What We Believe and Confess

GOD: God is Triune, Father, Son, Holy Spirit; three persons, one divine essence. He is the only true God:

Jesus said: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19

Saint Paul wrote: Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one”. 1 Corinthians 8:4

JESUS: Jesus is God, equal to the Father, the only Savior of mankind:

Jesus said: “that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.” John 5:23

Jesus said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

Saint Peter said: “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

SIN: All mankind is born in sin; by nature all mankind is spiritually blind, dead and an enemy of God, condemned to eternal damnation outside of Christ:

King David wrote: Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Psalm 51:5

Saint Paul wrote: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

SCRIPTURE: The Bible is inspired by God, without error:

Saint Paul wrote: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16

Jesus said: “Scripture cannot be broken.” John 10:35

JUSTIFICATION: The world has been reconciled to God through the death and resurrection of Jesus, and all sins have been forgiven through Him. God no longer holds our sins against us, but has declared us righteous:

Saint Paul wrote: In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:19

Saint Paul wrote: (Jesus) was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. Romans 4:25

CONVERSION: Coming to faith in Christ is entirely the work of the Holy Spirit, not by some “decision” or “experience.” The Holy Spirit works conversion by the Gospel and Holy Baptism:

Saint Peter wrote: Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God. 1 Peter 1:23

Jesus said: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:5-6

HOLY BAPTISM: Baptism creates faith, washes away sins, saves, all as a gracious work of the Holy Spirit:

Jesus said: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:5-6

Saint Paul said: “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.” Acts 22:16

Saint Peter wrote: Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 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:

The words of Jesus: Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Matthew 26:26-28

Saint Paul wrote: For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 1 Corinthians 11:23-29

Saint Paul wrote: The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 1 Corinthians 10:16

We practice “Closed Communion” as an expression of unity in God’s Word:

Saint Paul wrote: I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. Romans 16:17

Saint Paul wrote: I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 1 Corinthians 1:10

Saint Paul wrote: The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17

CREATION: The world was created as described in Genesis 1-2. Evolution is unscriptural, unscientific, unnecessary:

Moses wrote: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1

The author of Hebrews wrote: By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. Hebrews 11:3

David wrote: By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. Psalm 33:6

SECOND COMING OF CHRIST: Judgment Day will come suddenly and unexpectedly. There is no millennium:

Saint Peter wrote: But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. 2 Peter 3:10

Jesus said: “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Mark 13:32

Matthew 24 (Entire chapter)