LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 105

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Yes, we live in anxious times. Is there reason for hope?
Yes! By faith in Jesus, we stand upon an immovable,
eternal Rock—Christ, the Son of the Living God. And
on the confession of this Rock, the Church is built, and
it is our Father’s good pleasure to give us His Kingdom
along with our Rock of Ages.
IN CLOSI N G

Whoever believes and holds to Christ’s Word,
heaven stands open to him, hell is shut, the
devil is imprisoned, sins are forgiven, and he
is a child of eternal life. That is what this book
teaches you—the Holy Scriptures—and no other
book on earth.12
The proper subject of theology is man guilty of sin
and condemned, and God the Justifier and Savior
of man the sinner. Whatever asked or discussed in
theology outside of this subject is error and poison.
All Scripture points to this: that God commends His
kindness to us (Rom. 5:8), and in His Son restores
to righteousness and life the nature that has fallen
into sin and condemnation. Therefore, this theological knowledge is necessary: A man should know
himself—should know, feel, and experience that he
is guilty of sin and subject to death, but he should
also know the opposite: that God is the Justifier and
Redeemer of a man who knows himself this way.13
What is the purpose of the world so long as God
allows it to exist? What, too, is the purpose of
man’s living in the world? Quite manifestly
this knowledge is essential to our Christian
world-view. Whoever does not know the purpose of the world and of his own existence in
the world leads an aimless life . . . Holy Scripture is very explicit in teaching that the present
world exists, by virtue of God’s express will
and providence, for the sole purpose that the
Gospel of Christ, the message for God’s gracious
forgiveness of sins for the sake of Christ’s vicarious satisfaction, may be proclaimed in it.”14
The Lutheran Reformation was not a “revolt,” as some
called it, much less a heresy. What motivated the
Reformation and the Confessions, which were its most
significant fruits and its permanent legacy to us who
Martin Luther (WA 48:155)
LW: AE 12:311–12
14
Francis Pieper, “The Christian Worldview,” contained in What Is Christianity and
Other Essays, trans. J. T. Mueller (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1933)

wish to be called Lutherans today? What was the
central backdrop for our Confessions, the context for
these different documents which were finally incorporated in the Book of Concord? A reading of our Confessions reveals they all sprang from an urgent need to
give articulation to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to
teach and give witness to this Gospel. And what is this
Gospel which incited the most blessed and significant
spiritual awakening since the days of the apostles?
In our confessions, we read: “The Gospel is properly a
doctrine that teaches what a person should believe, so
that he receives forgiveness of sins from God . . . our
Lord Christ has taken upon himself and borne the
Law’s curse and has atoned and paid for all our sins.
Through Him alone we again enter into favor with
God, receive forgiveness of sins through faith and are
delivered from death and all the punishments of sins,
and are eternally saved.”15 This articulation may well
be considered one of the most important and formative statements in our Lutheran Confessions.
Let us move forward with our Savior with His proclamation, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom
of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel”
(Mark 1:14–15). And with His Word and Means of
Grace, we boldly build on the sure solid foundation, a
Rock that prevails against the gates of hell.
WO RDS O F E NCO U RAG E ME NT

C. F. W. Walther’s “Duties of an Evangelical Synod”:
It is a real treasure in describing what our life
together as a Synod, by God’s grace, can and
should be. He writes, “My dear brothers, let us
be on guard! Satan is sly. Right now we are
brothers, living together in peace and love. But
Satan will most certainly lay for us snares by
which he hopes to destroy the sweet brotherly
love we now have in our hearts. We dare never
think that it is enough if we just remain united
in our faith and doctrine.16
And finally, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy
and peace in believing, so that by the power of the
Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Rom. 15:13).

12

13

“Upon This Rock: Repent”

FC SD V 20
C. F. W. Walther, Essays for the Church, vol. 2 (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing
House, 1992), p. 56.
15

16

U P O N T H I S R O C K • Essay

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