What We Believe
About God - We believe that there is one God, the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person of the Trinity is fully God and yet we do not worship three gods, but One.
About Creation - We believe that God created the earth in six literal days and then rested on the seventh day. God, as a loving Father, continues to sustain and bless His creation.
About Jesus - We believe that Jesus is both fully God and fully man. He took on human flesh and was born of the Virgin Mary to be our Savior. He died upon the cross as the ransom for our sin and rose to life in His body on the third day. He ascended into heaven where He reigns at His Father's right hand until the Last Day when He will come as our Judge.
About Sin - We believe that all of humanity is conceived and born into sin. Every human being stands under condemnation and is completely unable to free him/herself from this sinful condition. We believe that our lives are lived in two types of relationships: with God and with our neighbor. In this earthly realm with our neighbors, some sins are clearly worse than others. But before God, there is no distinction. All of us stand equally condemned. In the words of St. Paul, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23, ESV)
About Salvation - We believe, in accord with the words of Jesus Himself, that the only way to eternal life is through Jesus Christ. Our Lord says in John 14:6, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (ESV) Christianity is distinct from other religions in that it presents God who does the work of salvation for us. Our attempts at pleasing God, making the proper sacrifice, or attaining the proper mindset are in vain. We are saved, in the famous words of the Reformation, "by grace alone, through faith alone, as revealed by Scripture alone, in Christ alone."
About the Bible - We believe that the Holy Scriptures are the inspired, inerrant Word of God, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The Bible serves to point us to Jesus Christ and His work of salvation for us upon the cross. All of the Scriptures, from Genesis to Revelation, show us Jesus. God's Word speaks to us in Law and Gospel. The Law condemns us of our sins and the Gospel forgives us through the blood of Christ.
About Forgiveness - We believe that Jesus Christ has died for the sins of the whole world. Faith, given by the Holy Spirit, takes hold of this work of Christ and enjoys the promise of forgiveness, life, and salvation. The Word of God has the power to forgive our sins. The Church entrusts this task to the pastor, asking him to exercise the "Office of the Keys" (Matthew 16:19, John 20:22-23) on their behalf. The pastor speaks "absolution" to the sinner, as the Lord Himself has instructed, and the penitent has the assurance that his/her sins are forgiven before our Father in heaven.
About Baptism - We believe that Baptism is the work of God and not of man. Baptism places God's name upon a person (Matthew 28:19-20). It joins us to Jesus' death and resurrection (Romans 6:3-11). It is the new "circumcision" that marks us as one of God's covenant people (Colossians 2:11-12). It gives salvation in Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:21). We believe in the historic practice of infant Baptism because (1) children are born sinful and in need of salvation (Psalm 51:5), (2) God included children in His covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17:9-14) and the same holds true of the new covenant, (3) the promise of Baptism is for "all nations" (Matthew 28:19) which includes children, (4) St. Peter's sermon on Pentecost indicated that children were to be included in Baptism (Acts 2:38-39), (5) St. Paul baptized households of people which almost certainly included children (1 Corinthians 1:14-16), and (6) Baptism has saving power (1 Peter 3:21).
About the Lord's Supper - We believe that Holy Communion delivers to us the very body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, given for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus' own words: "This is my body" (Mark 14:22) and "This is my blood" (Mark 14:24) tell us that in the bread and wine, He delivers us His real body and blood. The bread and wine are not mere symbols. The bread and wine don't change their substance. It is a Sacrament...an earthly means of delivering a heavenly gift. We gather each Lord's Day (and on various feasts and festivals) to receive what Jesus desires to give us. We understand that reception of the Lord's Supper requires examination. All who come to the Lord's Table are those who confess their sins, desire God's grace, acknowledge the presence of Christ' body and blood, and have unity with those gathered that day.
About Creation - We believe that God created the earth in six literal days and then rested on the seventh day. God, as a loving Father, continues to sustain and bless His creation.
About Jesus - We believe that Jesus is both fully God and fully man. He took on human flesh and was born of the Virgin Mary to be our Savior. He died upon the cross as the ransom for our sin and rose to life in His body on the third day. He ascended into heaven where He reigns at His Father's right hand until the Last Day when He will come as our Judge.
About Sin - We believe that all of humanity is conceived and born into sin. Every human being stands under condemnation and is completely unable to free him/herself from this sinful condition. We believe that our lives are lived in two types of relationships: with God and with our neighbor. In this earthly realm with our neighbors, some sins are clearly worse than others. But before God, there is no distinction. All of us stand equally condemned. In the words of St. Paul, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23, ESV)
About Salvation - We believe, in accord with the words of Jesus Himself, that the only way to eternal life is through Jesus Christ. Our Lord says in John 14:6, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (ESV) Christianity is distinct from other religions in that it presents God who does the work of salvation for us. Our attempts at pleasing God, making the proper sacrifice, or attaining the proper mindset are in vain. We are saved, in the famous words of the Reformation, "by grace alone, through faith alone, as revealed by Scripture alone, in Christ alone."
About the Bible - We believe that the Holy Scriptures are the inspired, inerrant Word of God, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The Bible serves to point us to Jesus Christ and His work of salvation for us upon the cross. All of the Scriptures, from Genesis to Revelation, show us Jesus. God's Word speaks to us in Law and Gospel. The Law condemns us of our sins and the Gospel forgives us through the blood of Christ.
About Forgiveness - We believe that Jesus Christ has died for the sins of the whole world. Faith, given by the Holy Spirit, takes hold of this work of Christ and enjoys the promise of forgiveness, life, and salvation. The Word of God has the power to forgive our sins. The Church entrusts this task to the pastor, asking him to exercise the "Office of the Keys" (Matthew 16:19, John 20:22-23) on their behalf. The pastor speaks "absolution" to the sinner, as the Lord Himself has instructed, and the penitent has the assurance that his/her sins are forgiven before our Father in heaven.
About Baptism - We believe that Baptism is the work of God and not of man. Baptism places God's name upon a person (Matthew 28:19-20). It joins us to Jesus' death and resurrection (Romans 6:3-11). It is the new "circumcision" that marks us as one of God's covenant people (Colossians 2:11-12). It gives salvation in Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:21). We believe in the historic practice of infant Baptism because (1) children are born sinful and in need of salvation (Psalm 51:5), (2) God included children in His covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17:9-14) and the same holds true of the new covenant, (3) the promise of Baptism is for "all nations" (Matthew 28:19) which includes children, (4) St. Peter's sermon on Pentecost indicated that children were to be included in Baptism (Acts 2:38-39), (5) St. Paul baptized households of people which almost certainly included children (1 Corinthians 1:14-16), and (6) Baptism has saving power (1 Peter 3:21).
About the Lord's Supper - We believe that Holy Communion delivers to us the very body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, given for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus' own words: "This is my body" (Mark 14:22) and "This is my blood" (Mark 14:24) tell us that in the bread and wine, He delivers us His real body and blood. The bread and wine are not mere symbols. The bread and wine don't change their substance. It is a Sacrament...an earthly means of delivering a heavenly gift. We gather each Lord's Day (and on various feasts and festivals) to receive what Jesus desires to give us. We understand that reception of the Lord's Supper requires examination. All who come to the Lord's Table are those who confess their sins, desire God's grace, acknowledge the presence of Christ' body and blood, and have unity with those gathered that day.