Through the efficacious means of grace, Is. 55, 10. 11; Rom. 10, 17, the Holy Ghost continually gathers into the kingdom of heaven such as truly believe that they are saved alone by faith in the vicarious atonement of Christ, the divine-human Savior of the world, Acts 2, 44-47; 5, 42; 11, 21; 13, 48. The communion of believing saints which the Holy Ghost thus gathers through the Gospel we call the Church (סָהָל מִקְרָא עָרָה συναγωγή, ἐκκλησία, communio sanctorum, congregatio vere credentium, coetus fidelium), after the example of Scripture, Eph. 5, 24-27. The Christian Church accordingly consists of all those who truly believe the Gospel, that is, God's gracious message that for the sake of Christ's vicarious satisfaction they freely (χάριτι) have forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation; or, more briefly expressed, who believe in Christ, the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world, John 1, 29.
This definition of the term Church is important in view of the many errors that have been maintained on this point. According to Scripture only faith in the Christ (fiducia cordis) who died for the sins of the world makes a person a member of the Church, not the external connection with a local church, nor the external use of the means of grace, nor the external profession of the Christian faith, nor the administration of offices in visible churches, nor the effort to imitate Christ's example by outwardly following Him, Acts 5, 14. Hence the statements of our dogmaticians, Sola fides in Ghristum membra ecclesiae constituit; Christiani aunt ecclesia, are truly Scriptural; for only a true believer in Christ is a member of His holy Church, Acts 16, 31.
It is true, as soon as a person believes in Christ, his sanctification, or renovation, begins as the inevitable effect and fruit of justification, 2 Cor. 5, 17. 18. For this reason Holy Scripture frequently describes the true members of the Church according to their sanctified nature, 1 Cor. 6, 15-20; 1 Pet. 2, 5, or according to the holy works which they do through faith, 1 Pet. 2, 9-25. But the regenerate are members of the Church not inasmuch as they are sanctified by the Holy Ghost or inasmuch as through His power they bring forth fruits of faith, John 15, 4. 5, but only because they trust in Christ for salvation without works, Rom. 3, 28; 4, 3-5. In other words, as we are justified sola fide, so also we are members of Christ's Church sola fide. Of justification by faith, Luther rightly says that this article alone begets, nurtures, builds, preserves, and defends the Church of God and that without it the Church of God cannot exist even for an hour St. L., XIV, 168.
From this it follows that all unbelievers and hypocrites (mali et hypocritae) who outwardly belong to visible churchcs are really outside the pale of the Christian Church. They are never a part of the Church (non sunt pa-rs ecclesiae), although they outwardly hold membership in local congregations (ecclesiae admixti sunt secundum societatem externam). l1he true members of the Church are joined to it through their inward, spiritual communion of faith with the Triune God, by reason of which they are God's house, 1 Tim. 3, 15; God's temple, 1 Cor. 3, 9; 2 Cor. 6, 16; the temple of the Holy Spirit, 1 Cor. 6, 19; Christ's body, Eph. 1, 23; children of God, John 11, 52; Gal. 3, 26-29; etc. On the other hand, unbelievers according to Scripture are not God's house, or temple, but the workshop of Satan, who "worketh in the children of disobedience," Eph. 2, 1-3. With respect to the definition "The Church is the communion of the elect," which was used by Buss and commended by Luther St. L., V, 1234 ff., we accept this as truly Scriptural, 1 Pet. 2, 9, since the true believers in Christ are theelect of God. (Baier: "Ilomines illi, quos Deus iuxta aeternum suum decretum fide et gratia. sua donavit, collective sumpti dicuntur ecclesia." III, 614.)
That the Christian Church consists solely of true believers in Christ is a doctrine which our Lutheran Confessions firmly maintain against the erroneous tenets of the papists: "Ecclesio, est regnum divinum, unicum veritatis salutisque fundamentum, a Christo in orbe terrarum conditum, QUOD PONTIFEX MAXIMUS PER EPISOOPOS SECUNDUM CANONES ADMINISTRAT."
Thus the Augsburg Confession writes Art. VIII: "The Church properly is the congregation of saints and true believers" The Apology Art. VII (VIII), 5: "The Church is not only the fellowship of outward objects and rites, as other governments, but it is originally a fellowship of faith and of the Holy Ghost in hearts." Again (ibid., § 16): "The Church, which is truly the kingdom of Christ, is properly the congregation of saints. For the wicked are ruled by the devil and are captives of the devil; they are not ruled by the Spirit of Christ." According to the Apology (ibid., §§ 17-19) "the kingdom of Christ is not yet revealed, so that wicked men are mingled with the Church and hold offices; but the wicked are not the kingdom of Christ; for that is always the kingdom which He quickens by the Spirit."
The Lutheran Church thus professes the Scriptural doctrine that all true believers are members of the Church, while unbelievers are not members, even though they are outwardly joined to a visible church. While it sincerely believes and confesses that it is the true visible Church, it at the same time holds that all sincere believers in erring churches are truly members of Christ's Church (ecclesia invisibilis). According to the Lutheran doctrine, faith is so absolutely the means by which a person is joined to the Church that not even the ban, or the excommunication from a local church, in case it is unjustly executed, can annul his membership in the Church of Christ.
It is self-evident that such adults as have not yet been baptized, but have come to faith in Jesus Christ are true members of the Church, since Baptism is not absolutely necessary, as was pointed out in a previous chapter. On the other hand, it is likewise true that a sincere believer never despises the ordinances of Christ, Luke 7, 29. 30, so that a true member of the Church neglects neither Baptism nor the Lord's Supper.