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LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1938, Page 224

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

224 Intersynodical and Doctrinal Matters

Matt. 16:19; 18:18; John 20:19, 20; to be compared with Luke
24:33-36. In order to have one in its midst who exercises this
power publicly, in its name and by its order, the Christian congre-
gation calls a capable person. By the call the congregation erects
the office of the public administration of the means of grace in its
midst. Ordination is the confirmation of the call; it is nota divine
but a commendable human ordinance.

V. The Doctrine of Sunday

That which is contained on this point in the Brief Statement of
the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod is publica doctrina
among us.

VI. The Doctrine Concerning the Last Things

A. In General

When considering the question concerning the Antichrist, the
future conversion of Israel, the resurrection of the martyrs, and
the millennial reign of Christ, the fact must not be overlooked that
we are dealing here with the correct understanding of prophecy
and fulfilment, that this understanding is not always easy and that
even in the days of Christ the believers had an entirely different
conception of the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy in many
points than actually occurred but that nevertheless the fulfilment
coincided exactly with the prophecy. We are certain that the same
will be the case with respect to the New Testament prophecy. Not
only will the great events which even now stand out clearly and
unmistakably in the prophecy of Jesus and His apostles — the re-
turn of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, the final Judgment, the
passing away of the old world and the creation of the new heaven
and the new earth, the twofold termination of all history in eternal
life or eternal damnation _find their realization, but even the in-
dividual details will be fulfilled, though the latter perhaps in a
manner entirely different from that which some of the faithful
expect on the basis of their understanding of Scripture. However,
since all New Testament revelation constitutes a unity, nothing
should be taught concerning the subjects named in our introductory
sentence that would involve a negation of the following truths:

1. That as Christians we must at all times be ready for the
return of Christ; ,
2. That as Christians we are bound, until the return of Christ

to the use of the means of grace and to the way of salvation re-
vealed in the Gospel).

3. That the Church on earth, until the return of Christ, wil
continue to be a kingdom of the cross.