LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 252

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252 STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION

Christian church bodies, and provide for a united defense against
schism, sectarianism, and heresy; therefore be it

Resolved, That all clergy of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod renew their ordination vows and commit themselves, with-
out any reservation, to accept, preach, and teach solely in accord
with the Word of God and the Lutheran Confessions as listed
above; and be it further

Resolved, That if any ordained pastor does not feel comfortable
or compelled to unconditionally subscribe to the Word of God or
the Lutheran Confessions, then he is free to remove himself from
the roster of the LCMS, without stigma or hostility, and should do
so without delay; and be it further

Resolved, That if any Lutheran Church—Missoun Synod mem-
ber congregation that does not feel comfortable in unconditionally
subscribing to the Word of God or the Lutheran Confessions, is
free to remove itself from The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
without stigma or hostility, and should do so without delay; and be
it further

Resolved, That if any ordained male pastor of the ELCA, or
other Protestant denomination, who is willing to publicly and un-
conditionally subscribe to the Word of God and the Lutheran Con-
fessions—as described above—and reject every form of hetero-
doxy, heresy, unionism, syncretism, tolerance of any sinful
conduct, including modernism and humanism, then he will be wel-
comed as a brother and servant of the Word; and be it finally

Resolved, That if any congregation of the ELCA, or other
Protestant denomination, which is willing to publicly and uncon-
ditionally subscribe to the Word of God and the Lutheran Confes-
sions—as described above—and reject every form of heterodoxy,
heresy, unionism, syncretism, tolerance of any sinful conduct, in-
cluding modernism and humanism, then it will be welcomed as a
member congregation of the LCMS.

Bethel
Lander, WY

7-08

To Clarify Synod’s Conditions for Membership

WHEREAS, The wording of the “Conditions of Membership” in
our Synod’s Constitution has been called into question, to wit:
“Conditions for acquiring and holding membership in the Synod
are the following:

1. Acceptance of the confessional basis of Article II.

2. Renunciation of unionism and syncretism of every descrip-
tion, such as:

a. Serving congregations of mixed confession, as such, by min-
isters of the church;

b. Taking part in services and sacramental rites of heterodox
congregations or of congregations of mixed confession;

c. Participating in heterodox tract and missionary activities...”;
and

WHEREAS, This confusion has brought great dissension to our
Synod; and

WHEREAS, The Holy Scriptures are replete with multiple exhor-
tations against such mixing of heterodox and orthodox worship, to
wit:

Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for
yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold. (Ex. 20:23)

They stirred him to jealousy with strange gods; with abomi-
nations they provoked him to anger. They sacrificed to demons
that were no gods, to gods they had never known, to new gods
that had come recently, whom your fathers had never dreaded.
You were unmindful of the Rock that bore you, and you forgot
the God who gave you birth. (Deut. 32:16-18)

[Sennacherib’s officers] spoke about the God of Jerusalem
as they did about the gods of the other peoples of the world—the
work of men’s hands. King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son
of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this. And the Lorp
sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the lead-

ers and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he with-
drew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the
temple of his god, some of his sons cut him down with the
sword. (2 Chron. 32:19-21)

1 am the Lord, that is my name; my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to graven images. (Isa. 42:8)

How should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give
to another. (Isaiah 48:11)

You have as many. gods as you have towns, O Judah; and
the altars you have set up to burn incense to that shameful god
Baal are as many as the streets of Jerusalem. Do not pray for
this people nor offer any plea or petition for them, because I will
not listen when they call 10 me in the time of their distress. What
is my beloved doing in my temple as she works out her evil
schemes with many? Can consecrated meat avert your punish-
ment? When you engage in your wickedness, then you rejoice.
(Jer. 11:13-15)

I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divi-
sions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the
teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such peo-
ple are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By
smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.
(Rom. 16:17-18)

Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. | speak to
sensible people; judge for yourself what I say. (1 Cor. 10:14)

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do
righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fel-
lowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there
between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in com-
mon with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the
temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living
God. As God has said: “I will be their God, and they will be my
people. Therefore come out from them and be separate,” says
the Lord. “Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. I will
be a Father to you and you will be my sons and daughters,” says
the Lord. (2 Cor. 6:14-18)

What pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God.
I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot
drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot
partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than
he? (1 Cor. 10:20-22); and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Confessions condemn, in the strongest
possible words, such mixing of the worship of the one, true God—
Father, Son and Holy Spint—with that of false, non-existent gods:

We also believe, teach, and confess that in a time when con-
fession is necessary, as when the enemies of God’s Word want
to suppress the pure teaching of the holy gospel, the entire com-
munity of God, indeed, every Christian, especially servants of
the Word as the leaders of the community of God, are obli-gated
according to God’s Word to confess true teaching and every-
thing that pertains to the whole of religion freely and publicly. In
such a time they shall not yield to the opponents even in indif-
ferent matters, nor shall they permit the imposition of such adi-
aphora by opponents who use violence or chicanery in such a
way that undermines true worship of God that introduces or con-
firms idolatry. (S.D. X, 10; Kolb-Wengert)

Thus, submission or compromise in external things, where
Christian agreement in doctrine has not already been achieved,
will strengthen the idolater in their idolatry, and on the other
hand, this grieves and offends faithful believers and weakens
their faith. Christians are bound to avoid both for the welfare
and salvation of their souls, as it is written, “Woe to the world
because of stumbling blocks” [Matt. 18:7], and, “If any of you
put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe
in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fas-
tened around your neck and your were drowned in the depth of
the sea.” [Matt. 18:6]. (S.D. X, 16; Kolb-Wengert)

It appears that this Baal worship will endure together with
the reign of the pope until Christ comes for judgment and by the
glory of his coming destroys the kingdom of the Antichrist.
Meanwhile, everyone who truly believes the gospel should re-
ject this ungodly worship, which was invented contrary to the
command of God in order to obscure the glory of Christ and the
righteousness of faith...Moreover, we want to wam all good