Church and truth
Someone I know recently made the comment that WELS is the only church left teaching God's Word in its truth and purity. I found her statement hard to believe considering the doctrine of the church. Her statement really bothered me for variety of reasons. So I did some research and I came across this answer on a similar topic on your Q and A page “As a church body, we do not pretend to be the only church whose teachings are entirely biblical; the kingdom of God is not limited to WELS.” How do I lovingly point this out to her?
You could share with your friend the question and answer you referenced.
You might also want to share the following excerpts from an article in Forward in Christ from a number of years ago.
“Over the years the writer has been pastor and member of a number of WELS congregations. In worshiping, these congregations never confessed their faith by saying, ‘I believe in St. Peter’s Ev. Lutheran Church,’ or ‘I believe in St. Mark’s Lutheran Church.’ Instead they voiced their confession in the well-known words of the Apostles’ Creed: ‘I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Christian church, the communion of saints. .. .’
“It is evident, then, that the word ‘church” is used in different senses. It may mean a building where people worship, a congregation, a denomination, the whole visible church, the true believers gathered at one place, or the sum total of true believers…The visible church may have in its midst hypocrites, but the holy Christian church consists of true believers only. It is important that we note this, lest we identify any denomination as the alone saving church here on earth and thus automatically consign the members of all other denominations to eternal damnation.
“The matter of the holy Christian church is spoken of in paragraphs 1, 2 and 10a of This We Believe, Article VII.
“We believe that there is one holy Christian church, which is the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16), the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:23; 4:12). The members of this one church are all those who are ‘the sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus’ (Galatians 3:26). Whoever believes that Jesus died for his sin and rose again for his justification (Romans 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 Corinthians 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.
“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 Samuel 16:7), only the Lord knows ‘those who are his’ (2 Timothy 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.
“We reject any attempt to identify the holy Christian church with an outward organization.
“A close reading of the above brings out the fact that it is not our name on a membership list that assures us of being a member of God’s church. Rather, it is faith and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ and what he has done for us. God accepts us because of Christ’s work of redemption, not because of our holiness or righteousness.
“Since we cannot look in the hearts of people, we naturally ask: Is there some way by which we can determine where the holy Christian church is present? The answer of This We Believe, on the basis of Scripture, is: ‘The means of grace are … the marks of the church.’ 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 (Isaiah 55:10,11).”
Finally, you might also share with your friend news like this that illustrates there are other churches around the world that faithfully confess and teach the truths of God’s word. It is a joy to find a common faith and enjoy fellowship with them.
God bless your conversation.