What We Lutherans Believe

The Christian faith we in the Lutheran church believe, teach, and confess is declared in the Apostles’ Creed;

I believe in God, the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
        And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.  He descended into hell.  The third day he rose again from the dead.  He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.  From thence he will come to judge the living 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

We Lutherans have our life, unity, joy, and strength in God’s Word.  The essential doctrine (teaching) of God’s Word include the following:

GOD

God is Triune, Father, Son, Holy Ghost; three persons, one divine essence. He is the only true God. (Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 8:4)

JESUS

Jesus is God, equal to the Father, the only Savior of mankind.  (John 5:23; John 14:6; Acts 4:12)   He is also true man, born of the Virgin Mary.  (1 Timothy 2:5,  Luke 1:35)

SIN

All mankind is born in sin; by nature man is spiritually blind, dead and an enemy of God, condemned to eternal damnation outside of Christ.  (Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:23)

SCRIPTURE

The Bible is inspired by God, without error.  (2 Timothy 3:16; John 10:35)  

JUSTIFICATION

The world has been reconciled to God through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  All sins have been forgiven through Him. God no longer holds our sins against us, but has declared us righteous.  (2 Corinthians 5:19, Romans 4:25)  

CONVERSION

Coming to faith in Christ is entirely the work of the Holy Spirit, not by some "decision" or "experience" by man. Conversion is worked by the Gospel and Holy Baptism.  (1 Peter 1:23; John 3:5-6)

HOLY BAPTISM

Baptism creates faith, washes away sins, saves, all as a gracious work of the Holy Spirit.  (John 3:5-6, Acts 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21)  

HOLY COMMUNION

Our Lord’s Supper is Christ’s true Body and Blood, really present in the bread and wine, for the forgiveness of sins.  (Matthew 26:26-28; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29; 1 Corinthians 10:16)   We practice "Closed Communion" as an expression of unity in God’s Word.  (Romans 16:17; 1 Corinthians 1:10; 1 Corinthians 10: 16-17)  

CREATION

The world was created as described in Genesis 1-2.  Evolution is unscriptural, unscientific, and unnecessary.  (Genesis 1:1; Hebrews 11:3, Psalm 33:6)  

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

Judgment Day will come suddenly and unexpectedly. There is no millennium.  (2 Peter 3:10; Mark 13:32; Matthew 24)