What we Believe

Our
Churches,
with
common
consent,
do
teach
that
the
decree
of
the
Council
of
Nicaea
concerning
the
Unity
of
the
Divine
Essence
and
concerning
the
Three
Persons,
is
true
and
to
be
believed
without
any
doubting;
that
is
to
say,
there
is
one
Divine
Essence
which
is
called
and
which
is
God:
eternal,
without
body,
without
parts,
of
infinite
power,
wisdom,
and
goodness,
the
Maker
and
Preserver
of
all
things,
visible
and
invisible;
and yet
there
are
three
Persons,
of
the
same
essence
and
power,
who
also
are
coeternal,
the
Father
the
Son,
and
the
Holy
Ghost.
And
the
term
"person"

they
use
as
the
Fathers
have
used
it,
to
signify,
not
a
part
or
quality
in
another,
but
that
which
subsists
of
itself (A.C. Article 1)

God made all things and loves His creation, especially His human creatures. Beginning with our first parents, all humanity has rebelled against Him and fallen into darkness, sin, and death. God the Father sent His only Son into the world to become man and to redeem and save humanity by His death and resurrection. God sent His Spirit so that people might once again be His own through faith in His Son, Jesus, who is the world's only hope, life, and salvation.

6 Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

7 John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

8 Galatians 4:4--5 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

the
Son
of
God,
assumed
human
nature
in
the
womb
of
the
blessed
Virgin
Mary,
so
that
there
are
two
natures,
the
divine
and
the
human,
inseparably
enjoined
in
one
Person,
one
Christ,
true
God
and
true
man,
who
was
born
of
the
Virgin
Mary,
truly
suffered,
was
crucified,
dead,
and
buried,
that
He
might
reconcile
the
Father
unto
us,
and
be
a
sacrifice,
not
only
for
original
sin,
but
also
for
all
sins
of
men.


He
also
descended
into
hell,
and
truly
rose
again
on the
third
day;
afterward
He
ascended
into


heaven
that
He
might
sit
on
the
right
hand
of
the
Father,
and
forever
reign
and
have
dominion
over
all
creatures,
and
sanctify
those
who
believe
in
Him,
by
sending
the
Holy
Spirit
into
their
hearts,
to
rule,
comfort,
and
encourage
them,
and
to
defend
them
against
the
devil
and
the
power
of
sin.


The
same
Christ
shall
openly
come
again
to
judge
the
quick
and
the
dead,

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

What does this mean? I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. (Sm. Catechism)

Since
the
fall
of
Adam,
all
men
begotten
in
the
natural
way
are
born
with
sin,
that
is,
without
the
fear
of
God,
without
trust
in
God,
and
with
concupiscence;
and
that
this
disease,
or
vice
of
origin,
is
truly
sin,
even
now
condemning
and
bringing
eternal
death
upon
those
not
born
again
through
Baptism
and
the
Holy
Ghost.
(A.C. Article 2)

God
does
create
and
preserve
nature,
yet
the
cause
of
sin
is
the
will
of
the
wicked,
that
is,
of
the
devil
and
ungodly
men;
which
will,
unaided
of
God,
turns
itself
from
God,
as
Christ
says
John
8,
44:
”When he lies, he speaks out of his own character.” (A.C. Article 19)

Men
cannot
be
justified
before
God
by
their
own
strength,
merits,
or
works,
but
are
freely
justified
for
Christ's
sake,
through
faith,
when
they
believe
that
they
are
received
into
favor,
and
that
their
sins
are
forgiven
for
Christ's
sake,
who,
by
His
death,
has
made
satisfaction
for
our
sins.
This
faith
God
imputes
for
righteousness
in
His
sight.
Rom.
3
and
4.


One
holy
Church
is
to
continue
forever.
The
Church
is
the
congregation
of
saints,
in
which
the
Gospel
is
rightly
taught
and
the
Sacraments
are
rightly


administered.


And
to
the
true
unity
of
the
Church
it
is
enough
to
agree
concerning
the
doctrine
of
the


Gospel
and
the
administration
of
the
Sacraments.
Nor
is
it
necessary
that
human


traditions,
that
is,
rites
or
ceremonies,
instituted
by
men,
should
be
everywhere
alike.
As


Paul
says:
One
faith,
one
Baptism,
one
God
and
Father
of
all,
etc.
Eph.
4,
5.
6.


Although
the
Church
properly
is
the
congregation
of
saints
and
true
believers,


nevertheless,
since
in
this
life
many
hypocrites
and
evil
persons
are
mingled
therewith,
it
is


lawful
to
use
Sacraments
administered
by
evil
men,
according
to
the
saying
of
Christ:
The


Scribes
and
the
Pharisees
sit
in
Moses'
seat,
etc.
Matt.
23,
2.
Both
the
Sacraments
and


Word
are
effectual
by
reason
of
the
institution
and
commandment
of
Christ,
notwithstanding


they
be
administered
by
evil
men.


Baptism
is
necessary
for
salvation,
and
that
through
Baptism
is
offered
the
grace
of
God,
and
that
children
are
to
be
baptized
who,
being
offered
to
God
through
Baptism
are
received
into
God's
grace.


Baptism is not just plain water, but it is the water included in God’s command and combined with God’s word. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matt. 28:19)”

What benefits does Baptism give?

It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare. “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16)

What does such baptizing with water indicate?

It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever. “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Rom. 6:4)

We teach
that
the
Body
and
Blood
of
Christ
are
truly
present in, with, and under the bread and wine instituted by Christ Himself for us Christians to eat and to drink.

The words “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins,” show us that in the Sacrament forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are given us through these words. For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.

Of
the
use
of
the
Sacraments, both Baptism and the Lord’s Supper,
we teach
that
the
Sacraments
were
ordained,
not
only
to
be
marks
of
profession
among
men,
but
rather
to
be
signs
and
testimonies
of
the
will
of
God toward
us,
instituted
to
awaken
and
confirm
faith
in
those
who
use
them.
Wherefore
we
must
so
use
the
Sacraments
that
faith
be
added
to
believe
the
promises
which
are
offered
and
set
forth
through
the
Sacraments.’

The Lutheran church practices private and corporate confession and absolution.

Confession has two parts. First, that we confess our sins, and second, that we receive absolution, that is, forgiveness, from the pastor as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven.

Before God we should plead guilty of all sins, even those we are not aware of, as we do in the Lord’s Prayer; but before the pastor we should confess only those sins which we know and feel in our hearts.

We teach
that
for
those
who
have
fallen
after
Baptism
there
is
remission
of
sins
whenever
they
are
converted and
that
the
Church
ought
to
impart
absolution
to
those
returning
to
repentance.
Repentance
consists
properly
of
these
two
parts:
One
is
contrition,
that
is, terrors
smiting
the
conscience
through
the
knowledge
of
sin;
the
other
is
faith,
which
is
born
of
the
Gospel,
or
of
absolution,
and
believes
that
for
Christ's
sake,
sins
are
forgiven,
comforts
the
conscience,
and delivers
it
from
terrors.
Then
good
works
are
bound
to
follow,
which
are
the
fruits
of
repentance.


We do not believe that we may
attain
such
perfection
in
this
life
that
we cannot
sin.


The Bible gathers together the writings of God's chosen prophets and apostles over a period of more than a thousand years. Through the Holy Spirit, God Himself gave these writers the thoughts and words they recorded (verbal inspiration), such that the Bible is God's Word. For this reason, the Scriptures are both infallible (incapable of error) and inerrant (containing no mistakes). Holy Scripture is therefore entirely reliable and gives us everything we need to know and believe for Christian faith and life. We believe the Word of God has the power in itself to convince the reader or hearer of its authority. Because it is God's Word, it is self-authenticating. The Word of God does what it says. (Isaiah 55:10-11)

In the Gospel, the central message of the Bible, God promises us new life on the basis of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. God's promises alone create faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself, whom we trust, declares that all the Scriptures are God's own words, completely dependable in all they teach, and without error.

A. Jesus uses the Old Testament Scriptures as God's Word. He continually affirms Scripture as authoritative with phrases such as "It is written" and "Have you not read?" (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10; 19:4). He assures us that "Scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35).

B. Jesus claims the same authority for Himself, saying, for example, "I say to you" (Matthew 5:22, 28, 32), or "Truly, truly, I say" (John 6:47;see also John 5:47), or explicitly claiming His words to be "spirit and life" (John 6:63; see also John 8:31--32).

C. Just as God called and authorized prophets in the Old Testament, put His words in their mouths, and fulfilled their prophecies, so also Jesus called and authorized His apostolic witnesses to speak His Word, guided by His Spirit (Luke 10:16; John 14:26; Acts 1:8; 2 Peter 1:16--21; 1 John 1:1--4). (Introduction to the Small Catechism)