What do we Believe, Teach, and Confess?

 Introduction

Greetings in the name of Christ Jesus. Thank you for your interest in the beliefs and teachings of our church. Often, new acquaintances talk with each other to learn about who they are, what they've experienced and where they come from. This brochure is part of that conversation. We want you to get to know us, we want you to know who we really are. And as our acquaintance grows we hope you'll feel more and more comfortable in your relationship with us.

So here we are with a brief sharing of our beliefs.

 Where do we come from?

Our "home town" is God's word, the Bible. We base our teachings on what the Bible teaches us, believing the Bible to be the very words of God. We realize that many churches claim to be based on the Bible, and that even terrible things have been done with the supposed support of the Bible. Yet, even though God's book has been badly abused, we're still proud of, thankful for, and committed to, the Bible as God's revelation, holy and inerrant in its original writings. We do believe that there is an objective and recognizable difference between a true Biblical foundation and a faked Biblical foundation, one that can be demonstrated and recognized.

Our second home is the confessional Lutheran Reformation. We are a confessional Lutheran Church because we believe that of all the religions and denominations in the world, confessional Lutheranism reflects and presents the truths of Holy Scripture in the most faithful and accurate way.  Confessional Lutheranism is the branch of Lutheranism that believes that the confessional documents of the 16th & 17th century provide a faithful explanation and interpretation of the Holy Scriptures.  These confessional documents can be found at www.bookofconcord.org.

 What about our family?

We believe from the Bible that there is only one real God, who is uniquely, but accurately describe as being "triune," that is he is one God in three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). We believe that all other “gods” are fakes, even though they may seem profoundly influential. This true God can be recognized by simply looking at nature. Its profound order, complexity and intricate design demonstrate the presence, influence and power of a Creator. He can also be recognized through a person's conscience.  Conscience is universal to mankind, not merely the result of nurture or culture.  The approval or disapproval of the conscience is the faint voice of God declaring his endorsement or displeasure of human attitudes and actions. Both nature and the conscience are easily misunderstood by misguided, sinful minds.  Therefore, we also accept that the one real God has made himself most fully known in the Holy Scriptures of the Christian religion. In those pages, the Triune God makes himself clearly knowable and approachable as he really is and not merely as sinful humanity imagines him.

We believe that while all of mankind has its origin in the creation of this Triune God, those who trust Jesus Christ as their Savior from sin are the unique children of this living God.

 What about our earthly home?

We believe that the Triune God made this world through what is known as creation. With his unimaginable divine powers, he created the entire universe in 6 normal days. This incredible power and action demonstrates his awesome nature, his rightful ownership of all things, and the nature of the respect and honor due him.  We believe that the testimony of nature is not in conflict with the Scriptures but that sinful humanity misreads and misunderstands what nature is proclaiming.  It is our conviction that God speaks to us more clearly about our world in his Scriptures than does humanity in trying to interpret what the world seems to be saying. 

We believe that since this world belongs to our heavenly Father, we have an obligation to treat it respectfully, not as a possession we’re free to exhaust at our pleasure and profit, but as a trust granted to us for faithful care and development. 

 Who are we as a human race?

We believe that at the beginning of time God created two real human beings in his image; not a physical, intellectual or emotional likeness, but a likeness that imitated and reflected God's own holiness and righteousness. Adam and Eve were created with a free will and moral purity. But in the course of time Adam and Eve exercised their free will to choose to do evil. They distrusted and disobeyed God. Since that time all people have been born without spiritual free will and in moral, ethical and charitable bankruptcy. Not only did every succeeding human being lack the moral purity of God's image, but each was and is so bent on evil that St. Paul would describe the natural human being as someone who, by his very nature, hates God and is the target of God’s righteous anger (Romans 8:6-8, Eph. 2). We believe that every human being is this profoundly diseased with sin, whether they be Christian or not.  Obviously, then, the human race has a deep need for reconciliation with its Creator.

We do not believe that human are inherently good, or that humanity can win God’s favor by its own efforts or maneuverings.  We believe that every human being is hopelessly enslaved in sin.

 What about Jesus Christ?

We believe that Jesus Christ is really and completely God Almighty, as well as being really and completely a human man. We believe that when Jesus, the "God-Man" came to this earth, he set aside the use of his divine powers for the most part and lived as a mere human being, just like you and me. We believe that the whole time that Jesus was on earth he was doing two basic things for mankind: On the one hand, Jesus was doing everything that God wanted us to do, but he did it perfectly on our behalf. He always obeyed what his heavenly Father wanted him to do, in his heart, mind and body. On the other hand, Jesus received and endured all the punishments that each person deserves from God for distrusting and disobeying him. We see this suffering most clearly in his death on the cross. In doing these two basic things Jesus became the Substitute for every single human being and thus provided the holiness and the sinlessness that God requires of all people. Through faith in Jesus Christ the image of God, the holiness and righteousness lost by Adam and Eve, is restored again.

We believe that Jesus literally rose from the dead, i.e. his dead body literally came alive again after being dead for 3 days. When Jesus rose from the dead he guaranteed that every last sin had been forgiven and that he has power even over death and hell. The resurrection of Christ is the foundation of the Christian religion, guaranteeing that everything God demands of us Jesus Christ provides for us.

 What about sin?

Sin is a real condition that infects every single human being, regardless of age, gender, religion, nationality, race or philosophy. Sin is described in the Bible as distrusting or disbelieving God and expresses itself in actions or attitudes of disobedience.  The standard for what is sin or what isn’t is given in the Holy Scriptures and not revisable by human authority.  The punishment for sin is both physical and spiritual death. Sin makes God angry and he has promised to call every sinner to account.

 What about forgiveness of sins?

We believe that because Jesus lived for us and endured the punishments that we should have received from God; all sins have been forgiven for believers and unbelievers. To enjoy the peace and joy of an acquitted conscience, one simply trusts or believes that the holy life Jesus lived and the punishments Jesus received were lived and received for him/herself as an individual. When one recognizes and believes that Jesus did all his work for him/her, then that person can know that his/her sins are truly forgiven and God really does love him/her (John 3:16).

True forgiveness is a free gift from God and requires nothing on the part of those who crave it. If real forgiveness depended first on an improvement of life or a cessation of sin no one would ever be forgiven because no one ever stops sinning in this life. Forgiveness of sins is a completely free and gracious gift of God given to sinful people.  No one in the world deserves it.

 What about death?

We believe that while people die for a variety of external reasons, the primary reason why people die is sin. Because everyone sins, everyone dies a physical death. When people die, their bodies remain on this earth (usually either buried or cremated), but their souls are sent by God either to heaven or to hell, depending on the condition of their souls at death. If they trust Jesus as their Substitute and Savior from sin, they go to heaven. If they trusted in someone or something else, or in nothing at all, God sends their souls to hell.  God is perfectly justified in doing that since, first of all, he is absolutely holy and perfect and, secondly, because he has provided the perfect solution to sin for all humanity in Christ Jesus.  The gracious mercy of Christ's forgiveness and love comforts the dying, and assures peace between them and God. Without Christ any comfort offered or accepted is counterfeit and ineffective for the person who dies.

We reject the notion that there is no such thing as a hell as well as the idea that there is a second chance for people after death.

 What about suffering?

We acknowledge that suffering in this world is real and terrible.  Poverty, illness, war and natural disasters bring real suffering to people.  Many ask, “How could a loving God allow people to suffer like this?”  We believe the answer is that in spite of God’s gestures of love to humanity, people reject his love and compassion and go their own way.  In spite of the eternal efforts that God has gone to to provide hope and a future, relieve and peace for humanity, much of humanity spurns God’s love and try to create a world separate from God’s intensions.  We believe this is the source of the world’s greatest suffering.

We also acknowledge that even God’s special children suffer.  We’re told in the Scriptures that God allows suffering to come to his people to purify their faith in him and to allow them the blessing of suffering with their Savior Jesus.  The final end of all Christian suffering is the glory of heaven through faith in Jesus Christ.  We believe that the suffering that God allows in this world is hardly an act of evil on his part, but rather a demonstration of his profound love for Christians and humanity.

 What about the end of the world?

We believe that Jesus ascended into heaven shortly after he rose from the dead. We also believe that he will come back again to judge all people for the way they have lived their lives. If their lives reflect a disbelief in God's promises and efforts made through his Son, Jesus Christ, God will punish them for an eternity in hell. If their lives reflect a belief in his promises and efforts made through his Son, he will bless them with a gracious gift of eternal life.

 What about getting along with our family and family disputes?

We believe that it is our Father’s will that everyone in the family get along and support each other in genuine unity.  To describe the way the Father wants his family to get along, he uses terms like “perfect unity” and “complete unity,” “one in heart and mind,” “one heart and mouth,” “perfectly united in mind and heart.”  Our Father wants the unity of his family to be identical to the unity between himself and his Son, Jesus.  This is a genuine, substantial, actual unity.  The unity between Father and Son has never been one of agreeing to disagree.

 Jesus warns us that the unity of his family is fragile, constantly in danger of being compromised.  He urges us to strive hard to keep this unity intact and strong.  He warns us that two things specifically injure, disease and destroy the unity of his family.  Unrepentant sin is one of the enemies of God’s family.  All of God’s children sin, but Christ’s forgiveness extends to those in faith which includes repentance.  However, sin committed without repentance is sin committed without faith—such sin separates a person from God’s family.  Jesus also warns us that false belief separates us from the family of God.  To willfully believe false doctrine can not only cause rifts in God’s family but can also separate a person from the family of God completely. 

We believe that it is completely possible to be a member of God’s family through faith in Jesus but also to walk outside of the will of our Father regarding what one believes or practices.  When we find brothers and sisters in faith who trust Jesus as their Savior but reject things that our Father has taught us or commanded us, we believe it is our responsibility to warn, admonish and encourage them to return to the will of our Father.  We recognize that any time a child of God rejects the Father’s will or word that child is sinning.  Beliefs that vary from our Father’s will are sinful beliefs.   

At the personal level, we believe that Jesus guides us to confront those who offend Jesus with their sin in a humble and loving way.  The goal of that confrontation is to lead our fellow Christian back to a faithful and obedient life.  When a Christian refuses to follow the will of God, either in faith or action, he puts himself in deep spiritual jeopardy and Jesus calls on us to warn him and warn him, even with the possible action of separating ourselves from him to demonstrate the seriousness of his rebellion against God.  When an erring brother in Christ admits his rebellion against God and asks for forgiveness, we eagerly and joyfully extend forgiveness and welcome him back into full fellowship with the Father’s family. 

On a congregational level, we also believe that Jesus has taught us to show love for fellow Christians by encouraging them in the Christian faith and warning those who deviate from the truth of the Scriptures.  When a member of Christ’s family rebels against the Father of the house, the household is disrupted.  It is the responsibility of the members of God’s household to assist and encourage all the family members to remain faithful to their heavenly Father.  Disruption in God’s house is created not only when a family members lives outside of the Father’s will, but also when the children don’t believe what the Father has told them in his Scriptures.  Efforts to reclaim such wandering children will include admonition from the Scriptures, personal and congregational warnings, and may even result in separation from such children as Jesus commands us.  We believe that congregational and denominational separations, while sad and lamentable, do actually fulfill the will of Christ when false living and false believing are not resolved. 

The goal of all separations, however, is the restored unity of God’s children in God’s family.  We always hope and pray for the unity of his family through faith in his holy and inerrant Word!