LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 151

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THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 151

Resolved, That we reassert the necessity of this doctrine of the
Holy Trinity with the words of the Athanasian Creed—‘‘whoever
desires to be saved must think thus about the Trinity”; and be it fur-
ther

Resolved, That any person, church body, or religion that denies
the scriptural, creedal, and confessional teaching concerning the
Holy Trinity does not have the same God as publicly confessed by
the LCMS; and be it finally

Resolved, That the LCMS in convention direct The Lutheran
Witness to prepare a series of articles on this topic and include ex-
amples of (1) persons, church bodies, and religions which deny this
doctrine of the Holy Trinity and (2) how the Lutheran Confessions
view contrary doctrines.

Triune
Sharon, WI

3-12

To Affirm Doctrine of Son of God

WHEREAS, Holy Scripture reveals that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God (“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” [Matt.
3:17]); and

WuerEAS, Jesus Christ is also true God, begotten from the Fa-
ther from all eternity (“You are My Son, Today I have begotten
You [Psalm 2:7] and also “In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God and the Word was God” [John. 1:1]); and

WHEREAS, Jesus Christ is also true man, born of the Virgin
Mary (“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and
men, the Man Christ Jesus” [1 Tim. 1:5]); and

WHEREAS, Christ alone is the sole means of salvation for all
people (“No one comes to the Father except through Me” [John
14:6] and also “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no
other name under heaven given among men by which we must be
saved” [Acts 4:12]); and

Wuereas, In our pluralistic society many people deny that Jesus
Christ is both true God and true man and deny that He is the sole
means of salvation for all people; therefore be it

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

Resolved, That we reassert the necessity of this doctrine of the
Son of God (“Whoever denies Me before men, I will deny Him be-
fore My Father” [Matt. 10:33]); and be it further

Resolved, That any person, church body, or religion which de-
nies the scriptural, creedal, and confessional teaching concerning
the Son of God likewise denies our total dependence upon the tri-
une God for our salvation and rejects the work of Christ; and be it
finally

Resolved, That the LCMS in convention direct The Lutheran
Witness to prepare a series of articles on this topic and include ex-
amples of (1) persons, church bodies, and religions that deny this
doctrine of justification and (2) how the Lutheran Confessions view
contrary doctrines.

Triune
Sharon, WI

3-13

To Affirm Doctrine of Justification

WHEREAS, Holy Scripture teaches that “man is justified by faith
apart from the deeds of the law” (Rom. 3:28); and

WHEREAS, That “blood of Jesys Christ cleanses us from all sin”
(1 John 1:7);

WuerEAS, In our pluralistic society many people deny that Jesus
is our only means of salvation and assert that there are many ways
to heaven; and

WHEREAS, In many congregations there is an aversion to justifi-
cation so that the Church’s message becomes more focused on
what we do than on what Christ has done; therefore be it

Resolved, That the LCMS in convention affirm the doctrine of
justification as revealed in Holy Scripture and confessed in the Ec-
umenical Creeds and Lutheran Confessions; and be it further

Resolved, That we reassert the necessity of this doctrine of jus-
tification (“By the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His
sight” [Rom. 3:20]); and be it further

Resolved, That any person, church body, or religion which de-
nies the scriptural, creedal, and confessional teaching concerning
justification denies our total dependence upon the triune God for
our salvation and rejects the work of Christ; and be it finally

Resolved, That LCMS in convention direct The Lutheran Wit-
ness to prepare a series of articles on this topic and include exam-
ples of (1) persons, church bodies, and religions that deny this doc-
trine of justification and (2) how the Lutheran Confessions view
contrary doctrines.

Triune
Sharon, WI

3-14

To Affirm 2004 Res. 3-06A re Witness in Public Square

WHEREAS, The need for Christian witness in the public square
remains great; and

WHEREAS, the LCMS in convention affirmed in 2004 Res. 3-
06A the work of the Synod’s CTCR as regards witness, including
prayer at civic events; and

WHEREAS, This resolution offers opportunity for appropriate in-
volvement in civic events without compromising Gospel witness;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the Atlantic District in convention affirm the
contents and direction of Res. 3-06A; and be it further

Resolved, That the Atlantic District in convention forward this
resolution of affirmation to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
as an overture for the 2007 Synod convention; and be it finally

Resolved, That pastors and parishioners of Atlantic District con-
gregations be encouraged to present Christian witness in the public
square at every appropriate available opportunity.

Atlantic District

3-15

To Rescind 2004 Res. 3-06A

WHEREAS, The 2004 convention adopted Res. 3-06A, “To Com-
mend CTCR Report on Guidelines for Participation in Civic
Events”; and

WHEREAS, The CTCR report itself admits, “The members of the
Commission disagree about the issue of so-called ‘serial’ or ‘seri-
atim’ prayers involving representatives of different religious
(Christian and/or non-Christian) groups or churches” (p. 19); and

WHEREAS, This ambiguity as to serial prayer could be used to
excuse participation in interfaith prayer services or other joint ser-
vices, in which the participants customarily “take turns”; and

WHEREAS, The Missouri District, for example, at its 2006 con-
vention (Res. 2-06) has expressed similar dissatisfaction with the
CTCR report; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod rescind 2004 Res. 3-06A, “To Com-
mend CTCR Report on Guidelines for Participation in Civic
Events.”

St. Matthew
Bonne Terre, MO