# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1855 02 27_S110
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

110

mon purposes, for example for building up the kingdom of God? And is this right; should one not seek to strive for such a thing?

E. There you are still in the dark, I perceive. How can people live in brotherly communion according to God's Word, some of whom have the pure doctrine, while others persist in false doctrine? Likewise all means by which, with a passing over of the distinctive doctrines, such a union is sought between the different parties, are to be rejected. Only consider the following.

It is God's will and command to us that we should hold fast His Word. Deut. 4, 2.: "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you." 1 Tim. 6, 3. 4.: "If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, etc." Tit. 1, 9.: "Holding fast the faithful word." (Cf. John 1, 7. 1 Sam. 15, 22. 23. Matt. 5, 18. 19. Rev. 22, 18—21.) What, then, is in accordance with the Word of God, that we should approve; but what is contrary to it, that we should blame and rebuke, and say: that is wrong." We are to testify against every false doctrine, as the Apostles and many Christians also have done (Gal. 1, 8. 5, 10. 12.); yet not in fleshly zeal, but so that in doing it we are concerned only for the honor of God and for the salvation of our ignorant and misled fellow men.

If now others confess with us to the Word of God, submit themselves to it, and also live accordingly, then we should by all means regard such as disciples of Christ and as brethren, and therefore also live with them in brotherly love and fellowship. The Lord says John 8, 31: "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed." There, then, is the true union, where there is one faith, one doctrine, one mind and one opinion. (Eph. 4, 3—5. 1 Cor. 1, 10.) But such a union is not striven for in the Botschafter, namely one in which people would be united in doctrine, — for it passes over, indeed, all the distinctive doctrines; but rather a union of the different parties with retention of their particular doctrines, that is, a false union, one that is not to take place on the ground of the whole Word of God.

A. You said just now that if others confessed the doctrine of the Word of God and also lived as Christians, they would be (naturally, provided they are not hypocrites) disciples and brethren of Christ and of the believers. So these, then, are the Lutherans?

E. To be sure, the Lutheran Church has the pure doctrine. But there are nevertheless many within the Lutheran Church, preachers as well as laymen, who do not submit themselves to the Word of God, but persist in false doctrine and moreover lead an offensive life; such are not disciples of Christ and true members of His body, that is, of the holy Christian Church. Not all are children of God who call themselves Lutherans. On the other hand there can be (and will be) people who from lack of knowledge outwardly adhere to the sects, and yet stand in the true faith, and are therefore disciples of Christ, children of God, and will be saved. But it is by no means a matter of indifference to which visible church one confesses oneself; every believing soul, as soon as it becomes acquainted with the true visible church and has recognized the false doctrine of its sect and of its teachers, is bound before God and feels itself obliged to forsake its false church or sect and to join the true visible church, (where the Word of God is proclaimed pure and clear and free from the doctrines and ordinances of men, and the Sacraments are administered according to Christ's institution.) For thus it says Rom. 16, 17.: "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them." John 10, 27.: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." (Cf. Matt. 7, 15. Tit. 3, 10. 11. Rev. 18, 4. Matt. 10. 32. 33.) From this it is clear that every Christian is bound to renounce those of whom he recognizes that they falsify Christ's truth, and to confess and adhere to those of whom he recognizes that they testify for Christ and His truth; likewise it is clear from this that Christians of the true visible church may not live in brotherly communion with sects and false teachers. To be sure, we must receive as weak ones the believing souls among the sects, who cleave to the LORD in simplicity and err more from ignorance, if they let themselves be instructed; but with the sects themselves we may have nothing to do, may not give them the hand of brotherhood, nor unite with them for common purposes. If one nevertheless does so, one is disobedient to God, one denies the truth, gives great offense and strengthens them in their false doctrine. Note, besides those passages, also 2 John v. 10., where it says: "If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed" (understand: as a brother). "For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds." Cf. 2 Cor. 6, 14.: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers," for the wilful perverters of the Word are like the unbelievers.

Luther entered into no union that could not take place on the ground of the Word of God; he also would not give the hand of brotherhood to false teachers, such as Zwingli. He says: "Whoever holds his doctrine, faith and confession to be true cannot stand in one stable with others who lead false doctrine or are devoted to it"; and in the opinion already mentioned it says: "As for brotherhood, it may be that one should bear with Christians who err and yet do not defend error, as brethren, as Christ Himself bore with His disciples. But those who put forth and defend groundless doctrine (as Zwingli and his adherents did) cannot be held for brethren; for one surely ought not to consent to wrong doctrine."

A. But will that not be decried as narrow-minded and unloving?

E. It may be. But if one does not unite in brotherhood with parties of false belief, one has a good conscience, because according to God's Word one cannot do otherwise. Above all things we are first to submit ourselves to God's Word. If a Christian does that with a humble heart, he will not unite with those who persist in false doctrine; for if he united with them he would have to love that doctrine as well, be satisfied with it, or at the very least tolerate it. Hear here also a word of Luther's. He says: "Take care, make no peace outside the divine Word. If God's Word is not there, shut your eyes and say: Here is no unity or agreement." "Cursed be love into the abyss of hell, if it is maintained with harm and detriment to the doctrine of faith, to which all things ought justly to yield at once, be it love, apostles, angels from heaven, or whatever else it may be."

A. It is now clear to me that I was mistaken a while ago when I spoke of a brotherly union of all parties; and likewise I now recognize that the Botschafter is really a harmful and seductive paper, by which one may easily be swept along.

E. There is still one passage in the paper to which I should like to call your attention. It is found in the April number of last year. There it says: "For my part I cannot sufficiently lament the condition of the Protestant church, which has come to a close in religion and now will not go beyond the instruments of its Reformation. The Lutherans are not to be moved to go beyond that which Luther saw." What an abominable, godless speech that is! Or are Christians perhaps to go beyond the pure Word of God? Already at the time of the Reformation there were enthusiasts and factious spirits who said that, but Luther replied: "We have everything, (God be praised!) pure and holy, we have the Word pure, Baptism pure, the Sacrament pure, the Keys pure; and everything that belongs to the true Church we have holy and pure, without any human addition and filth." Or is it perhaps not so? Let them tell us: In which articles of doctrine, then, did Luther err and not have enough enlightenment? Where has one got further now? Let them bring it forward! If Unirte, enthusiasts and factious spirits pretend that if Luther were living now he would surely let further enlightenment be given him with the same readiness with which he received that first given, that is ridiculous. What, then, are these new marvels? They are the dreams and own thoughts of the gentlemen themselves, which were already quite well known to Luther, but which he hated from his heart. They lament (ah, they might well have something else to lament) that the Lutherans remain so stiffly and firmly by the doctrine of Luther and do not go beyond it,