Lutheran Christians are people who emphasize God’s love, grace and forgiveness revealed to us through Jesus. Lutherans base all of their beliefs upon the Holy Bible. The following brief outline is an introduction to the major beliefs of Lutheran Christians.

Lutheran Christians are people who emphasize God’s love, grace and forgiveness revealed to us through Jesus. Lutherans base all of their beliefs upon the Holy Bible. The following brief outline is an introduction to the major beliefs of Lutheran Christians.

GOD

Lutherans, along with all Christians, believe in the one true God, described as the Trinity (Matthew 28:18—20). Our one Triune God has made Himself known to us as:

† God the FATHER (CREATOR) – Who created us and everything else.

† God the SON (SAVIOR) – Who died on the cross to forgive our sins and rose from the dead to give us victory over death.

† God the HOLY SPIRIT (SANCTIFIER) – Who creates and strengthens faith and lives in us (I Corinthians 6:19-20; 12:3).

HOLY SCRIPTURE

Lutherans believe the Bible is the inspired and completely accurate Word of God given to us to show us the way of salvation (2 Timothy 3:14-17).

In the Bible God gives us the Divine message of Law and Gospel. God’s Law tells us how God wants us to live, but we all fall short of being able to obey God’s Law. God’s Gospel, or Good News, tells us that because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, we are forgiven. This beautiful Gospel message is the primary message of the Bible.

JESUS

Lutherans believe that Jesus is the central focus of our faith. Jesus is both Divine and human (John 1:1-14). Jesus was born at Bethlehem as God’s Son to be our Savior from sin, death and Satan. God’s Word tells us that faith in Jesus is the only known way of salvation for human beings: John 14:6 – Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Acts 4:12 –“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be save.”

SIN

Lutherans believe that sin entered God’s perfect creation when Adam and Eve disobeyed God (Genesis 3). Sin destroyed our relationship with God. The Bible speaks of two types of sin: Original Sin (the disease) – the sin we inherit from our parents (Psalm 51)

Actual Sin (the symptoms) – the actual sins we commit in by breaking the Ten Commandments (Romans 3:9-25).

SALVATION

Lutherans believe that salvation is a totally free gift of God.

Our good words or human efforts do not merit or earn God’s favor or forgiveness.

We are saved by grace through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9).

HOLY BAPTISM

Lutherans believe that God wants all people to be baptized (Matthew 28:19).

Baptism is a precious gift from God through which God makes us His children by placing His Name upon us, giving us faith and washing away our sins (Romans 6:3-5).

LIFESTYLE ISSUES

Lutherans believe that Christians live in the freedom of the Gospel (Galatians 5:13-14).

We are to strive to obey the Ten Commandments, but the purpose of the church is not to micromanage people’s behavior. For example, we believe that drinking alcohol is permissible as long as it is done in moderation.

SOCIAL ISSUES

Lutherans believe the church should not engage in organized politics. Instead, individual Christians should live as the “salt” and “light of the earth” by promoting Godly values in their personal lives, families and communities. (Matthew 5:13-17). Missouri Synod Lutherans do take a strong stand based upon the Bible on issues that intersect with our lives as citizens. For example, we believe that life is a sacred gift of God that should be valued and protected (Psalm 139:13-14).

OUR FOCUS

What is most important to Lutherans is the fact that we are loved and forgiven by Jesus. Lutheran Christians believe that sinful humans are saved and forgiven by a loving God through: a) Grace alone b) Faith alone c) Scripture alone

OUR PURPOSE

As Christians, we are to grow in Christ’s love and to share Christ’s love.

This outline only scratches the surface of the Bible-based and Christ-centered teachings of Lutheran Christians, but we hope it gives you a helpful overview.

God loves all people unconditionally, even though each one of us sin by what we think, by what we say, and of course by what we actually do. We do not deserve His love but He still sends it. This is God's grace free to us, even with all our mistakes.

From God’s grace, we are saved by faith, by trust in Jesus Christ. We recognize that we cannot save ourselves; there is nothing we can do to “earn” God’s love, His forgiveness. It is freely given to those who rely on Jesus to bridge the gap between our imperfections to God’s perfection, His standard. The most quoted verse in the Bible, perhaps the most quoted words of all time sum it up: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” John 3: 16 NIV

The Bible is God’s inspired, infallible and inerrant Word to us. We will add nothing to it, nor take anything away from it. It is what it is. The Bible is the norm and source of all Christian teaching.

The Sacrament of the Altar (Holy Communion) is celebrated at this congregation in the confession and glad confidence that, as He says, our Lord gives into our mouths not only bread and wine but His very body and blood to eat and to drink for the forgiveness of sins and to strengthen our union with Him and with one another. Our Lord invites to His table those who trust His words, repent of all sin, and set aside any refusal to forgive and love as He forgives and loves us, that they may show forth His death until He comes.

Because those who eat and drink our Lord’s body and blood unworthily do so to their harm and because Holy Communion is a confession of the faith which is confessed at this altar, any who are not yet instructed, in doubt, or who hold a confession differing from that of this congregation and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, we ask to please first speak with the pastor or an elder.