LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1920, Page 4

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Proceedings of Thirty-First National Co

Synodical Address of President Bf

_ We lift up our eyes. unto the hills from. whi its
help. Amen. ; ve i

ReveREND AND BELOVED FaTHERS AND BRETHREN i

Our Savior’s parting conversations with

the Evangelist’ St. John ‘has recorded, are the Lord
Church of the New Testament unto the end of.“
primarily.comfort and consolation, they prove beyo:
while Christ’s kingdom is preeminently a, kingdo
Church of God can grow and flourish also in’ ni
This fact Church History has sufficiently proved. 4
cutions of the first three centuries the Church:
powerful and was spread abroad. Despite the ‘hos
men of this world, which Luther and his colabo
Gospel. ran ‘a ‘swift course, and the seed took .roo
many. As a rule, in fact, the Church of God t
than in fair weather. Accordingly, we should no!
or dispirited by the evil times in which we live at:
the stability of the Church must remain. settled
so that with holy zeal we at all times study and
the Church. In His parting words the Savior adm
this, saying, John 15, 16: “Ye have not chosen Me,
you and ordained you that ye should go and bring
that your fruit should remain.” :

Here the Lord Jesus draws our attention to 4a
Church of ‘God arises on this wise, that He chooses‘ mi
wherefore it is not due to our merit and worthiness,

‘and ineffable grace of our Savior that we are Chri
tian dare say: I believe on Jesus Christ and
because I have chosen Him, and in my heart have re
Him as my Savior. On the contrary, whoever is 4,
a Christian because the Savior, by His grace and’:
him out of the sinful human race and has kindled’

light of faith. .The Lord is deeply concerned that

in no wise ‘beclouded, but stand forth clear and :4
He says: “Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen,
removes.this contrast and deranges. this relation -b
man. has contributed something, though it. be ‘eve

conversion, destroys the Christian doctrine and conti
statement. of our Savior. God’s children at all tim
entire salvation, beginning, middle, and end, rests
me, but solely and alone in the hands of my Savior

a bought me with: His blood.

. , Certain. as this is, however, it does not follow