THIS WE BELIEVE
WORD OF GOD
We
believe that each and every word, as well as the entirety and whole, of the
Holy Scriptures was given by inspiration of God and is therefore the true and unerring
Word of God (II Peter 1:21; II Timothy 3:16; I Corinthians 2:13; John 10:35;
17:17; 2 Samuel 23:1-2). We also believe that the Word of God has not been lost
or corrupted, but has been faithfully preserved by God down through the
centuries as a witness to all the nations (Psalm 119:89; Isaiah 40:8; I Peter
Since
all of Holy Scripture is God's true and unerring Word, we teach that the Bible
is to be the source and judge of all Christian Doctrine. What is not in accord
with God's Word is not to be taught as Christian Doctrine (Isaiah
GOD
We
believe that there is only one true God (Isaiah 44:6; I Corinthians 8:4). This
God (called the LORD or JEHOVAH) is one divine Being or Essence, but three
distinct Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (thus the name, Triune
or Three/One God), each being eternal and equal in power and majesty,
because each Person is the LORD God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; I John
5:7; Isaiah 48:16-17; John 1:1; Colossians 2:9; I Corinthians 3:16; Hebrews
9:14; I Peter 4:14). We believe that no one can worship or serve the Triune God
except he believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God and the Savior of
mankind from sin and its consequences (John 3:18,36; 5:23; 14:6; I John 2:23;
5:11-12). Hence, all who deny the Trinity of God (that God is three
Persons) or the Unity of God (that God is one divine Being), or who do
not trust in Jesus Christ, the Son, for salvation, do not worship and serve the
true God.
CREATION
We
believe that the LORD God created the heavens, the earth, and all things in six
normal length days; that this occurred only about six thousand years ago (ca.
B.C. 4,000); that all things were originally created good and without sin; and
that God created and still preserves all things by His almighty Word (Genesis
1-2; Exodus 20:11; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 33:6; 139:13-16; Colossians 1:16;
Hebrews 1:2-3; 11:3; Old Testament genealogical records). We therefore reject
all teaching and theory which contradicts the Biblical record of creation,
including atheistic and theistic evolution and other (falsely called
"scientific") theories which suggest that the earth and life came to
exist by chance over millions or billions of years.
ANGELS
We
believe that the LORD God, when He created the heavens and the earth, also
created a great number of angels to carry out His commands and do His will
(Nehemiah 9:6; Exodus 20:11; Colossians 1:16; Psalm 104:4; 103:20-21; Daniel
7:10). These angels are spirits of great power and strength (Psalm 103:20; II
Kings
MAN
We
believe that the first man and woman were created by God (Adam's body from the
dust of the ground, and Eve's from the rib of Adam); that they were given a
rational and immortal soul (not being unintelligent or brutish) and were
created for eternal life; and that they were created in the image of the LORD
God, having a knowledge of God and His will and being righteous and holy in
thoughts, desires, words, and deeds (Genesis 1:26-28,31; 2:7,18-25; Ephesians
4:24; Colossians 3:10). We believe that Adam and Eve sinned as described in
Genesis, chapter three; that, as a result of this sin, all men are conceived
and born in sin and are inclined to evil (having lost the image of God); that,
as sinners, all of mankind stands condemned by God's holy Law to eternal
suffering in hell; and that all people, as they are by nature, are unable to do
God-pleasing works or reconcile themselves to God and thus escape His wrath and
punishment (Psalm 51:5; Genesis 6:5; 8:21; Romans 3:10-20,23; 5:12,18-19;
Galatians 3:10; James 2:10-11; Ezekiel 18:20; Romans 6:23; Isaiah 64:6; John
3:6; 15:5-6; Psalm 49:7-9).
JESUS CHRIST AND REDEMPTION
We
believe that Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God from eternity, and also
true man, being conceived by the miraculous working of the Holy Spirit and born
of the Virgin Mary, lived a sinless and holy life under God's Law in the stead
of all mankind and then suffered and died upon the cross, paying the just
penalty for the sins of the whole world, and rose again from the dead on the
third day (John 1:1,14; Luke 1:26-38; 2:1-7; Matthew 1:18-25; Galatians 4:4-5;
Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:21-24; 3:18; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4). We believe that
Jesus Christ, by His holy life and innocent sufferings and death in our stead,
has redeemed and reconciled the whole world of sinners to God (Hebrews 2:14-17;
2 Corinthians 5:18-21; Colossians 1:19-22; Galatians 3:10,13; Romans 3:23-26;
4:25; 5:6-11,18-19; John 1:29; 1 John 2:1-2; Isaiah 53).
JUSTIFICATION
We
believe that God, for the sake of Jesus Christ's holy life and innocent
sufferings and death upon the cross for the sins of the whole world, has
pardoned all men and justified them, declaring them to be just, righteous, and
acceptable in His sight (1 John 2:1-2; Ephesians 1:6-7; 2 Corinthians 5:19,21;
Romans 3:23-26; 4:25; 5:18-19). We also believe and teach that one is
individually and personally justified and counted righteous in God's sight when
he believes the Gospel message and trusts that God is gracious to him and has
forgiven all his sins for Christ's sake (Romans 3:28; 4:5; Luke 24:46-47; Acts
10:43). We reject as false all teachings which would make a man's justification
dependent upon his own works and merits or upon his own will or cooperation
with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:8-10; Galatians 2:16; John 1:12-13).
FAITH IN CHRIST
We
believe that it is through faith alone – and not of works - that a sinner
receives the forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation which Christ Jesus won
for all by His innocent sufferings and death upon the cross. Such faith, which
is also a gracious gift of God worked by the Holy Spirit, is simply to believe
and apply to one's self the Gospel message, the good news that God is gracious
to us and has forgiven us all our sins for the sake of Jesus Christ and His
redemptive work (John 3:16; Galatians 2:16; Romans 1:16-17; 3:20-28; 4:3-8;
5:1-2; Ephesians 2:8-9,11-18; Philippians 1:6,29; Colossians 2:12). We also
believe that no one can be saved without such faith in Christ, for all who do
not believe the Gospel message and trust in Christ alone for their salvation
shall be condemned to eternal suffering in hell for rejecting the salvation God
has provided for them in His Son (John 3:18,36; Mark 16:15-16; 2 Thessalonians
1:7-9).
CONVERSION
We
believe that conversion is the converting of a lost and condemned sinner to
faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. It is the turning of an unbeliever into a
believer. It occurs when a man, condemned by the Law of God, is brought to
faith in the Gospel and believes that God is gracious to him and forgives all his
sins for the sake of Christ's redemption (Acts 2:37ff.; 3:19; 11:21; 16:29-34;
26:18; Titus 3:3-7; Isaiah 55:7). We believe that conversion is entirely the
result of God's gracious working in us; for man, as he is by nature, is
spiritually blind, dead, and an enemy of God, and therefore cannot by his own
reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ as Savior or come to Him (Ephesians
2:1-10; Romans 3:10-18; Genesis 6:5; 8:21; John 1:12-13; 3:3-6; 6:44,63,65; 1
Corinthians 2:14; 12:3; Colossians 2:11-15; Philippians 1:29; Jeremiah 31:18; 1
Peter 1:2-5, 23-25). We therefore reject as false all teaching which attributes
a man's conversion to his own will or decision rather than to God's grace
alone, and also any teaching which would limit God's gracious desire and
working for the salvation of all men.
REPENTANCE
We
believe that true repentance consists of a troubled conscience (godly sorrow)
over one’s sins and sinfulness and of faith in God’s mercy and forgiveness for
the sake of Jesus Christ and His innocent sufferings and death upon the cross
for our sins and the sins of the whole world.
It is a coming to the knowledge of one’s utter sinfulness and of the
punishment of God justly deserved; and it is a turning to God in faith,
trusting that He mercifully forgives our sins and accepts us as His own dear
children for the sake of Jesus’ shed blood (Psalm 51; Psalm 32; Romans 3:9-28;
Mark 1:4, 15; Acts 2:36ff.; 3:19; 20:17-21; 26:20; Isaiah 55:6-7; Luke
24:45-47; 2 Corinthians 7:9-10; Ephesians 1:3ff.; 2 Peter 3:9). We also teach that a fruit of genuine
repentance is a new and amended life lived for the LORD (Luke 3:3, 7-17; Acts
26:20; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15; Romans 6:1ff.; 1 John
1:5-10; 2:1-6; Isaiah
GOOD WORKS
We
believe that, while good works cannot justify a man in the sight of God or
merit God's grace and favor, good works are commanded by God in the Holy
Scripture (Romans 3:10-20,28,31; 10:4; 12:1-2; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians
2:8-10; Titus 2:11-14; Psalm 119:1-5,35). Good works are those things a child
of God does, speaks, or thinks which are in accord with God's commandments, are
for the glory of God and the benefit of his neighbor, and are motivated by love
for God and neighbor (Psalm 119:9,133; Psalm 19:14; Proverbs 12:5; Deuteronomy
10:12-13; Matthew 15:9; 22:36-40; John 14:15; Romans 13:8-10; 1 Corinthians
10:31; 13:1-3; Luke 10:25-37). We believe and teach that no man can perform
such works unless he first has faith in Christ as Savior and is regenerated by
the Holy Ghost (John 15:1-5; Hebrews 11:6; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 2:11-14;
3:3-8). Good works of believers are acceptable in God's sight only for Christ's
sake--because God, for the sake of Jesus Christ's innocent sufferings and
death, pardons the sins and impure motives of His children (Isaiah 64:6; 1 John
1:7ff.).
MEANS OF GRACE
We
believe that God offers, gives, and assures to men the forgiveness of sins and
eternal salvation, which Christ won for all by His innocent sufferings and
death on the cross, through certain means: namely, the Word of the Gospel,
Baptism, and the Lord's Supper. Through these means, God the Holy Spirit
graciously tells us of our salvation in Christ and assures us that, for
Christ's sake, we are forgiven of all sins and have everlasting life in heaven
(Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:47; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21; Romans 1:16-17; 10:15; Acts
2:38-39; 22:16; Colossians 2:11-15; 1 Peter 3:21; Matthew 28:19; 26:26-28; 1
Corinthians 11:23-29; 10:16-17). We believe that it is through these means of
grace that the Holy Spirit creates and sustains saving faith in men's hearts (2
Thessalonians 2:13-14; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 10:17; 1 Peter 1:2,23-25; 2:2;
John 3:5-6; Titus 3:5; Colossians 2:12; 1 Corinthians 11:23ff.; Philippians
1:6).
GOSPEL
We
believe that the Gospel is the good news of man's redemption in Christ Jesus.
It is the proclamation that Christ died for our sins and rose again and that
God, for the sake of Christ's innocent sufferings and death, has forgiven our
sins and offers and gives to us everlasting life with Him in heaven (1
Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 1:16-17; 10:15; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21; Luke
24:46-47; Colossians 1:19-23; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 1 Timothy 1:15; 2:3-7; John
3:14-16). We reject the teaching that the Gospel is a new law requiring love
and good deeds for our fellow man, or that the Gospel is a conditional offer of
pardon and forgiveness which becomes true or valid only after it is received in
faith.
BAPTISM
We
believe that Baptism has been instituted by God to be a means whereby He
offers, gives, and assures to an individual the forgiveness of sins and eternal
salvation which Christ won for all by His innocent sufferings and death upon
the cross (Colossians 2:11-15; 1 Peter 3:21; Galatians 3:26-29). In Christian
Baptism, water is applied (by sprinkling, pouring, or immersing) in the name of
the Triune God (Matthew 28:19); and through Baptism, the Holy Spirit works to
create and preserve saving faith, thus washing away sins and giving eternal
salvation to all who believe (John 3:5; Titus 3:5; Acts 22:16; Mark 16:16). We
believe that all people are to be baptized--including infants and children, for
they too can believe - and that those who reject Baptism forfeit the
forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation which God would give them through it
(Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38-39; Luke 18:15-17; John 3:5-6; Matthew 18:6; Luke
7:30).
LORD’S SUPPER
We
believe that, when the Lord's Supper is observed according to Christ's
institution, Jesus offers and gives to those who partake of the bread and the
cup in His Supper His body and blood which were given and shed upon the cross
for the remission of all sins – indeed, the Scriptures say in 1 Corinthians
11:23ff.: “The Lord Jesus the same night
in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it,
and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in
remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had
supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my
blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as
ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the
Lord's death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this
cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that
cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's
body.” (Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke
22:19-20; 1 Corinthians
PRAYER
We
believe that prayer is an act of worship in which Christians call upon the LORD
God with their hearts and voices, offering up praise and thanksgiving to God
and making request of Him (Psalm 5:1-3; 19:14; 103:1; 95:1-6; 96:1-13). Though
prayer is not a means of grace, it is a great privilege which God gives to
those who trust in Christ Jesus for their salvation (1 John
HOLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH
We
believe that there is only one Holy Christian Church and that this Church is
made up only of true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, of those who have
despaired of their own righteousness before God and trust that God is gracious
to them and forgives all their sins for the sake of Jesus Christ and His
redemptive work (Matthew 16:16-18; Ephesians 2:8-22; 4:4-6; 5:23-32; 1:22-23;
Romans 12:4-5; 8:9; Philippians 3:8-9). We believe that this Church is
invisible, in that God only, and not man, can see faith in the heart (1 Samuel
16:7; Luke 17:20-21; 2 Timothy 2:19). Nevertheless, the Holy Christian Church
does and will continue to exist in this world wherever the saving Gospel is
still in use (Matthew
LOCAL CHURCHES
We
believe that the Holy Scriptures speak, not only of the Holy Christian Church,
which is made up of all believers in Christ; they also speak of local churches,
or congregations of believers, and command Christians in every locality to
gather together with other faithful Christians and form congregations where
they may establish the public ministry and mutually care for and encourage
their fellow believers in the true and saving faith (2 Corinthians 1:1;
Galatians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; Revelation 1-3; Acts 2:41-47; 14:23; 20:28;
Titus 1:5; Jeremiah 23:3-4; Hebrews 10:23-25; Colossians 3:16; Ephesians
4:1-16; Matthew 18:15-20). Though the Bible speaks of one Church, made up of
all true believers, and of local churches, there are not two kinds of churches;
for even in the local churches, only the believers are truly members of
Christ's Church in that place (1 Corinthians 1:2; Romans 1:7). On the Last Day,
the unbelieving and hypocrites who are outwardly connected with Christ's Church
in this world will be separated from the believing and cast into the fires of
hell (Matthew
CHURCH FELLOWSHIP
We
believe that God commands all Christians to discriminate between churches which
are faithful to Christ and that which is taught in His Word (orthodox churches)
and those which are not faithful to Christ and His Word (false and heterodox
churches), and to practice church fellowship (joining together in those things
which one would do with fellow believers, such as, worship, prayer, reception
of the Lord's Supper, evangelism, mission work, etc.) only with those who are
faithful to Christ and His holy Word (Matthew 28:18-20; 7:15-23; John 8:31-32;
1 John 4:1-6; Acts 2:42; Romans 16:17-18; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Ephesians
5:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:6,14-15; 1 Timothy 6:3-5; 2 John 7-11). We therefore
condemn as sin the unionistic practices of our day,
in which church fellowship is practiced and church union is sought without
regard for full adherence to the Scriptural Doctrine.
A
church's faithfulness to Christ and His Word is to be judged, not only by its
acceptance of and subscription to an orthodox creed or confession, but by what
is actually taught and practiced in it. Errors in both doctrine and practice
will continue to trouble churches in this world (Acts 20:28-32; 1 Corinthians
11:19); but those which are faithful to Christ and His Word will, through
Scriptural admonition and discipline, continue to combat and remove such error
from among themselves (Matthew 18:15-18; 2 Timothy 3:13-17; 4:1-5; Titus
3:10-11).
PUBLIC MINISTRY
We
believe that, while God has given to all true believers the right and duty to
preach His Word and administer the Sacraments (Baptism and the Lord's Supper),
He has also commanded Christians to gather together and call faithful men to
publicly preach and teach God's Word and administer the Sacraments among them
and in their stead (1 Peter 2:9; Matthew 28:18-20; John 20:21-23; Jeremiah
23:3-4,28; Hebrews 10:19-25; Acts 14:23; 20:28; Ephesians 4:11-12; Titus 1:5-9;
2 Timothy 4:2). Only men meeting the qualifications in 1
Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:5-9 are to be entrusted with this office.
Though the public ministry of Word and Sacrament exists by the will and command
of God, those holding this office have no authority and power but the Word of
God (1 Peter
CHURCH AND STATE
We
believe that both the Church and the State are ordained of God - the Church for
the eternal salvation of men, and the State for the maintenance of external
righteousness and order among men in this world (Matthew 16:16-19; Ephesians
2:8-9, 19-22; Colossians 1:18-24; Acts 2:41-47; Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-14;
1 Timothy 2:2). In order that men might be saved, the Church has been commanded
to preach the Word of God (Mark
GOD'S GRACIOUS ELECTION
We
believe that God has already from eternity chosen some to obtain eternal
salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, and that this election and choosing of
God is entirely of God's grace and mercy in Christ Jesus, without any merit or
worthiness on the part of men (2 Timothy 1:9; Matthew 22:14; Ephesians 1:3-14).
We believe that all those whom God has graciously chosen before the creation of
the world will, in time, be brought to saving faith in Christ through the
Gospel and be sanctified and preserved in that faith unto life everlasting (2
Thessalonians 2:13-14; Acts 13:48; Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians 1:3-14; Matthew
24:22-24). Therefore, this doctrine of Scripture gives to believers the
assurance that "He which hath begun a good work in [them] will
perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:6). We reject as
contrary to the Holy Scripture the teachings that God does not desire the
salvation of all men; that He has also predestined some to damnation; or that
God's election is based upon some merit or quality in men, upon lesser
resistance to the Gospel, or in view of future faith (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter
3:9; Ezekiel 33:11; Matthew 23:37). As to why some are saved and others are
lost, we can only say with Scripture that God's elect are saved entirely by
God's grace for Christ's sake, and that the lost are so entirely of their own
fault, because they have "not believed in the name of the only begotten
Son of God" (John 3:18; 12:48; Ephesians 2:8-9; Acts 7:51).
FINAL JUDGMENT
We
believe that, at death, the souls of believers are taken to be with their Lord
and Savior in heaven, and the souls of unbelievers begin suffering the eternal
torments of hell (Luke 16:19-31; 23:43; Philippians 1:23; Revelation 14:13; 1
Peter 3:19; 2 Peter 2:4-9). On the Last Day, Jesus Christ will return to judge
the living and the dead; and on that Day, all the dead will be raised up (John
5:28-29; Job 19:25-27; Revelation 20:11-15; Acts
ANTICHRIST
We
believe that though there have been and are many antichrists, who oppose Christ
and the true Word of God with their lies and false teaching, there is also one
Antichrist, the son of perdition, whose coming was foretold in the Scriptures
(1 John 2:18; 2 Thessalonians 2:3). We also believe that this Antichrist is
none other than the Roman Papacy (including all who hold the office of pope),
for all the marks of this Antichrist have been fulfilled in the papacy of Rome
(2 Thessalonians 2:3-12; Revelation 13 & 17; cf. Galatians 1:6-9).
SABBATH DAY
We
believe that the Old Testament observance of the Sabbath and other holy days
has been abrogated by God and is not required of the Church under the New
Testament (Colossians 2:16-17; Romans 14:5-6). The Commandment regarding the
Sabbath Day does still require us to regularly take time to hear and learn
God's Word and to worship Him (Exodus 20:8; Isaiah 58:13-14; Acts 2:42;
Colossians 3:16; Psalm 119:15-16; 26:8; 111:1; 95:1-6; 96:1-2). For this
reason, we have set aside Sundays and other feast days
for the hearing of God's Word and for our gathering together to worship the
LORD our God (Hebrews 10:24-25; Acts 2:42). However, the observance of these
certain days is a church ordinance made in Christian liberty rather than a
divine command binding upon the conscience (Romans 14:5-6).
MARRIAGE AND BEARING
CHILDREN
We
believe that marriage is a lifelong union between one man and one
woman, that marriage was instituted by God and is entered by mutual consent and
promise (Matthew 19:3-6; Genesis 2:18-24; Romans 7:1-3; Luke 20:27-38; Matthew
1:18-25; Deuteronomy 22:23-24). Therefore, we teach that it is sin to violate
the marriage union "by unfaithfulness or desertion" (Matthew
19:3-9;
We
believe that children are a blessing of the LORD, and that the
conception and formation of a child in the womb is the result of God's creative
working (Genesis 1:27-28; 25:21; 29:31; 30:22-23; Ruth 4:13; 1 Samuel
1:5,10-11,19-20; 2:21; Psalm 127:3-5; 128:1-6; 139:13-16; Ecclesiastes 11:5);
and that it is God's will and command that a husband and wife seek and desire
to have children (Genesis 1:28; 9:1,7; 1 Timothy 2:15; 5:14). We also believe
that human life begins at conception, and that it is murder to kill or destroy
the life of an unborn child (Psalm 139:13-16; Ecclesiastes 11:5; Genesis
25:21-23; Genesis 9:5-6; Exodus 20:13). Therefore, we condemn as sin
abortion--in all its forms--and reject as contrary to God's will views and
practices which would seek to limit and prevent the conception and the bearing
of children.
SANCTITY OF LIFE
We
believe that every human life is a creation of God and that every human life is
precious to God, for God created man in His own image (Genesis 1:26-28;
2:7,21-22; 9:5-6; Psalm 139:13-16). We also believe that, except in the cases
of punishing evildoers and waging just wars to protect life and property, God
has reserved for Himself the right to end or destroy a human life (Genesis
9:5-6; Romans 13:1-4; 1 Peter 2:14; Exodus 20:13; Psalm 31:15; 39:4-5; 90:1-3;
Job 14:1-12; Acts 17:24-28). Therefore, we must condemn as murder and sin the
practice of euthanasia, self inflicted death (suicide), and all other
unjustified taking of human life.
For
more doctrinal study, you may wish to read the Brief Statement or the Lutheran
Confessions:
The
Distinction between Orthodox and Heterodox Churches
The Still Small Voice
Sequence
© Pierre R. Schwob - by permission. Original from the
The
Classical Archives