What We Believe
What Do We Believe in the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod?
THE BIBLE
We believe that the Bible is the true Word of God, without error or contradiction and, therefore, is the only guide for determining what we believe and how to live our lives. We subscribe to historic statements of faith, such as the Augsburg Confession, because they accurately reflect what the Bible teaches.
GOD
We believe that GOD is Triune, One God in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
HUMANITY
We believe that God created and sustains us and the world. All humanity lost its original holiness when Adam disobeyed God.
SIN
We believe that every thought, word, and deed contrary to God’s Law is sin; that every human being inherits sin; and that all sin calls for God’s wrath.
GOD’S LAW
We believe God has revealed His holy will for us in the Ten Commandments. God’s Law condemns all who violate these commandments and leads us to the knowledge of our sin.
THE SAVIOR
We believe that because of God’s great love for us, He sent His own Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem the world from sin. We believe that He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary; that He kept God’s Law perfectly, suffered, and died, in order to pay our debt of sin to God. We believe that Christ rose from the dead and ascended into heaven where He rules all things for the sake of His Church. We believe that He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
FAITH
We believe that full forgiveness is offered to all people as a free gift of God’s grace. Those who believe in Jesus as their Savior receive His forgiveness, become new creatures in Christ, and are filled with a new joy and a greater purpose.
HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit calls us to faith and gathers us together around the Word and Sacraments, Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, to receive God’s continual gifts of forgiveness, strength and peace.
BAPTISM
We believe that baptism is a washing of rebirth that offers forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation to all who believe, even infants and children.
THE LORD’S SUPPER
We believe that in the sacrament, Christ gives us his own body and blood in and under the bread and wine, so that we might receive forgiveness and eternal life.