Walther is a true theologian of the power of the Word. That is why he says "In addition there must also be fraternal witnessing, for which, if I were to go as a student into a foreign land, I would need the necessary preparation." The necessary preparation for him is the Word of God. Walther expected internal strife in the church to come to an end when the Word is rightly preached as well as a dedicated study of Holy Scripture.
"The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." Jesus is the Word. As Word made flesh He came to suffer and die in our place. He bore our iniquities and loved us to His own death. He took His life up again that He may live and reign on high as our Lord. Into this Lord we have been baptized and made anew. The new life in Christ is the life that loves, especially your fellow church member.
Walther points out that Jesus love for us was not demonstrated by hugs and smiley hello's for those who did well by Him. No, His love was demonstrated in the midst of our conflict with Him as sinners. That "while we were still sinners He died for us." The mark of love in the church is how we treat each other in the midst of conflict. Love does not gossip, it does not speak evil of someone to others. It does not reveal weaknesses but bears them up for the sake of Christ.
Love desires to expose the face of Christ to our neighbor through our own faces. That first requires us to meet face-to-face with anyone we may have a conflict with. Talk to them and with them for the sake of exercising the oneness we share by the Blood of Christ. When we have concerns over what someone has said, meet with them face-to-face so as to clarify the comments, make sure you heard correctly, ask questions for the sake of better understanding. Love resolves issues with patient suffering as did Christ our Lord. He did this in fraternal love for us that we may be a fraternal witness as to who the church really is.
Addressing each other in love does not mean overlooking sin. Love governs the way we address sin for the sake of the "glory of God and the salvation of the neighbor" (Walther's Pastoral Theology, 241). While this is a very challenging thing to do, it is exactly what we ask for when we pray in the post communion collect "we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another." In and with such love expressed in the church we are doing our part that the church in general may be established and promoted.
God be with you all,
President Saunders.
