LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 150

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150 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

To Declare Opposition to Prayer
with Those Who Deny Christ

WHEREAS, The 2004 LCMS convention did resolve “to com-
mend the CTCR document Guidelines for Participation in Civic
Events for study to help pastors, teachers, and church workers make
decisions about participation in civic events” (Res. 3-06A); and

WHEREAS, For the sake of our own consciences and for a testi-
mony to future generations, we want to give clear testimony to our
faith in Jesus Christ as the only way to the true God; therefore be it

Resolved, No resolution, guideline, or program whether it be re-
solved, accepted, or promoted by The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod or one of its districts is understood by the 2007 LCMS con-
vention to command, allow, or encourage a Christian to join in
prayer with those who deny that Jesus Christ is the only way to the
true God.

Trinity
Austin, TX

3-09

To Conduct Poll re Justification
by Faith Alone in Jesus Christ

WHEREAS, “Poll: Most Christians’ Beliefs Out of Sync With
Bible,” an article in the July 2001 Reporter said: “When it comes to
salvation, just 30 percent of all Americans embrace the belief that
good works do not earn salvation, but that it is a gift of God
through the atoning death and resurrection Jesus Christ. People at-
tending Assemblies of God (64 percent), Pentecostal (62 percent)
and Protestant nondenominational churches (60 percent) are most
likely to share this view. While Catholics are least likely (9 per-
cent), Lutherans are below the national average, at 27 percent”; and

WHEREAS, Other surveys have revealed somewhat similar re-
sults; therefore be it

Resolved, That the 2007 LCMS convention request the Praesid-
ium of the LCMS to authorize a poll of LCMS congregational
members only and plan a program to address this serious matter
unique to the Christian faith.

Trinity
New Haven, MO

3-10

To Reaffirm Exclusivity of Trinity
and Necessity of Faith in Christ

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and “every
member of the Synod, accepts without reservation:

1. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament as the written
Word of God and the only rule and norm of faith and of practice;

2. All the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church as
a true and unadulterated statement and exposition of the Word of
God, to wit: the three Ecumenical Creeds (the Apostles’ Creed,
the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed), the Unaltered Augs-
burg Confession, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the
Smalcaid Articles, the Large Catechism of Luther, the Small Cat-
echism of Luther, and the Formula of Concord” (LCMS Consti-
tution, Art. IT);

and

WHEREAS, The doctrine of the Holy Trinity, the one true God
in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, is clearly
taught in the Scriptures (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Matt.
3:16—17; John 15:26); and

WHEREAS, The three Ecumenical Creeds (the Apostles’ Creed,
the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed) spell out the foundational
Christian doctrine of the Trinity in expounding upon His three per-
‘sons; and

WHEREAS, The Athanasian Creed in particular also discusses,
in greater detail and in its own section, “the incarnation of our Lord
Jesus Christ”; and

WHEREAS, The doctrine of the Trinity, therefore, is affirmed in
the Lutheran Confessions, and in fact enjoys the priority of being
the subject of Article I of the Augsburg Confession and Part I of
the Smalcald Articles; and

WHEREAS, The doctrine of Christ is also specifically addressed
in Article III of the Augsburg Confession and Part II, Art. I, of the
Smalcald Articles; and

WHEREAS, The aforementioned article of the Smalcald Articles
states, “Of this article nothing can be yielded or surrendered [nor
can anything be granted or permitted contrary to the same], even
though heaven and earth, and whatever will not abide, should sink
to ruin. For there is none other name under heaven given among
men whereby we must be saved, says Peter, Acts 4:12” (Dau-Bente
translation, emphasis original); and

Were, Islam rejects both the doctrine of the Trinity and the
doctrine of Christ, and therefore, the true God Himself; and

WHEREAS, Accusations of Christians stating, to effect, “the
Muslim god (god of Islam) is also the true God,” have been made,
some even publicly (whether or not such accusations are founded);
and

WHEREAS, Even without such accusations, many in our society,
and even in our own congregations, suppose that followers of both
Islam and Christianity, and of other religions as well, ultimately
worship the same God; and

WHEREAS, This scenario has given the LCMS the opportunity
to state its affirmation of the Trinity as the one true God and the
necessity of faith in Christ for who He is, according to Scripture
and the Confessions; and

WHEREAS, This specific opportunity exists, although there are
other false gods we might address also (the god of modern Judaism,
the gods of the Hindus, etc.); and

WHEREAS, Even the most basic truths bear repeating, much as
we do in Divine Service, at Matins, and at other offices in worship;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention reaffirm the exclusivity
of the Trinity and the necessity of faith in Him and in the incarna-
tion of our Lord Jesus Christ; and be it further

Resolved, That Christ’s statement, “I am the Way, the Truth,
and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John
14:6), also and again be boldly confessed by the Synod; and be it
finally

Resolved, That, by the passing of this overture/resolution, the
Synod in convention unequivocally and unapologetically state,
“The Muslim god is not the true God.”

Trinity
Clinton, MA

3-11

To Affirm the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity

WHEREAS, Holy Scripture reveals that the true God is one God
(Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!” [Deut. 6:4]);
and

WHEREAS, The true God reveals Himself also to be three Per-
sons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (“Go therefore and make disci-
ples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and
of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19]); and

WHEREAS, In the story of the creation of man, the true God is
referred to in both the singular and plural by the use of Him and
Us; and

WterEAS, In our pluralistic society many people refer to many
different gods; therefore be it

Resolved, That the LCMS in convention affirm the doctrine of
the Holy Trinity as revealed in Holy Scripture and confessed in the
Ecumenical Creeds and Lutheran Confessions; and be it further