Tolerance of False Doctrine

For years I had a really hard time with the fact that so much false teaching is allowed to go unchecked in our church body. But in the last few years, Pastor has helped me understand that we believe in the "holy Christian Church" as we state in the Creed. We don't see the holiness of the Church. As individual Christians are weighed down by sin, so are church bodies. We are, individually, declared pure and righteous for the sake of Christ; so too our church is declared pure, and we don't experience its purity yet. I've had dear friends contemplating leaving the Lutheran church because it's not pure enough. So when I read Rev Rolf Preus's comments recently, I agreed completely and wanted to pass them along. I found this at Beggars All dated October 2.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The LCMS permits false teachers. You will likely not be removed from the LCMS if you promote false doctrine. It happens, but rarely. Paul Bretcher denied the deity of Christ. It took a while, but he was removed. Benke is made into a folk hero and his supporters claim to represent the true position of the LCMS.

On the other hand, the W/ELS will remove pastors for teaching the truth. The failure to submit to the doctrinal authority of the synod as synod is grounds for removal and the breaking of fellowship. Those who express fellowship with those removed are themselves threatened with the breaking of fellowship. This is the real "unit concept" at work.

Independent congregations develop strange and sectarian tendencies in a very short time. Pastors and congregations need mutual support and encouragement from other pastors and congregations devoted to the same truth.

Little synods that break away also become quite sectarian. Witness the self-destruction of the LCR as confessionally grounded pastors are hounded out of the fellowship for daring to apply what the Lutheran Confessions actually say to the life of the church.

How to set boundaries? It's a never ending task. I offer no solutions, just the problems we face. I've been in a synod that tolerates error while officially teaching the truth. I've been in a synod that exercises discipline on the basis of extra-biblical authority. I believe that it is better to permit the guilty to remain free than it is to convict the innocent. Call me a liberal. They say that a conservative is a liberal who just got mugged. Well, a liberal is a conservative who just got arrested. When you face unbiblical authority that lays claim to your doctrinal allegience you are facing a spiritual wickedness that poses a far greater danger to the church than does the weakness of soft-hearted Missourians who think that the Benkes of this world are just a little misled and can by means of dialogue be brought around. Tolerance of false doctrine within a synod is not nearly so bad as the intolerance of the truth. It was Dr. David P. Scaer who said that to me years ago. When I reminded him of it he had forgotten that he said it. But I have not forgotten. Scaer was, without knowing it, prophetic.

The next few years and decades will be a challenge for all confessinal Lutherans who want to belong to a truly confessional fellowship. I offer this advice to confessional Missourians looking for that ever illusive orthodox synod. Be careful! There is something more valuable than what you are seeking, and that is the truth that you already have.