To Memorialize the Synod To Reaffirm the Doctrine of the Office of the Holy Ministry
WHEREAS, Our Lord Jesus Christ has granted to His church the gift of the office of the holy ministry (John 20:21-23, Eph. 4:11, Matt. 28:19-20); and
WHEREAS, Christ has declared to those who have been placed into this office by Him, “He who hears you hears Me” (Luke 10:16); and
WHEREAS, our Lutheran Confessions make it abundantly clear that those who have been placed into this office stand in the stead and by the command of Christ so that as it is Christ Himself who through the office pronounces absolution to His people, baptizes them, distributes His body and blood to them in the Holy Supper and preaches to and teaches them through the voice of the called minister (SC V 27, AC V; XIV; XXV; Ap XIII 12; VII 28; XIV 1; XII 39-41; AC XXVIII 8-9; Ap. XXVIII 19); therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the South Dakota District memorialize the synod to reaffirm the doctrine of the office of the holy ministry; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the synod reaffirm the confessions’ position that, according to ecclesiastical order and its functions, “no one should publicly teach in the church or administer the Sacraments unless he be regularly called” AC XIV). In upholding this position, we guard against confusion the uniqueness of this office its functions with the identity and responsibilities of the priesthood of all believers; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the synod through her district Presidents, district Vice Presidents, and circuit counselors assist the congregations of the Synod in upholding this doctrine of Christ; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Synod promote and instruct her congregations, educational institutions and agencies in this essential confessional doctrine concerning the office of the holy ministry; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the synod reaffirm 1995 resolution 3-07A (Rescinded at the 2001 convention); and be it finally
RESOLVED, That the synod no longer authorize its districts to place, into the ministry of the word and sacrament, men who are not regularly called according to AC XIV.
Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
John 20:21-23 (ESV)
Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." [22] And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. [23] If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld."
Ephes. 4:11 (ESV)
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,
The Small Catechism
27 Again he shall say: “?Do you believe that this forgiveness is the forgiveness of God??”
Answer: “?Yes, I do.?”
28 Then he shall say: “?Be it done for you as you have believed.?8? According to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Go in peace.?”?
Augsburg Confession
V. [The Office of the Ministry]?4?
1 To obtain such faith God instituted the office of the ministry, that is, provided the Gospel and the sacraments. 2 Through these, as through means, he gives the Holy Spirit, who works faith, when and where he pleases, in those who hear the Gospel. 3 And the Gospel teaches that we have a gracious God, not by our own merits but by the merit of Christ, when we believe this.
4 Condemned are the Anabaptists and others?5? who teach that the Holy Spirit comes to us through our own preparations, thoughts, and works without the external word of the Gospel.
XIV. Order in the Church
It is taught among us that nobody should publicly teach or preach or administer the sacraments in the church without a regular call.
XXV. Confession
1 Confession has not been abolished by the preachers on our side. The custom has been retained among us of not administering the sacrament to those who have not previously been examined and absolved. 2 At the same time the people are carefully instructed concerning the consolation of the Word of absolution so that they may esteem absolution as a great and precious thing. 3 It is not the voice or word of the man who speaks it, but it is the Word of God, who forgives sin, for it is spoken in God’s stead and by God’s command. 4 We teach with great diligence about this command and power of keys and how comforting and necessary it is for terrified consciences. We also teach that God requires us to believe this absolution as much as if we heard God’s voice from heaven, that we should joyfully comfort ourselves with absolution, and that we should know that through such faith we obtain forgiveness of sins. 5 In former times the preachers who taught much about confession never mentioned a word concerning these necessary matters but only tormented consciences without long enumerations of sins, with satisfactions, with indulgences, with pilgrimages and the like. 6 Many of our opponents themselves acknowledge that we have written about and treated of true Christian repentance in a more fitting fashion than had been done for a long time.
7 Concerning confession we teach that no one should be compelled to recount sins in detail, for this is impossible. 8 As the psalmist says, “?Who can discern his errors??”?9? Jeremiah also says, “?The heart is desperately corrupt; who can understand it??”?1? Our wretched human nature is so deeply submerged in sins that it is unable to perceive or know them all, 9 and if we were to be absolved only from those which we can enumerate we would be helped but little. On this account there is no need to compel people to give a detailed account of their sins. 10 That this was also the view of the Fathers can be seen in Dist. I, De poenitentia, 11 where these words of Chrysostom are quoted: “?I do not say that you should expose yourself in public or should accuse yourself before others, but obey the prophet who says, ‘?Show your way to the Lord.?’?2? (tr-71) Therefore confess to the Lord God, the true judge, in your prayer, telling him of your sins not with your tongue but in your conscience.?”?3? Here it can be clearly seen that Chrysostom does not require a detailed enumeration of sins. 12 The marginal note in De poenitentia, Dist. 5, ?4? also teaches that such confession is not commanded by the Scriptures, but was instituted by the church. 13 Yet the preachers on our side diligently teach that confession is to be retained for the sake of absolution (which is its chief and most important part), for the consolation of terrified consciences, and also for other reasons.
XXVIII. The Power of Bishops
8 This power of keys or of bishops is used and exercised only by teaching and preaching the Word of God and by administering the sacraments (to many persons or to individuals, depending on one’s calling). In this way are imparted no bodily but eternal things and gifts, namely, eternal righteousness, the Holy Spirit, and eternal life. 9 These gifts cannot be obtained except through the office of preaching and of administering the holy sacraments, for St. Paul says, “?The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith.?”?2
Apology of the Augsburg Confession
XIII. The Number and Use of the Sacraments
12 If ordination is interpreted this way, we shall not object either to calling the laying on of hands a sacrament. The church has the command to appoint ministers; to this we must subscribe wholeheartedly, for we know that God approves this ministry and is present in it.
VII. and VIII. The Church
28 In accordance with the Scriptures, therefore, we maintain that the church in the proper sense is the assembly of saints who truly believe the Gospel of Christ and who have the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, we grant that the many hypocrites and evil men who are mingled with them in this life share an association in the outward marks, are members of the church according to this association in the outward marks, and therefore hold office in the church. When the sacraments are administered by unworthy men, this does not rob them of their efficacy. For they do not represent their own persons but the person of Christ, because of the church’s call, as Christ testifies (?Luke 10:16?), “?He who hears you hears me.?” When they offer the Word of Christ or the sacraments, they do so in Christ’s place and stead. Christ’s statement teaches us this in order that we may not be offended by the unworthiness of ministers.
XIV. Ecclesiastical Order
1 With the proviso that we employ canonical ordination, they accept Article XIV, where we say that no one should be allowed to administer the Word and the sacraments in the church unless he is duly called.?3
XII. Penitence
39 The power of the keys administers and offers the Gospel through absolution, which is the true voice of the Gospel. In speaking of faith, therefore, we also include absolution since “?faith comes from what is heard.?” as Paul says (?Rom. 10:17?). Hearing the Gospel and hearing absolution strengthens and consoles the conscience. 40 Because God truly quickens through the Word, the keys truly forgive sin before him, according to the statement (?Luke 10:16?), “?He who hears you, hears me.?” Therefore we must believe the voice of the one absolving no less than we would believe a voice coming from heaven. 41 Absolution may properly be called a sacrament of penitence, as even the more learned of the scholastics say.?4
XXVIII Ecclesiastical Power
19 “?He who hears you hears me?” cannot be applied to traditions For Christ requires them to teach in such a way that he might be heard, because he says, “?hears me.?” Therefore he wants his voice, His Word to be heard, not human traditions. Thus these asses take a statement that supports our position and contains the deepest kind of comfort and teaching, and they misapply it to these trifles, distinction of foods and clothing and the like.