LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 232

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

232 HUMAN CARE

the Family in its drama Tilly teaches that all aborted babies end up
in heaven), and the Roman Catholic Church because of its belief
in the “sanctity” of life, now teaches against capttal puntshment,
contrary to God’s inspired Word (Gen. 9:6; Ex. 21:12; Rom. 13:4);
therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod reaffirm
its belief that God is the giver of all life, and that He alone should
determine when a human life should be taken; and be it further

Resolved, That the members of The Lutheran Church—Mis-
sourt Synod clearly teach about the true God-given value of every
human life in every available forum; and be it further

Resolved, That we urge all our members and those organiza-
tions affiliated with The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to
guard against the use of the term “sanctity of life” because of the
pervasive misunderstandings of that term; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod in convention in 2001 request that all
of the materials published and distributed by the Synod use more
accurate substitutes for the term “sanctity of life,” such as the
“God-given value of life” or “God’s gift of life.”

Holy Cross
Golden, IL

6-06

To Study and Support Marriage and Family Statement

WHEREAS, There are many voices calling for a redefinition of
what is a family; and

WHEREAS, Many of those same voices are calling for a defini-
tion of marriage that is unbiblical; and

WHEREAS, The Southern Baptist Convention in June 1998
passed a resolution supporting a strong scriptural perspective on
marriage and family; and

WHEREAS, Over 100 Christian leaders representing colleges,
seminaries, publishers, parachurch organizations, large churches,
and other groups have signed statements of support, with Campus
Crusade tor Christ adding an important paragraph; and

WueREAS, Now is the time for Christian people to identify
themselves unreservedly with the truths of the Bible, whether pop-
ular or not; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod encour-
age its member congregations to study the statement on the family
authored by the Southern Baptist Convention and added to by
Campus Crusade for Christ, that statement being:

God has ordained the family as the foundational institution
of human society. It is comprised of persons related to one an-
other by marriage, blood or adoption.

Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in a
covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God's unique gift to
reveal the union between Christ and His church, and to provide
for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for inti-
mate companionship, the channel for sexual expression accord-
ing to the biblical standards and the means for the procreation of
the human race.

The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since
both are created in God's image. The marriage relationship
models the way God relates to His people. A husband is to love
his wife as Chnst loved the church. He has the God-given re-
sponsibility to provide for, to protect and to Iead his family. A
wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of
her husband even as the church willingly submits to the head-
ship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband
and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to re-
spect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the
household and nurturing the next generation.

In a marriage lived according to these truths, the love be-
tween husband and wife will show ilself in listening to each
other’s viewpoints, valuing each other’s gifts, wisdom and de-
sires, honoring one another in public and in private, and always
seeking to bring benefit, not harm, to one another.

2001 Convention Workbook

Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and
heritage from the Lord. Parents are to demonstrate to their chil-
dren God's pattern for marriage. Parents are to teach their
children spiritual and moral values and lead them, through
consistent lifestyle example and loving discipline, to make
choices based on biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey
their parents;

and be it further

Resolved, That upon such study, if the congregations tind noth-
ing contrary to Holy Scripture. that they consider supporting this
statement in their teaching, practice, and public statements.

North Wisconsin District

6-07

To Oppose Marriage Penalty Taxes

WHEREAS, Our Lord tells us in Luke 17:1: “Things that cause
people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through
whom they come”; thus tndicating that our Lord’s people should
do whatever they can to prevent temptation and sin; and

WHEREAS, The Marriage Penalty Tax of our government is an
inequity that further undermines the basic institution of marriage
by encouraging persons to live together apart from the benefit of
marriage; and

WHEREAS, The law that cancels legitimate pension benefits for
widows the minute they remarry also is unjust and an encourage-
ment to live together apart from marriage; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod urge all
of its churches and members to contact their senators and repre-
sentatives to correct such unjust legtstation, at the same time pray-
ing for God’s assistance in making such change; and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to every senator
and representative of the Congress of these United States through
the offices of our respective District Presidents.

Immanuel
Salisbury, MO

6-08

To Assure Reasonable Retirement Benefits

WHEREAS, There are some pastors, professional church work-
ers, and surviving spouses in retirement living on subsistence to-
tally inadequate to provide tor basic needs; and

WHEREAS, These are brothers and sisters in Christ whose ser-
vice to the church has been invaluable: and

WHEREAS, It is our Christian mandate to “work for the good of
all, especially for those of the family of faith” (Gal. 6:10); there-
fore be it

Resolved, That the Synod through its Worker Benefit Plans as-
sure a just, fair, and adequate retirement package for all enrolled
workers whose full-time service has exceeded 25 years; and be it
further

Resolved, That consideration be given to increase the packages
for those workers whose service has been for a lesser number of
years. .

Concordia
Wilmington, DE

6-09

To Provide Health Care Coverage for Retired Workers

WHEREAS, Retired pastors and church workers have faithfully
served their Lord and the church, and Scripture clearly states in
| Cor. 9:14, “In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those
who preach the gospel should receive their living trom the gospel”
and in Gal. 6:6—7, “Anyone who receives instruction in the Word
must share all good things with his instructor. ... Do not be de-
ceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” and in