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Sola Scriptura: Scripture Alone
Sola Gratia: Grace Alone
Sola Fide: Faith Alone
- Martin Luther
On the basis of Holy Scripture and in unity
with the one holy, catholic (universal)
faith, we believe, teach, and confess that:
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The only true God is the triune God, the
holy Trinity. He is three equal and
eternal Persons (Matt. 28:19; 2 Co.
13:14; John 15:26) within one divine
Essence (Deut. 6:4): God the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit. This teaching was
revealed most clearly by Jesus Christ,
the only begotten of the Father (John
1:18).
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Since the fall of Adam into sin, every
person is conceived and born with
original sin (Romans 5:12ff.; Psalm
51:5; Psalm 58:3). This original sin
results in both total corruption of
human nature (Genesis 6:5; 8:21; Isaiah
64:6; Romans 3:10-18) and condemns one
before God. It renders the person
spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1-3; Col. 2:13)
and blind (2 Corinthians 4:3-4; 1
Corinthians 2:14) and totally unable to
love, trust, or fear God above all
things or to love one's neighbor as
himself (Romans 8:7-8). Because of this
all people are sinners before God
(Romans 3:23).
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Jesus Christ is true God, eternally
begotten of the Father, and also true
man, born of virgin Mary, and is the
only Savior from sin and Mediator
between God and humanity (John 1:1-3;
John 20:28; Luke 1:26-38; Matthew
1:20-23; 1 Timothy 2:3-6a; John 14:6;
Acts 4:12).
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This same Jesus
by his perfect life and sacrificial
death on the cross, won complete
forgiveness for all sins and eternal
life for every human being who has ever
lived and will live (Isaiah 53:4-6; Mark
10:45; 1 John 2:1-2; Romans 3:21-26; 2
Corinthians 5:18-21; Hebrews 9:26-28; 1
Peter 2:24-25);
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This same Jesus
rose bodily from the dead on the third
day (1 Corinthians 15:3-5);
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This same Jesus
ascended into heaven and reigns at the
right hand of God as Lord over all (Acts
1:9-11; Ephesians 1:20-23); He will come
again on the clouds of heaven to judge
the living and the dead (Matthew
24:30-31; 25:31-46).
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We cannot get forgiveness of sins
or righteousness (sinlessness/what every
person needs to enter heaven) by our own
good works, love, or holiness. We become
righteous before God by His grace, for
Christ's sake, through faith when we
believe that Christ died for us and that
for His sake righteousness, forgiveness,
and eternal life are given to us. This
is what the Bible means when it says
that we are "justified by faith apart
from the works of the Law" (Romans
3:21-28; 4:5; Galatians 2:16-21;
Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 3:7-9).
Faith is not a good work that we do, but
the empty hand that receives the gift of
righteousness and forgiveness that Jesus
won for us. Faith itself is a gift.
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By God's decree, the forgiveness of
sins, eternal life, and salvation are
offered and given through the preaching
of the Gospel and the Gospel in all its
forms (the written Word of God, Baptism,
Absolution, Lord's Supper). In other
words, God not only saw to it that our
sins were atoned for through the cross
of Christ; He also arranged a delivery
system to bring that blood bought
forgiveness across the centuries and
throughout the world. The Gospel
(preached, read, Sacraments) is that
delivery system. Through the Gospel, the
Holy Spirit creates saving faith in
Christ, when and where He pleases (1
Corinthians 12:3). For this purpose,
Christ has instituted the Office of the
Ministry and sends pastors to preach and
administer the holy Sacraments in His
stead and name (John 6:63; 16:12-15;
Luke 24:47; Matthew 28:19-20; John
20:21-23; Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians
4:1).
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Good works, love, and holiness of life
are the fruits of saving faith in
Christ, not the cause of such faith
(John 15:1-5). We are saved for good
works not by good works (Ephesians
2:8-10). We must do all good works that
God has commanded but not in order to be
saved by them.
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The one holy Christian Church, properly
speaking, is all those who truly believe
in Jesus Christ, among whom the Gospel
is preached purely and the Sacraments
are administered according to the
Gospel. Thus the Christian Church is
found wherever these things are present,
even if hypocrites and unbelievers are
present (Matthew 16:16-19; 18:20;
28:18-20; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Acts 20:28;
Ephesians 5:25-27).
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Holy Baptism, water applied in the Name
of the Triune God according to Jesus'
institution (Matthew 28:19), truly saves
(1 Peter 3:21), causes one to be born
again (John 3:5; Titus 3:5), delivers
and applies grace and the forgiveness of
sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16; Ephesians
5:25-26), unites the one being baptized
to the death, burial, and resurrection
of Christ (Romans 6:4; Colossians
2:11-12), gives the gift of the Holy
Spirit (Acts 2:38) and causes one to
become a member of Christ's body (1
Corinthians 12:13).
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Holy Communion, or the Holy Supper,
instituted by Christ Himself, is the
true body and blood of the crucified and
risen Jesus Christ, given under the
forms of bread and wine, for Christians
to eat and drink, for the forgiveness of
their sins (Matthew 26:26-29; 1
Corinthians 10:14-21; 11:23- 26).
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Holy Absolution is a great and precious
word of forgiveness to the troubled
sinner. Holy Absolution, the forgiveness
of sins spoken by the Pastor to a
penitent sinner in Jesus' name, truly
gives the forgiveness of sins with the
full authority of the resurrected Christ
(Matthew 16:19; 18:18; John 20:21-23).
This word of forgiveness is to be heard
and believed as the word of Christ
Himself speaking to us (Luke 10:16).
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The Christian life is one of continual
repentance (sorrow over sin, then belief
that our sin is forgiven for Christ's
sake; Mark 1:14-15). That one has truly
repented who turns away from the sin and
brings about changed behavior that is
pleasing to God (Matthew 3:8).
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Jesus Christ will return visibly on the
last day for judgment, will raise up all
dead, and will give everlasting life and
joy to all believers, but will condemn
unbelievers and the devil to everlasting
punishment (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18;
Revelation 1:7; Matthew 25:31-46; John
5:28-29).
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Though man possesses freedom of the will
to choose and decide in earthly matters,
he does not have freedom of the will in
spiritual matters, but is spiritually
blind and dead. Only when the Holy
Spirit creates faith in His heart does
he again have freedom in spiritual
matters (John 6:44; 1 Corinthians 12:3;
Ephesians 2:1-10).
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Holy Scripture, the Bible, is in every
word the God-breathed (inspired) and
inerrant Word of God, the only source
and final authority of all doctrine and
life claiming to be Christian. Its main
purpose is to proclaim the gift of
salvation through faith in Jesus Christ
(2 Timothy 3:14-17; 2 Peter 1:21).
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The key to understanding Holy Scripture
correctly is the distinction between Law
and Gospel; that is, all Scripture is
either Law, which shows us our sin,
commands good works, threatens us with
punishment, and Gospel, which shows us
our Savior, offers us forgiveness,
promises, comforts, and strengthens.
Both are necessary throughout the life
of the Christian (Romans 3:21- 22; 2
Corinthians 3:6-11).
Communion Statement
Our practice of closed Communion is the
historic practice of the church. It is
prompted by love, both for God’s Word and
for God’s people. It does not deny that
members of other denominations are
Christians. Instead, it recognizes the
Scripture’s teaching that doctrinal unity is
fundamental to the common reception of this
sacrament.
As a congregation of The Lutheran Church –
Missouri Synod, we confess that in, with,
and under the bread and the wine, we receive
the true Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus
Christ, given for the forgiveness of our
sins. Those communing at the altar confess
a unity in this teaching, as well as unity
in all other articles of doctrine.
Members of sister LCMS congregations and
members of our foreign partner churches are
invited to commune. Other guests desiring
to learn more about our beliefs are asked to
speak with our pastor. We give thanks for
your presence and pray that you are blessed
by the Word of God that the risen Christ
comes among us to speak.
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