In reply to Robert Sternitzke.

Robert,

Faith is personal; I cannot believe for another. But faith is never private. "With the mouth one confesses and is saved," writes St. Paul; we publicly confess what we believe. Part of the way we make this public confession is by virtue of the church body to which we belong. Christ also gives the responsibility to pastors to be faithful stewards of His gifts (1 Cor. 4:1–5). The pastor who does not faithfully steward the office does not answer to men, but to God. See also God's warning of Ezekiel in Ezekiel 3. Or, again, the writer to the Hebrews exhorts his hearers to submit their "overseers" (pastors, today), since those pastors will have to give account — before God — of their service. As an overseer, part of their responsibility is to judge the public confession of those who come to their altar and withhold the sacrament from those whom it would harm. The pastor and the LCMS does not judge the heart; we do judge the outward confession (Romans 16:17–18).