A Brief Statement of Lutheran Beliefs

As a part of historic Christianity Lutherans believe in one God, revealed as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; and that the person and work of Jesus, the Christ, is the center of Christianity, not the Bible or our ethical behavior.

We believe that to earn and distribute life forever with God in heaven is the primary reason Jesus came to earth, not to make this life easier, happier or more successful.

We believe that Jesus did this by being born sinless, living a perfect life (doing for you what you are unable to do), dying in your place; that is, under your punishment. Holy Week worship commemorates His suffering and dying. He proved that He actually opened heaven for you by coming back to life again. We celebrate this event as the Festival of the Resurrection.

He could do this because He was really God who had come into real human flesh. The Nicean Creed (The Year of Our Lord 347) describes Him as "God of (given from) God, Light of Light, Very (true) God of Very God." This reality is the center of Lutheran's Christmas celebrations with its cheerful lights, joyous singing, worship and gift giving.

The Christ gave His approval to the Old and New Testaments, encouraging people to hear, read and practice the principles of faith and life that are expressed in them as Law and Gospel.

To combat ancient and modern heresies, real Lutherans use the word "inerrant" to describe the Holy Scriptures. In all areas in which it speaks (history or theology), the Word of God is without errors, mistakes or contradictions. The Bible IS simple Words from God to you, not merely containing Truth that must be dug out by some special connection to the Holy Spirit or a mysterious process.

The original Lutherans stated their Biblical beliefs in documents called "confessions," which accurately reflect the Bible. These are printed in The Book of Concord of 1580. The Bible teachings are here contrasted with both the Roman Catholic and Protestant misinterpretations of the Bible.

Taking seriously the idea that God wants to communicate with people in a clear and understandable way leads Lutherans to accept, in addition to the written Word, Christ's Washing (Baptism) and The Lord's Supper as tools by which He works on people to create and build up faith in Jesus.

Lutherans accept that people inherit a sinful nature from their forefathers, even from Adam and Eve. Human beings are without fear, love and respect of God, do not have to be instructed how to do wrong, must be taught proper behavior and lack God's commanded perfect obedience from conception. Since "the wages of sin is death" and children die, we accept that children are also held accountable for their sinfulness. Jesus redeemed all, children included, and has provided a delivery system for His grace to children and adults.

The Holy Spirit's primary work is to create and preserve faith in Jesus as Savior, using the tools that bring God's grace, the Word and Sacraments. He is not interested in setting up a Holy Spirit-centered religion of miracles, tongues and emotionalism that detracts or distracts in any way from the grace of Christ. He also prompts the Christian to love and do good works.

Baptism is a work of God by which He unites a sinner, young or old, to the death and resurrection of Christ, so that sins are forgiven, the Holy Spirit creates faith and causes the sinner to be born again to a life of dedication to Him and His Way of Life.

The Lord's Supper is Christ's gift of His body broken for and His blood shed for sinners on the cross. In accordance with His plain words, Lutheran's believe in the Real Presence of His body and blood in, with and under bread and wine, not in mere symbols or a spiritual, personal presence of Christ in the Supper. The believer receives the forgiveness of sins and, therefore, a refreshing of his faith in Jesus. The communicant, by partaking of the one cup, also attests to his acceptance of the faith and doctrine professed by the Pastor and the other communicants.

Since people are "saved by grace," and grace is a free and undeserved gift, Lutherans reject any kind of cooperation and credit on our part with the Holy Spirit's work of choosing us and giving us faith in Jesus. Even our faith is a gift of grace, not our decision or choice. We can only begin to serve God after He has given us faith in Jesus.

Lutherans trust that God's basic patterns for family and society are best. Marriage of one man and one woman for life is God's model. A man is to support and love his wife "as Christ does the church." Women are highly honored for their role as wives and mothers. She is to follow her husband as the church follows Jesus, not as a slave, but as a trusting disciple. This family model, not the village model or other sociological innovations, is the proper building block of all human society and organization.

Perversions, such as no-fault divorce, open marriage, single sex marriage and "living together," are dangerous because they spring, not merely from selfish, fleshly desire, but a mind in rebellion against God's Way, against God Himself. This lack of faith risks the eternal salvation of the rebel.

The Christian priesthood is, as simply and plainly taught in the Bible, reserved for males, who represent Christ to the believers. It is the man's responsibility to serve as the spiritual leader in the home and church. Women serve the Lord in many important and vital ways in the congregation, but do not desire the Office of the Holy Ministry, nor do they see the male terms God uses for Himself in Scripture as threatening to their femininity or personhood. To change these terms is apostacy.

The purpose of "church services" is twofold. We worship (telling God His worth-ship to us) and He serves us with Word and Sacrament to assure us of the forgiveness of sins and our right standing with God because of what Christ accomplished by living holy and dying in our places. Divine services are not entertainment, mere human friendship opportunities, psychological therepy sessions, emotional manipulation or fund raisers, although wonderful and joyous things are spoken and sung about that have profound effects on people. Lutherans pattern their worship after the Old and New Testament examples which the early church also found helpful in hearing and speaking to God.

Though God establishes the congregation as the primary working unit for His Christ's work, and though much is wrong with "organized religion," there is also much that we can do together when we are "united in heart and mind." Protecting our unity of faith and projecting our principles of faith and life are why congregations and Ministers have formed denominations of like-minded Christians from the very early ages. It is our hope and prayer that the majority of Christians will one day be truly united under the Truth of the Word, not merely faking a pretence of "unity in diversity" that is not unity at all.

Please join us in the solemn, dignified, spiritual and yet joyous, earthy and real worship and service of the Father-Son-Holy Spirit God. Perhaps after reviewing the basics of Jesus's first century faith, you'll find yourself in unity with us. That would be wonderful for us - and you!