LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 253

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STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION 253

people not to help the opponents in defending the profanation
of the Mass, let they burden themselves with other people’s sin.
This is an important issue and an important matter, no less im-
portant than the work of the prophet Elijah, who condemned the
worship of Baal. (AP XXVII, 98-99; Kolb-Wengert)

Soon thereafter, “This being the situation, all Christians
must guard most diligently against becoming participants in
such ungodly teachings, blasphemies, and unjust cruelty. In-
stead, they ought to abandon and curse the pope and his min-
ions as the realm of the Antichrist, just as Christ commanded:
“Beware of false prophets’ ” [Matt. 7:15]. Paul also commanded
that ungodly teachers are to be shunned and denounced as ac-
cursed, and in 2 Cor. 6 [:14] he says, “Do not be mismatched
with unbelievers, for what fellowship is there between light and
darkness?”

To dissent from the consensus of so many nations and peo-
ples and to promote such peculiar doctrine is a grave matter.
However, divine authority commands all people not to be ac-
complices and defenders of false teaching and unjust cruelty.
(FC, X, 22-23; Kolb-Wengert)

We reject and condemn as false the opinion of those who
hold that in a time of persecution people may comply and com-
promise with the enemies of the holy gospel in indifferent
things, since this imperils the truth. Likewise, we regard it as a
sin worthy of punishment when, in a time of persecution, ac-
tions contrary and opposed to the confession of the Christian
faith are undertaken because of the enemies of the gospel, ei-
ther in indifferent things or in public teaching or in anything else
which pertains to religion. (FC, X, 28-29; Kolb-Wengert); and

WHEREAS, It is a sin to participate in the sins of others and the
worship of false gods is clearly sin as our Confessions say:

“Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” (Rom. 14:23)
But since these religious acts have no testimony from the Word
of God, the conscience cannot but doubt whether they please
God. What need is there for further discussion in such a clear
matter? If our opponents defend these human acts of worship as
meriting justification, grace and the forgiveness of sins, they are
simply establishing the kingdom of the Antichrist. For the king-
dom of the Antichrist is a new kind of worship of God, devised
by human authority in opposition to Christ, just as the kingdom
of Mohammed has religious rites and works, through which it
seeks to be justified before God. It does not hold that people are
freely justified by faith on account of Christ. (AP XV, 17-18;
Kolb-Wengert)

The theory that a ceremony could somehow benefit either
the worshiper or anyone else without faith conflicts with the
righteousness of faith. (AP, XXIV, 77; Kolb-Wengert)

Therefore the opponents should not force us to adopt some-
thing so uncertain, because prayer without faith is not prayer.
(AP XXI, 13; Kolb-Wengert); and

WHEREAS, Our Missouri dogmaticians have long taught every
seminary student from our seminaries:

Another symptom of uncertainty is unionism, which per-
vades the life of the Church today. Unionism has no scruples
about practicing church fellowship with spirits that are not of
God. But one who is sure of the divine truth thinks and acts ac-
cording to the order of Christ: “Beware of false prophets” (Matt.
7:15), and the admonition of Paul: “Avoid them” (Rom. 16:17),
and the instruction given by “the Apostle of love” with regard to
Christian fellowship: “If there come any unto you and bring not
this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him
Godspeed; for he that biddeth him Godspeed is partaker of his
evil deeds”(2 John 10-11). (Pieper, vol. J, p. 118)

Scripture warns emphatically against this species of peccata
actualia: “Neither be partaker of other men’s sins” (1 Tim.
5:22). It names specific instances. One who practices church fel-
lowship with those who in their doctrine depart from God’s
Word becomes guilty of their sin. 2 John 1] states explicitly:
“He that biddeth him [who does not bring the doctrine of Christ}
Godspeed is partaker of his evil deeds.” And in order to preserve
Christians from this sin, Paul instructs all Christians (Rom.
16:17) to “avoid them,” namely, all those who deviate from the
Apostolic doctrine. We share in the sins of others also when we
take pleasure in the evil they do. (Pieper, vol. 7, p. 569)

It is common knowledge that the presence of children of
God in heterodox churches is urged to prove that it is right, even
demanded by charity, to fellowship heterodox churches. This is
the exact opposite of what Scripture teaches, for Scripture says,
“Avoid them.” (Rom. 16:17)...To say that love demands such a
practice is a misuse of that word. Love of God and love of the
brethren rather requires the opposite practice. He who loves
Chnisst’s Word, and Christ commands us to avoid all who teach
anything that is contrary to His Word. And whoever really loves
the brethren refuses to participate in their erring and sinning,
seeking rather to deliver them from error and sin....If Christians,
against the divine prohibition, fellowship false teachers and tol-
erate false doctrines, they commit the sin which the Church calls
“unionism,” “syncretism.” As a matter of fact, this unionism di-
vides the Church and gives rise to heterodox churches in Chris-
tendom. Had the Christians always obeyed the divine order to
avoid those teaching another doctrine, ...neither the Papacy nor
other sects could have arisen...Of course unionism avers that it
aims at the removal of discord among Christians. But because
the unity of the Christian Church consists in having one faith
and one profession, unionism actually is a caricature, indeed a
mockery of Christian unity. Instead of healing the hurt, it makes

it permanent. (Pieper, vol. 3, pp. 425-26), and
WHEREAS, The last synodical document that was adopted by our
Synod as its official doctrinal position, which spoke to matters of

church fellowship, (The Brief Statement of 1932), said:

On Church-Fellowship—Since God ordained that His Word
only, without the admixture of human doctrine, be taught and
believed in the Christian Church, | Pet. 4:11; John 8:31, 32; 1
Tim. 6:3, 4, all Christians are required by God to discriminate
between orthodox and heterodox church-bodies, Matt. 7:15, to
have church-fellowship only with orthodox church-bodies, and,
in case they have strayed into heterodox church-bodies, to leave
them, Rom. 16:17. We repudiate unionism, that is, church-fel-
lowship with the adherents of false doctrine, as disobedience to
God’s command, as causing divisions in the Church, Rom.
16:17; 2 John 9, 10, and as involving the constant danger of los-

ing the Word of God entirely, 2 Tim. 2:17-21; and
Whereas, 2001 Res. 3-07A did not establish, nor declare itself
to be, the official doctrinal position of The Lutheran Church—Mis-
souri Synod, but served only to commend the combined studies:
The Lutheran Understanding of Church Fellowship: Study Materi-
als and The Lutheran Understanding of Church Fellowship: A Re-
port on Synodical Discussions, “...for continued use and guidance
to build that unity where it is still lacking;...” as an instrument by
which the Synod could use and be guided by in further study re-

garding issues of church fellowship; and

WHEREAS, This continued use and guidance for the purpose of
further study regarding issues of church fellowship is the only pos-
sible use of this document that is in harmony with the Scriptures
and the Lutheran Confessions; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Minnesota North District in its 2003 con-
vention memorialize the LCMS in its 2004 convention to declare
that it shall be the official doctrinal position of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod to understand the following words of the
LCMS Constitution:

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 de-
scription, such as:
a. Serving congregations of mixed confession, as such, by
ministers 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 activi-
ties...”
to mean that no clergyman, pastor, professor, teacher of the church,
or congregation shall engage in the leadership, or join in participa-
tion in any worship setting—regardless of sponsorship, civic par-
ticipation or setting—in which recognized leaders of non-Chris-
tian faiths are represented or in which recognized leaders of
Christian denominations with which the LCMS is not in formally