LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1967, Page 95

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THEOLOGICAL MATTERS 95

Wuereas, The floor committee has found this docu-
ment to be Scripturally and confessionally sound; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That the document on “Civil Obedience
and Disobedience” be received as furnishing instruction
and counsel that is in harmony with Scripture and the
Lutheran Confessions.

Action: Adopted.

To Reaffirm Our Position on Certain Doctrines
RESOLUTION 2-30

Overtures 2-54 to 2-60 (CW, pp. 74—75)

Wuereas, The Synod has been asked to clarify its
stand on several doctrinal issues; therefore be it

Resolved, That we reaffirm our position on the fol-
lowing matters of doctrine:

1. That the Holy Scripture is the inerrant Word of
God.

2. That Christ has made atonement for the sins of the
whole world and thus propitiated God’s wrath against
sin.

3. That Christ rose from the dead glorified in His
flesh (sara).

4. That the soul of man does not cease to exist after
death and that only those who believe in Christ receive
eternal life; and be it further

Resolved, That we affirm our position that those who
teach otherwise are in error.

Action: Adopted as amended.
(“Propitiated” was substituted for “appeased.”)

To Reaffirm Our Position on Creation, Fall,
and Related Subjects
RESOLUTION 2-31

Overtures 2-50—2-53; 2-61—2-65; 2-54—2-60, point 5
(CW, pp. 73—76); 2-105 U to 2-107 U (URO, pp. 17—18)

Wuereas, Scripture teaches and the Lutheran Con-
fessions affirm that God by the almighty power of His
Word created all things in 6 days by a series of creative
acts (Gen. 1; Ex. 20:11; John 1:3; Col. 1:16; Heb. 11:3;
cf. Large Catechism 2, 11—16; FC Ep I, 2, 4); and

Wuereas, Scripture teaches and the Lutheran Con-
fessions affirm the doctrine of creation in such a way as
to. show us both that man is the principal creature. of
God (Gen. 1—2; Col. 1:16-18; cf. the citations from the
Confessions above) and that the doctrine is to be used to
humble and terrify us and also to lift us up and warm
our hearts with gratitude to God for all His blessings
(LC, Creed, I, 22—23: cf. Is. 40; Ps. 104; Job 38; cf. also
FC SD, I, 34—37) ; and

Wuereas, The Scriptures teach and the Lutheran
Confessions affirm that Adam and Eve were real, histor-
ical human beings, the first two people in the world
(Gen. 2; Rom. 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 15: 45-47; 1 Tim, 2:11-15;
cf. FC Ep I, 4; SD, I, 9, 27; Ap XI, 55), created in God’s

image with body and soul “pure, good, and holy” (FC
SD, II, 27), thus possessing “the knowledge of God, fear
of God, and trust in God” (Ap Uy, 17, 18; cf. Col. 2:10;
Eph. 2:24); and

Wuereas, The Scriptures teach and our Lutheran
Confessions affirm that the fall of our first parents is a
historical fact “which corrupted God’s handiwork in
Adam” (FC SD, I, 42; cf. FC SD, I, 7, 9, 23, 27, 42; SA,
TH, VIIL, 5; cf. also Rom. 5: 12-21; 1 Cor. 15: 21-22), thus
bringing sin into the world so that “since the fall of
Adam all men who are propagated according to nature
are born in sin” (AC, II, 1), and “we must confess what
St. Paul says in Romans 5:12, namely, that sin had its
origin in one man, Adam, through whose disobedience
all men were made sinners and became subject to death
and the devil” (SA III, I, 1); and

Wuereas, The clear teaching of God’s creation of man
in His image and the teaching of man’s fall into sin and
the subsequent inherent corruption of all human beings
are essential to the clear and pure teaching of the Gospel
(SA III, I, 1—11); therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod reaffirm its faith in the
united testimony of Scripture and the Lutheran Confes-
sions on the aforementioned teachings; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod reject and condemn all
those world views, philosophical theories, exegetical in-
terpretations, and other hypotheses which pervert these
biblical teachings and thus obscure the Gospel; and be it
finally ,

Resolved, That we sincerely thank God for the pre-~
cious Gospel given us in the Biblical teaching on the
creation, the fall of man, and the grace of God, that we
joyfully bear witness to it,.and that we encourage our
fellow Christians to do likewise.

Action: Adopted as amended.

(The final Resolved was inserted by amendment. Another
proposed amendment, to substitute “dogmatic statements”
for “exegetical interpretations,” was defeated. It was resolved
to incorporate in the minutes a statement by Dr. Robert
Preus; see Minutes, Sessions 15 and 16. An amendment to
add a final Resolved: “That the Synod reaffirm that the
teachers at our synodically governed schools are required to
teach according to this resolution,” failed to carry.)

To Decline to Submit River Forest Seminar
Papers for Study and Recommendation
and to Refer This Matter to River Forest:
Board of Control
RESOLUTION 2-32

' Overture 2-69 (CW, pp. 76-—77)

Wuereas, The seminar papers referred to. in’ this
overture seem to have been presented in the spirit of the
procedure designated as proper at the 1965 Detroit con-
vention (Proceedings, 1965, Res. 2-08, p. 96); and

- Wuereas, This procedure requires:

That we call upon those who teach publicly in the church
(pastors, teachers, and professors) to test their findings
and opinions with their peer groups before presenting
them to the church at large and to refrain in brotherly