LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 153

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2. District and Congregational Services
2-01

To Tell the World That Christ Is the Only Way
to Heaven
Whereas, The World Parliament of Religions held in Australia in
December 2009 again showed that an antiscriptural universalism continues to advance within most major denominations; and
Whereas, The Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church,
and most major Protestant denominations no longer insist that Jesus
Christ is the only way to heaven and that Christianity is the only saving faith; and
Whereas, Surveys reveal that a majority of church members maintain that all religions worship the same true God; and
Whereas, The Pope and liberal Protestant churchmen often pray
with Muslims, Jews, and other non-Christians; and
Whereas, The Athanasian Creed states: “Whosoever will be
saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic, [i.e.,
universal, Christian] faith. Which faith except everyone do keep
whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.
And the catholic faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity,
and Trinity in Unity ...”; and
Whereas, The 1973 LCMS “Statement on Scriptural and
Confessional Principles” says that Jesus is the only way to heaven
and that all those who do not trust in Him for salvation will go to
hell; therefore be it
Resolved, That the 2010 LCMS convention declare that Jesus
Christ is the only way to heaven, that Christianity is the only saving
and divinely revealed faith, and that those who die without saving
faith in Jesus Christ are lost; and be it further
Resolved, That the convention ask the LCMS Board of Directors
to request a series of articles in The Lutheran Witness exposing the
antiscriptural universalism which has infiltrated the major denominations and defending the fact that Christianity is the only saving and
divinely revealed faith; and be it finally
Resolved, That all LCMS district presidents insist that every pastor in their districts maintain that (1) Jesus is the only way to heaven;
(2) those who do not trust in Christ for salvation are damned; and (3)
Christianity is the one and only divinely revealed and saving faith
(“Confessional Lutherans Support True Biblical Mission Work—
UNIVERSALISM DESTROYS MISSIONS,” Christian News,
November 16, 2009).
Trinity
New Haven, MO
2-02

To Reaffirm Justification by Faith Alone
Whereas, In October 2009, Lutherans, Roman Catholics, and
Methodists celebrated the tenth anniversary of the “Joint Declaration
on the Doctrine of Justification” (JDDJ); and
Whereas, JDDJ, which was signed in Augsburg, Germany, on
October 31, 1998, has been referred to by orthodox Lutherans who
still affirm the scriptural doctrine of justification by faith alone as
“the Augsburg Concession” (Christian News, October 5, 2000); and
Whereas, Surveys have shown that many Americans, including
church members, maintain that man must work, at least in part, his
own way to heaven; and
Whereas, A survey of 3,000 Lutheran youth revealed that the
majority of Lutheran youth do not accept the teaching of justification by grace through faith; and
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Whereas, The Roman Catholic Church still affirms the Canons
and Decrees of the Council of Trent, which condemns the scriptural
doctrine of justification by faith alone; and
Whereas, When Pope John Paul II in 1995 visited the cathedral in
Trent on the 450th anniversary of the Council of Trent, he declared
that “[i]ts conclusions maintain all their value”; and
Whereas, Session VI, Canon 12 of the Council of Trent, which
the Pope and Vatican II reaffirmed, says: “If anyone saith that justifying faith is nothing else but confidence in the divine mercy which
remits sins for Christ’s sake, or that this confidence alone is that
whereby we are justified, let him be anathema”; and
Whereas, What the Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent
condemn is precisely what the Bible and the Lutheran Confessions
teach about justification by faith alone in the merits of Christ; and
Whereas, The article “Poll: Most Christians’ Beliefs Out of Sync
with Bible,” published in the July 2001 LCMS Reporter, said that
only 27 percent of the Lutherans in the U.S. affirm the scriptural doctrine of justification by faith alone; therefore be it
Resolved, That the 2010 convention of the LCMS reaffirm the
scriptural doctrine of justification by faith alone in the merits of
Christ; and be it further
Resolved, That the convention authorize a professional survey
of only the LCMS to find out the percentage of members of LCMS
congregations who accept the scriptural doctrine of justification; and
be it finally
Resolved, That the convention urge all LCMS congregations and
schools regularly to affirm the importance of the doctrine of justification by faith alone in the merits of Jesus Christ.
Trinity
New Haven, MO
2-03

To Engage in Theological Discussion and Reaffirm
Authority of Scripture
Whereas, Wyoming District congregations have had the opportunity to study six Bible studies written by the circuit visitors on topics
of concern; and
Whereas, The LCMS has recently drifted away from God’s Word
and the Lutheran Confessions in rendering decisions in matters of
both doctrine and practice, thus causing considerable disagreement
in the Synod about (1) the propriety of joint or sequential prayers with
people who do not worship the true God, (2) accountability even when
acting with the permission of one’s ecclesiastical supervisor, (3) the
right of laypeople and parish pastors to judge doctrine, (4) the order
of creation, (5) close(d) communion, (6) the use of doctrinally pure
worship forms and the uniformity of worship, (7) the theology and
nomenclature of mission, (8) who may exercise the Office of the Holy
Ministry, (9) the role of women in the church, and (10) the Church
Growth movement; and
Whereas, God specifically warns in His Word against falling
away from the Word (1 Tim. 1:3–7; 2 Thess. 2:15); and
Whereas, God has promised to work faith through the Word—
that is, plant, nourish, and strengthen saving faith in human hearts
through the Word; therefore be it
Resolved, That based upon comments of pastors and congregations, these six studies be revised and clarified; and be it further
Resolved, That a summary report be shared with Synod President
Gerald Kieschnick (as per his request); and be it further
Resolved, That these studies, along with Bible studies that address
additional concerns, be revised and be posted on the Wyoming
District Web site; and be it further
2010 Convention Workbook

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