f his opinion." (B. 1820, 32 ff.)

113. Sober Attitude of Tennessee Synod.--In opposition to the
subjectivism of the Methodistic enthusiasts within the Lutheran synods,
Tennessee based the certainty of salvation on the objective means of
grace, placing especial emphasis on the well-known comforting passages
of Holy Writ concerning Baptism, such as John 3, 5; Eph. 5, 23. 25. 26;
Titus 3, 5; 1 Pet. 3, 20. 21; Rom. 6, 3-5; Acts 2, 38; 22, 16; Gal. 3,
26. 27; Mark 16, 16. "These passages of the Bible," they said, "show us
that we are not to seek salvation in any work which we ourselves can
create or perform, no matter whatever its nature may be, but only
through faith on the Lord and Savior Christ, who alone has done
everything for us, and through the grace which He bestows and confers
on us in Holy Baptism, whereby we are regenerated." (B. 1820, 34.)
Again: "From the passages here quoted the attentive reader is able to
see and comprehend that regeneration is not effected in the manner as
some teach." It was evident from the Scriptures, they maintained, that
Christ referred to Baptism when He declared that no one can enter the
kingdom of God unless he was born again of the water and the Spirit.
They explained: Self-evidently it is not a natural power or effect of
the water to wash away sin. "Yet we see that the washing and cleansing
from sin is effected alone [?] [tr. note: sic!] through Baptism, and
that by faith alone such grace is appropriated. Accordingly, whoever
believes and is baptized shall be saved. Mark 16, 16." (38.) In this
passage, Mark 16, 16, Tennessee declared, "Christ in a few and clear
words indicates the whole condition under which a man can be saved. It
consists in this, that he believes that, for the sake of Christ and what
He has done and suffered for us, God will forgive all our sins, and that
by faith, in Baptism, he appropriates such promises of all the gifts of
salvation which God imparts to man for Jesus' sake. This also shows us
that man cannot be saved by his own work or merit, but alone by what God
presents and imparts to him. He obtains faith through preaching, which
is by th. Word of God, as Paul writes, Rom. 10, 17. Baptism is
administered by the command of Jesus Christ, Matt. 28, 19, through the
service of the minister of the Church. In this way God, through means,
seeks man before man seeks Him. Accordingly, for having been translated
into the state of salvation, man is to thank God and His