Black Box 4/BlackBox.cdr/w3_apps/bibwin11.arj/TWB

Text File | 1990-11-01 | 36KB | 745 lines

                              THIS WE BELIEVE

                           A Statement of Belief
                                  of the
                   Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod

             Copyright (c) 1967 Northwestern Publishing House

    Used by permission of Northwestern Publishing House, Milwaukee, WI





I. GOD AND HIS REVELATION

    1. We believe that there is only one true God (John 17:3).  He has
       made himself known as the Triune God, one God in three persons.
       This is evident from Jesus' command to his disciples to baptize
       "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
       Spirit" (Matt. 28:19).  Whoever does not worship this God
       worships a false god, a god who does not exist, for Jesus said,
       "He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who
       sent him" (John 5:23).

    2. We believe that God has revealed himself in nature, for "the
       heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work
       of his hands" (Ps. 19:1). "For since the creation of the world
       God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine
       nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has
       been made" (Rom. 1:20).  So there is no excuse for the atheist.
       However, we have in nature only a partial revelation of God and
       one that is wholly insufficient for salvation.

    3. We believe that God has given us the full revelation of himself
       in his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.  "No one has ever seen God,
       but God the only Son, who is at the Father's side, has made him
       known" (John 1:18).  Particularly has God revealed himself in
       Jesus as the Savior God, who "so loved the world that he gave
       his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not
       perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

    4. We believe that God has given the Holy Scriptures to proclaim
       his grace in Christ to man.  In the Old Testament God
       repeatedly promised his people a divine Deliverer from sin,
       death and hell.  The New Testament proclaims that this promised
       Deliverer has come in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.  The
       Scriptures testify of Christ.  Jesus himself says of the
       Scriptures that they "testify about me" (John 5:39).

    5. We believe that God gave us the Scriptures through men whom he
       chose, using the language they knew and the style of writing
       they had.  He used Moses and the prophets to write the Old
       Testament in Hebrew (some portions in Aramaic) and the
       evangelists and apostles to write the New Testament in Greek.

    6. We believe that in a miraculous way that goes beyond all human
       investigation God the Holy Spirit inspired these men to write
       his Word.  These "men spoke from God as they were carried along
       by the Holy Spirit"  (2 Pet. 1:21).  What they said, was spoken
       "not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by
       the Spirit" (1 Cor. 2:13).  Every thought they expressed, every






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       word they used was given them by the Holy Spirit by
       inspiration.  St. Paul wrote to Timothy:  "All Scripture is
       God-breathed" (2 Tim. 3:16).  We therefore believe in the
       verbal inspiration of the Scriptures, that is, a word-for-word
       inspiration.  This, however, is not to be equated with
       mechanical dictation.

    7. We believe that Scripture is a unified whole, true and without
       error in everything it says, for our Savior said:  "The
       scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35).  We believe that it,
       therefore, is the infallible authority and guide for everything
       we believe and do.  We believe that it is fully sufficient,
       clearly teaching us all we need to know for salvation, making
       us "wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 Tim.
       3:15), equipping us for every good work (2 Tim. 3:17).  No
       other revelations are to be expected.

    8. We believe and accept Scripture on its own terms, accepting as
       factual history what it presents as history, recognizing a
       metaphor where Scripture itself indicates one, and reading as
       poetry what is evident as such.  We believe that Scripture must
       interpret Scripture, clear passages throwing light on those
       less easily understood.  We believe that no authority, be it
       man's reason, science or scholarship, may stand in judgment
       over Scripture.  Sound scholarship will faithfully search out
       the true meaning of Scripture without presuming to pass
       judgment on it.

    9. We believe that the three ecumenical creeds, the Apostles', the
       Nicene and the Athanasian, as well as the Lutheran Confessions
       as contained in the Book of Concord of 1580 give expression to
       the true doctrine of Scripture.  Since the doctrines they
       confess are drawn from Scripture alone, we feel ourselves bound
       to them in our faith and life.  Therefore all preaching and
       teaching in our churches and schools must be in harmony with
       these confessions.

   10. We reject any thought that makes only part of Scripture God's
       Word, that allows for the possibility of factual error in
       Scripture, also in so-called nonreligious matters (for example,
       historical, geographical).

   11. We reject all views that fail to acknowledge the Holy
       Scriptures as God's revelation and Word.  We likewise reject
       all views that see in them merely a human record of God's
       revelation as he encounters man in history apart from the
       Scriptures, and so a record subject to human imperfections.

   12. We reject the emphasis upon Jesus as the Word of God (John 1:1)
       to the exclusion of the Scriptures as God's Word.

   13. We reject every effort to reduce the confessions contained in
       the Book of concord to historical documents that have only
       relative confessional significance for the church today.  We
       likewise reject any claim that the church is bound only to
       those doctrines in Scripture that have found expression in
       these confessions.

This is what Scripture teaches about God and his revelation.  This we
believe, teach and confess.




                                       3

II. CREATION, MAN AND SIN

    1. We believe that the universe, the world and man came into
       existence in the beginning when God created heaven and earth
       and all creatures (Gen. 1 and 2). Further testimony of this
       event is found in other passages of the Old and New Testaments
       (for example, Exod. 20:11; Heb. 11:3).  All this happened in
       the course of six normal days by the power of God's almighty
       word when he said, "Let there be."

    2. We believe that the Bible presents a true and historical
       account of Creation.

    3. We believe that God created man in his own image (Gen. 1:26),
       that is, holy and righteous.  Man's thoughts, desires and will
       were in full harmony with God (Col. 3:10; Eph. 4:24), and he
       was given the capacity to "subdue" God's Creation (Gen. 1:28).

    4. We believe that man lost this divine image when he yielded to
       the temptation of Satan and disobeyed God's command.  This
       brought upon him the judgment of God:  "You will surely die"
       (Gen. 2:17). Since that time mankind is conceived and born in
       sin (Ps. 51:5), is inclined to all evil (Gen. 8:21), and as
       "flesh gives birth to flesh" (John 3:6).  Being dead in sin
       (Eph. 2:1), man is unable to reconcile himself to God by his
       own efforts and deeds.

    5. We reject the theories of evolution as an explanation of the
       origin of the universe and man, and all attempts to interpret
       the scriptural account of Creation so as to harmonize it with
       such theories.

    6. We reject interpretations that reduce the first chapters of
       Genesis to a narration of myths or parables or poetic accounts
       that are not factual history.

    7. We reject all views that see inherent goodness in man, that
       consider his natural bent only a weakness which is not sinful,
       and that fail to recognize his total spiritual depravity (Rom.
       3:9-18).

This what Scripture teaches about Creation, man and sin.  This we
believe, teach and confess.

III.  CHRIST AND REDEMPTION

    1. We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, who was
       with the Father from all eternity (John 1:1,2).  In the
       fullness of time he took a true and complete, yet sinless,
       human nature to himself (Gal. 4:4) when he was conceived as a
       holy child in the Virgin Mary through a miracle of the Holy
       Spirit (Luke 1:35).  The angel testified, "What is conceived in
       her is from the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 1:20).  Jesus Christ is
       that unique person in whom the true God and a true human nature
       are inseparably united in one, the holy God-man, Immanuel.

    2. We believe that he at all times possessed the fullness of the
       Deity, all divine power, wisdom and glory (Co. 2:9).  This was
       evident at times when he performed miracles (John 2:11).  But






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       while he lived on earth, he took on the form of a servant,
       humbling himself by laying aside the continuous and full
       display and use of his divine characteristics.  During this
       time we see him living as a man among men, enduring suffering,
       and humbling himself to the shameful death on the cross (Phil.
       2:7,8).  We believe that he rose again from the grave with a
       glorified body, ascended and is exalted on high to rule with
       power over the world, with grace in his church, with glory in
       eternity (Phil. 2:9-11).

    3. We believe that Jesus Christ, the God-man, was sent by the
       Father to humble himself for the redemption of mankind and that
       he was exalted as evidence that his mission was accomplished.
       Jesus came to fulfill the Law (Matt. 5:17), so that by his
       perfect obedience all men should be accounted righteous (Rom.
       5:18,19).  He came to bear "the iniquity of us all" (Isa.
       53:6), ransoming us by his sacrifice for sin on the altar of
       the cross (Matt. 20:28).  We believe that he is the
       God-appointed substitute for man in all of this:  his
       righteousness is accepted by the Father as our righteousness,
       his death for sin as our death for sin (2 Cor. 5:21).  We
       believe that his resurrection gives full assurance that God has
       accepted this atonement for all (Rom. 4:25).

    4. We believe that in Christ God reconciled the "world to himself"
       (2 Cor. 5:19), that Jesus is "the Lamb of God, who takes away
       the sin of the world" (John 1:29).  The mercy and grace of God
       are all-embracing; the reconciliation through Christ is
       universal; the forgiveness of sins has been gained as an
       accomplished fact for all men.  Because of the substitutionary
       work of Christ, God has justified, that is, declared the
       verdict of "not guilty" upon all mankind.  This forms the firm,
       objective basis for the sinner's assurance of salvation.

    5. We reject any teaching that limits the work of Christ as to
       either its scope or its completeness, thereby failing to
       recognize the universality of redemption or the full payment of
       the ransom.

    6. We reject the views which see in the Gospel accounts the
       church's proclamation and interpretation of Jesus Christ rather
       than a true account of what actually happened in history.  We
       reject the attempts to make the historicity of events in
       Christ's life, such as his virgin birth, his miracles or his
       bodily resurrection, appear unimportant or even doubtful.  We
       reject the attempts to stress a "present encounter with the
       living Christ" in such a way that Jesus' redemptive work in the
       fullness of time, as recorded in Scripture, would lose its
       importance.

This is what Scripture teaches about Christ and redemption.  This we
believe, teach and confess.

IV.  JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH

    1. We believe that God has justified, that is, declared all
       sinners righteous in his eyes for the sake of Christ.  This is







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       the central message of Scripture upon which the very existence
       of the church depends.  It is a message relevant to people of
       all times and places, of all races and social strata, for "the
       result of one trespass was condemnation for all men" (Rom.
       5:18).  All need justification before God, and Scripture
       proclaims that all are justified, for "the result of one act of
       righteousness was justification that brings life for all men"
       (Rom. 5:18).

    2. We believe that the individual receives this free gift of
       forgiveness through Christ, not by works, but only by faith
       (Eph. 2:8,9).  Justifying faith is trust in Christ and his
       redemptive work.  This faith justifies, not because of any
       inherent virtue, but only because of the salvation prepared by
       God in Christ, which it embraces (Rom. 3:28; 4:5).  On the
       other hand, although Jesus died for all, Scripture tells us
       that "whoever does not believe will be condemned" (Mark
       16:16).  The unbeliever loses the forgiveness won for him by
       Christ.

    3. We believe that man cannot work this justifying faith, or
       trust, in his own heart, because  "the man without the Spirit
       does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God,
       for they are foolishness to him" (1 Cor. 2:14). In fact "the
       sinful mind is hostile to God" (Rom. 8:7).  It is the Holy
       Spirit who moves the heart trustingly to recognize that "Jesus
       is Lord" (1 Cor 12:3). This the Holy Spirit works by means of
       the gospel (Rom. 10:17). We believe, therefore, that man's
       conversion is entirely the work of God's grace.  Rejection of
       the gospel is, however, wholly man's fault.

    4. We believe that already in eternity God chose those individuals
       whom he would in time convert through the gospel of Christ and
       preserve in the faith to eternal life (Eph. 1:4-6; Rom.
       8:29,30). This election to faith and salvation in no way was
       caused by anything in man, but shows how completely salvation
       is ours by grace alone (Rom. 11:5,6).

    5. We reject every teaching that man in any way contributes to his
       salvation.  We reject all efforts to present faith as a
       condition man must fulfill to complete his justification.  We
       likewise reject any teaching which says that it does not matter
       what one believes so long as one has faith.

    6. We reject any suggestion that the doctrine of justification by
       faith can no longer be meaningful to modern man, together with
       all attempts of man to justify himself or his existence before
       God.

    7. We reject the false and blasphemous conclusion that those who
       are lost were elected by God to damnation, for God "wants all
       men to be saved" (1 Tim. 2:4).

This is what Scripture teaches about justification by faith.  This we
believe, teach and confess.






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V. GOOD WORKS AND PRAYER

    1. We believe that faith in Jesus Christ is a living force within
       the Christian that will invariably produce works which are
       pleasing to God.  "Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by
       action, is dead" (Jas. 2:17). A Christian as a branch in Christ
       the Vine brings forth good fruit (John 15:5).

    2. We believe that faith does not set up its own standards to
       determine what is pleasing to God (Matt. 15:9). True faith,
       instructed by the Word of God, delights to do only that which
       conforms to the holy will of God.  It recognizes that God's
       will finds its fulfillment in perfect love, for "love is the
       fulfillment of the law" (Rom. 13:10).

    3. We believe that these works which are fruits of faith must be
       distinguished from works of civic righteousness performed by
       unbelievers.  When unbelievers perform works that outwardly
       appear as good and upright before men, these works are not good
       in God's sight, for "without faith it is impossible to please
       God" (Heb. 11:6). While we recognize the value of mere civic
       righteousness for human society, we know that the unbeliever
       through his works of civic righteousness cannot even begin to
       do his duty to God.

    4. We believe that in this world even the best works of a
       Christian are still tainted with sin.  The flesh, the old Adam,
       still afflicts the Christian so that he fails to do the good he
       wants to do, and does the evil he does not want to do (Rom.
       7:19). He must confess that all his righteousnesses are like
       filthy rags (Isa. 64:6).  For the sake of Christ, however,
       these imperfect efforts of Christians are graciously considered
       holy and acceptable by our heavenly Father.

    5. We believe that also a life of prayer is a fruit of faith.
       Confidently, through faith in their Savior, Christians address
       the heavenly Father in petition and praise, presenting their
       needs and giving thanks.  Such prayers are a delight to our
       God, and he will grant our petitions according to his wisdom.

    6. We reject every thought that the good works of Christians
       contribute toward gaining salvation.

    7. We reject every attempt to abolish the unchanging law of God as
       an absolute standard by which to measure man's conduct.

    8. We reject the view that man himself in every situation must
       determine what "love" demands.  We recognize this as a device
       of Satan to destroy the knowledge of God's holy will and to
       undermine the consciousness of sin.

    9. We reject any view that considers prayer a means of grace or
       that looks upon it as helpful simply because of its
       psychological effect upon the one who prays.

   10. We reject the view that all prayers are acceptable to God, and
       we hold the prayers of all who do not know Christ to be vain
       babblings addressed to false gods.






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This is what Scripture teaches about good works and prayer.  This we
believe, teach and confess.

VI. THE MEANS OF GRACE

    1. We believe that God bestows all spiritual blessings upon
       sinners by special means, ordained by him.  These are the means
       of grace, the gospel in word and sacrament.

    2. We believe that through the gospel of Christ's atoning
       sacrifice for sinners the Holy Spirit works faith in the heart
       of man, whose heart by nature is enmity against God.  Scripture
       teaches that "faith comes from hearing the message, and the
       message is heard through the word of Christ" (Rom. 10:17).
       This Spirit-wrought faith, or regeneration, brings about a
       renewal in man and makes of him an heir of eternal salvation.

    3. We believe that also through baptism the Holy Spirit applies
       the gospel to sinful man, regenerating him (Titus 3:5) and
       cleansing him from all iniquity (Acts 2:38).  The Lord points
       to the blessing of baptism when he promises, "Whoever believes
       and is baptized will be saved" (Mark 16:16). We believe that
       the blessing of baptism is meant for all people (Matt. 28:19),
       including infants, who are sinful (John 3:6) and therefore need
       the regeneration effected through baptism (John 3:5).

    4. We believe that all who partake of the sacrament of the Lord's
       Supper receive the true body and blood of Christ "in, with and
       under" the bread and wine.  This is true because, when the Lord
       instituted this sacrament, he said, "This is my body given for
       you.... This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is
       poured out for you" (Luke 22:19,20).  As we partake of his body
       and blood, given and shed for us, we by faith receive the
       comfort and assurance that our sins are indeed forgiven and
       that we are truly his own.

    5. We believe that the Lord gave his word and the sacraments to
       his disciples for a purpose.  He commanded them, "Therefore go
       and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name
       of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matt.
       28:19).  It is by these means that he preserves and extends the
       holy Christian church throughout the world.  We should
       therefore be diligent and faithful in the use of these divinely
       ordained means of grace in our own midst and in our mission
       efforts.  These are the only means through which immortal souls
       are brought to faith and to salvation.

    6. We reject any views that look for the revelation of the grace
       of God and salvation apart from the gospel as found in the
       Scriptures.  We likewise reject the view that the law is a
       means of grace.

    7. We reject all teachings that see in the Sacrament of the Altar
       nothing more than signs and symbols for faith, thereby denying
       that Christ's true body and blood are received in the Lord's
       Supper.

    8. We reject the claim that unbelievers and hypocrites do not
       receive the true body and blood of Jesus in the sacrament, as





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       well as the view that to eat the body of Christ in the
       sacrament is nothing else than to receive Christ spiritually by
       faith.  We reject the view that the body and blood of Christ
       are present in the sacrament through the act of consecration as
       such, apart from the reception of the elements.

    9. We reject the teaching that the real presence of Jesus' body
       and blood in the sacrament means merely that the person of
       Christ is present in his supper even as he is present in the
       gospel.

This is what Scripture teaches about the means of grace.  This we
believe, teach and confess.

VII.  THE CHURCH AND ITS MINISTRY

    1. We believe that there is one holy Christian church, which is
       the temple of God (1 Cor. 3:16), the body of Christ (Eph. 1:23;
       4:12).  The members of this one church are all those who are
       "the sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:26).
       Whoever believes that Jesus died for his sin and rose again for
       his justification (Rom. 4:25) belongs to Christ's church.  The
       church, then, consists only of believers, or saints, whom God
       accepts as holy for the sake of Jesus' imputed righteousness (2
       Cor. 5:21).  These saints are scattered throughout the world.
       Every true believer, regardless of the nation or race or church
       body to which he belongs, is a member of the holy Christian
       church.

    2. We believe that the holy Christian church is a reality,
       although it is not an external, visible organization.  Because
       "man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the
       heart" (1 Sam. 16:7), only the Lord knows "those who are his"
       (2 Tim. 2:19).  The members of the holy Christian church are
       known only to God; we cannot distinguish between true believers
       and hypocrites. The holy Christian church is therefore
       invisible and cannot be identified with any one church body or
       the sum total of all church bodies.

    3. We believe that the presence of the holy Christian church
       nevertheless can be recognized.  Wherever the gospel is
       preached and the sacraments are administered, the holy
       Christian church is present, for through the means of grace
       true faith is produced and preserved (Isa. 55:10,11).
       Moreover, where these means are in use, we are confident that
       the church is present, for the Lord has entrusted them only to
       his church of believers (Matt. 28:19,20).  The means of grace
       are therefore called the marks of the church.

    4. We believe that it is the Lord's will that Christians gather
       together for mutual edification and spiritual growth (Heb.
       10:24,25) and for carrying out the whole of the Lord's
       commission (Mark 16:15). Since these visible gatherings (for
       example, congregations, synods) confess themselves to be marks
       of the church and make use of them, they are called churches.
       They bear this name, however, only because of the true
       believers present in them (1 Cor. 1:2).







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    5. We believe that the holy Christian church is one, united by a
       common faith, for all true believers have "one Lord, one faith,
       one baptism, one God and Father of all" (Eph. 4:5,6).  Since
       this is a unity of faith in the heart, it is seen only by God.

    6. We believe that God bids us on our part to acknowledge oneness
       in faith among God's saints on earth only as they by word and
       deed reveal (confess) the faith of their hearts.  Their unity
       becomes evident when they agree in their confession to the
       doctrine revealed in Scripture.  We believe, furthermore, that
       the individual through his membership in a church body
       confesses himself to the doctrine and practice of that body.
       To assert that unity exists where there is no agreement in
       confession is to presume to look into man's heart.  This only
       God can do.  It is not necessary that all agree on matters of
       church ritual or organization.  About these the New Testament
       gives no commands.

    7. We believe that those who have become evident as united in
       faith will give recognition to their fellowship in Christ and
       seek to express it as occasion permits.  They may express their
       fellowship by joint worship, by joint proclamation of the
       gospel, by joining in Holy Communion, by joint prayer, by joint
       church work.  We believe that we cannot practice religious
       fellowship with those whose confession reveals that error is
       taught or tolerated, supported or defended.  The Lord bids us
       keep away from persistent errorists (Rom.  16:17,18).

    8. We believe that every Christian is a priest and king before God
       (1 Pet. 2:9).  All believers have direct and equal access to
       the throne of grace through Christ, our Mediator (Eph.
       2:17,18).  To all believers God has given the means of grace to
       use.  All Christians are to declare the praises of him who
       called us out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Pet.
       2:9).  In this sense all Christians are ministers of the
       gospel.

    9. We believe that it is the will of God that the church in
       accordance with good order (1 Cor. 14:40) call qualified men (1
       Tim. 3) into the public ministry. They are to preach the Word
       and administer the sacraments publicly, that is, not merely as
       individuals who possess the universal priesthood, but by order
       and in the name of fellow Christians.  These men are the called
       servants of Christ, ministers of the gospel, and not lords over
       God's heritage, his believers (1 Pet. 5:3).  Through its call
       the church in Christian liberty designates the place, form and
       scope of service.  We believe that when the church calls men
       into this public ministry, it is the Lord himself acting
       through the church (Acts 20:28).

   10. We reject any attempt to identify the holy Christian church
       with an outward organization, and likewise any claim that the
       church must function in the world through specific
       organizational forms.

   11. We reject any views that see in the church, as the body of
       Christ, an extension of Christ's incarnation.






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   12. We reject as false ecumenicity any views that look for the true
       unity of the church in some form of external or organizational
       union, and we oppose all movements toward such union made at
       the expense of confessional integrity.

   13. We reject the contention that religious fellowship may be
       practiced without confessional agreement.

This is what Scripture teaches about the church and its ministry.  This we
believe, teach and confess.

VIII.  THE CHURCH AND THE STATE

    1. We believe that not only the church, but also the state, that
       is, all governmental authority, has been instituted by God.
       "The authorities that exist have been established by God" (Rom.
       13:1).  Christians will, therefore, for conscience' sake be
       obedient to the government that rules over them (Rom. 13:5)
       unless the government commands them to disobey God (Acts 5:29).

    2. We believe that God has given to each, the church and the
       state, responsibilities that do not conflict with one another.
       To the church the Lord has assigned the responsibility of
       calling sinners to repentance, of proclaiming forgiveness
       through the cross of Christ, of encouraging believers in their
       Christian living.  The purpose is to lead the elect of God
       through faith in Christ to eternal salvation.  To the state the
       Lord has assigned the keeping of good order and peace, the
       arranging of all civil matters among men (Rom. 13:3,4). The
       purpose is "that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all
       godliness and holiness" (1 Tim. 2:2).

    3. We believe that the only means God has given to the church to
       carry out its assigned purpose is his revealed Word, the Holy
       Scripture (Matt. 28:19,20). Only by preaching the law and the
       gospel, sin and  grace, the wrath of God against sin and the
       mercy of God in Christ, will people be converted and made wise
       to salvation.  We believe that the means given to the state to
       fulfill its assignment are civil law and force, set up and used
       according to the light of reason (Rom. 13:4).  The light of
       reason also includes the natural knowledge of God, the
       inscribed law, and conscience.

    4. We believe the proper relation is preserved between the church
       and the state and the welfare of all is properly served only
       when each, the church and the state, remains within its
       divinely assigned sphere and uses its divinely entrusted means.
       The church is not to exercise civil authority nor to interfere
       with the state as the state carries out its responsibilities.
       The state is not to become a messenger of the gospel nor to
       interfere with the church in its preaching mission.  The church
       is not to attempt to use the civil law and force in leading
       people to Christ.  The state is not to seek to govern by means
       of the gospel.  On the other hand, the church and the state may
       participate in one and the same endeavor as long as each
       remains within its assigned place and uses its entrusted means.






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    5. We reject any attempt on the part of the state to restrict the
       free exercise of religion.

    6. We reject any views that look to the church to guide and
       influence the state directly in the conduct of its affairs.

    7. We reject any attempt on the part of the church to seek the
       financial assistance of the state in carrying out its saving
       purpose.

    8. We reject any views that hold that a citizen is free to disobey
       such laws of the state with which he disagrees on the basis of
       personal judgment.

This is what Scripture teaches about the church and the state.  This we believe,
teach and confess.

IX.  JESUS' RETURN AND THE JUDGMENT

    1. We believe that Jesus, true God and true man, who rose from
       death and ascended to the right hand of the Father, will come
       again.  He will return visibly, in like manner as his disciples
       saw him go into heaven (Acts 1:11).

    2. We believe that no one can know the exact time of Jesus'
       return.  This knowledge is hidden even from the angels in
       heaven (Matt. 24:36).  Nevertheless, our Lord has given us
       signs to keep us in constant expectation of his return. He has
       told us to take heed to ourselves and to watch lest that day
       come upon us unexpectedly (Luke 21:34).

    3. We believe that at Jesus' return this present world will come
       to an end. "But in keeping with his promise we are looking
       forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of
       righteousness" (2 Pet. 3:13).

    4. We believe that when Jesus returns and his voice is heard
       throughout the earth, all the dead will rise and together with
       those still living appear before his throne of judgment.  The
       unbelievers will be condemned to an eternity in hell.  Those
       who by faith have been cleansed in the blood of Christ will be
       with Jesus forever in the blessed presence of God in heaven
       (John 5:28,29).

    5. We reject every form of millennialism, since it has no valid
       scriptural basis and leads Christians to set their hopes upon
       the kingdom of Christ as an earthly kingdom.  We likewise
       reject as unscriptural any hopes that the Jews will all be
       converted in those final days, or that all people will
       ultimately enjoy eternal bliss.

    6. We reject any denial of a bodily resurrection and of the
       reality of hell.

    7. We reject as contrary to the clear revelation of Scripture all
       attempts to interpret symbolically the New Testament facts of
       the end of the world, of Jesus' second coming, and of the





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       judgment or to see these events taking place, not in the end of
       time, but concurrently with history.

This is what Scripture teaches about Jesus' return and the judgment.  This we
believe, teach and confess.
____________________________________

For information on a WELS church near you, contact:

Wisconsin Ev. Lutheran Synod
2929 North Mayfair Road
Milwaukee, WI  53222
[phone]