The bread which we break, is it not the communion of
the body of Christ? For we, being many, are one bread
and one body, for we are all partakers of that one
bread.” 1 Cor. 11:26. “For as often as ye eat this bread
and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till
He come.”

2 John 8:31, 32. “Then said Jesus to those Jews which
believed on Him, 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.” Matt. 28:19,20. “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. And, lo, I am with you alway,
even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Acts 20:20.
(Paul to the elders of Ephesus) “And how I kept back
nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed
you and have taught you publicly and from house to
house.” Acts 20:27,28. “For I have not shunned to de-
clare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed there-
fore unto yourselves and to all the flock, over the which
the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the
church of God, which He hath purchased with His own
blood.” Luke 11:27,28. “And it came to pass, as He
spake these things, a certain woman of the company
lifted up her voice and said unto Him, Blessed is the
womb that bare Thee and the paps which Thou hast
sucked. But He said, Yea, rather, blessed are they that
hear the Word of God and keep it.” John 15:7-9. “If ye
abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask
what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is