LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 306

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306

OPINIONS OF COMMISSION ON CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS

adopted commendation also serves the self-understanding of “fellowship” or koinonia. The following are pertinent excerpts:

I. THE NATURE OF FELLOWSHIP
A. THE SCRIPTURAL CONCEPT OF FELLOWSHIP
1. Fellowship: Having Part in a Common Thing
In the New Testament the word koinonia (and its cognates), the
Greek term for fellowship, appears in a number of places…
Without referring to every place where koinonia (and its cognates)
appears in the New Testament, it can be concluded that this is a term
which has as its root meaning “having part in a common thing.” It is
with this meaning in mind that the New Testament writers use it to refer
to a variety of relationships. Important in this discussion on the nature of
fellowship in the context of inter-Christian relationships is the fact that
koinonia most frequently appears in connection with that spiritual unity
which exists in the body of Christ (e.g.,1 Cor.1:9; 1 John 1:3), but it is
also used at times to refer to the attempts of Christians to manifest this
unity externally (e.g., Acts 2:42; Gal. 2:9). It dare not be overlooked,
however, that the Scriptures also have much to say about each of these
two distinct (but not separate) relationships without making specific use
of the term koinonia at all. For example, this word appears neither in
Paul’s discussion of spiritual unity in the body of Christ in Eph.4:1–6
[note this reference in Synod’s Constitution] nor in Christ’s High Priestly Prayer in John 17:20 f., nor is it used in many of those sections of
Scripture which exhort Christians to guard the truth and to live together
in the church in an external relationship of peace and love on the basis
of agreement in God’s Word (e.g., 1 Cor.1:10 [note this reference in
Synod’s Constitution]; 2 Tim.1:13–14) [emphasis added].
The implications of that which has just been stated are clear. This
study on fellowship will have to be more than a mere word study on the
meaning and usages of koinonia in the New Testament. If we are to be
faithful to the Scriptural understanding of the nature of fellowship in the
context of inter-Christian and inter-church relationships, then it will be
necessary not only to examine those sections of the Scriptures where the
word koinonia appears but also to take into account what God’s Word
has to say about the spiritual unity which is given with faith in Christ
and to heed the guidance the Scriptures give to Christians regarding
external unity in the church [pp. 8–9; emphasis added].
…

3. Fellowship: An External Relationship to Be
Manifested and Maintained
a. “Forbearing One Another in Love”
Since it is faith in the heart which binds believers together with
Christ and with one another, no human eye can see this spiritual unity.
But there is an inner dynamic to faith in Jesus Christ which works toward an external unity embracing all those who confess faith in Jesus
Christ (1 Cor. 1:10) [emphasis added]. What the church is by God’s
design is what He wants the church to show itself to be―one―so that
“the world may believe” (John 17:21).
The Scriptures, therefore, exhort Christians to manifest the unity
which has already been given them by virtue of their incorporation into
the body of Christ. St. Paul writes: “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord,
beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been
called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one
another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace” (Eph. 4:1–3). Those who have been grafted into Him who is
the true vine are to bear the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22). Having been
incorporated by Baptism into the body of Christ, they should manifest
love for the fellow members of His body. Love for the brethren, writes
St. John, is evidence that we have “passed out of death into life” (1 John
3:14; cf. Eph. 5:2). This external unity, although involving human efforts, is also a gift from God [emphasis added].

2013 Convention Workbook

To the extent that love controls their conduct, Christians seek fellow
believers in Jesus Christ in order to build them up and to be built up by
them (Rom. 1:11–12). Love rejoices with those who rejoice, it weeps
with those who weep (Rom. 12:15; 1 Cor. 12–13). It works to strengthen
the weak, encourage the strong, and admonish the erring (Gal.6: 1–2).
Above all, it seeks to help fellow believers remain faithful to Christ
and to His Word. This love may in certain situations lead members of
the church to separate themselves from fellow Christians and even to
exercise church discipline, although it be with many tears (1 Cor. 5:5;
2 Cor. 2:4).

And finally, for an application of Synod’s fellowship with one
another, Resolution 2-21 of the 1971 convention (1971 Proceedings,
pp. 118–119) states in its Preamble:
The provision that allows a member to reject a doctrinal resolution
of the Synod is that such a reso­lution is “not in accordance with the
Word of God” (Article VII of the Constitution). The Synod, therefore,
holds that every member, by virtue of his agreement when he voluntarily joined the Synod and freely placed himself under the provisions
of the Synod’s Constitution and Bylaws, is bound by the Word of God
expressed in the Synod’s resolutions until it can be demonstrated that a
resolution is in fact “not in accordance with the Word of God.” Otherwise the Synod holds that its reso­lutions are to be considered “of binding force if they are in accordance with the Word of God” (Bylaw 1.09
b), and the Synod permits no member to teach or practice in violation of
a resolution simply on the grounds that he does not agree with it or that
it is in conflict with his private persuasion.
The object of the Synod, as stated in Article III, 1, of the Constitution, is (1) to conserve and promote a unity in which all are “united in
the same mind and the same judgment” (1 Cor.1:10), and (2) to avoid
schism caused by contrary doctrine (Rom.16:17). This pur­pose of the
Synod is defeated when individuals are per­mitted to teach in accordance
with their private views, for then there can be no such thing as a synodical posi­tion, and a meaningful corporate confessional commit­ment is
impossible. Formal commitment of the Synod to a confessional base is
pointless unless the Synod has the right as a synod to apply its confessional base defini­tively to current issues and thus conserve and promote
unity and resist an individualism which breeds schism…
If a member cannot for conscience’ sake accept a doctrinal resolution of the Synod, he has the obligation and opportunity through mutually approved procedure to challenge such a reso­lution with a view to
effecting the changes he deems necessary. Failing in that, he is completely free by rea­son of his wholly voluntary association with the
Synod to obey his conscience and disassociate himself from the Synod.
Meanwhile every member of the Synod is held to abide by, act, and
teach in accordance with the Syn­od’s resolutions” [Emphases added].

Question 2: Along with it: Has this always been the self-understanding of the LCMS?
Opinion: Yes. See answer to question 1.
It has always been the self-understanding of the LCMS that the
members of the Synod (walking together) are in fellowship (koinonia
and its cognates) with one another. The members of the Synod were
and are “having part in a common thing.” The nature and concept of
“fellowship” has also been described as association, one together,
oneness, unity, agreement, participation, partaking, partnership, etc.
The members of the Synod joined with one another together to
form a “walking together” union. As believers unite in a congregation,
like-minded congregations band together to form a church body, a
“Synod” united in the bond of love.
An October 16, 1969 opinion of the Commission on Constitutional
Matters states in part:
The very nature and purpose of a synodical fellowship need to be
restated once again. A synod is a “walking together.” The choice of the
word “synod,” derived from the Greek, is significant because it emphasizes the idea of unity. For good reason our church body has chosen
for itself the name: “The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.” We are