The heart of our faith is our Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation which He has won through His death and resurrection for all who believe in Him. Through faith, we trust that forgiveness and life are given by grace alone. We also confess the historic Christian faith as drawn from Holy Scriptures and confessed in the creeds (the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed) and the Book of Concord. We hold to the inerrancy, infallibility and divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures which are used as the source and norm of all that is taught and confessed.
The following, primarily drawn from the Small Catechism, is a brief explanation of what the Lutheran Church teaches, believes and confesses. The following can also be downloaded as a PDF file.
Regarding the Holy Trinity
The Lutheran Church believes in the one, true God, who through the Holy Scriptures, has revealed Himself as one God in three co-equal and co-eternal Persons, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Malachi 2:10; John 20:28; Acts 5:3-4; Deuteronomy 6:4
Regarding God the Father
(from Luther’s Small Catechism, The Explanation of the First Article of the Apostles’ Creed)
I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that he has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them.
He also gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, animals, and all I have. He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life.
He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil.
All this He does only out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me. For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him.
The Lutheran Church teaches that God the Father…
- Created all that exists, seen and unseen, by the power of His Word in six days.
Genesis 1:1ff; Psalm 33:6, 8; Hebrews 11:3
- Continues to protect, provide and preserve His creation.
Psalm 145:16; Matthew 10:29-30
- Is due thanks and praise for His goodness and mercy.
Genesis 32:10; Psalm 116:12; Psalm 118:1
Regarding God the Son, Jesus Christ
(from Luther’s Small Catechism, The Explanation of the Second Article of the Apostles’ Creed)
I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, and purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity.
The Lutheran Church teaches that God the Son…
- Is true Man, taking our place under the Law and fulfilling it for us and suffering and dying for our guilt because we have failed to keep it.
Romans 5:19; Hebrews 2:14
- Is true God, whose death provided a sufficient ransom for all people and whose resurrection overcame death and the devil.
Mark 10:49; I Peter 1:18-19; I Corinthians 15:57; II Timothy 1:10
- Has redeemed all who believe.
Isaiah 53:4-5; Galatians 3:13; I Peter 2:24; I John 2:2; John 11:25-26
- Will return to judge the world, offering the crown of life to all who believe.
Matthew 25:31-32; II Peter 3:10; Revelation 1:7; Luke 21:28
- Has done all of this out of His divine grace and love.
John 3:16; II Corinthians 5:21; Titus 2:14; Colossians 3:1-3
Regarding God the Holy Spirit
(from Luther’s Small Catechism, The Explanation of the Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed)
I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.
In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ.
The Lutheran Church teaches that God the Holy Spirit…
- Calls us to and sustains and preserves us in the one, truth faith.
I Peter 2:9; Philippians 1:6; I Peter 1:5
- Sanctifies us, that is, guides us to live in holiness of life.
Ephesians 2:10; Psalm 51:10, 13; John 15:5
- Keeps and sustains the Church.
Ephesians 2:19-22; Ephesians 4:3-6; I Peter 2:5
Works through the means of grace (the Word, Holy Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper) to bring us the forgiveness of sin and the promise of eternal life.
Romans 1:16; Luke 24:47; Acts 2:28; Matthew 26:27; I Thessalonians 4:16; John 17:3
Regarding Man
The Lutheran Church teaches that man…
- Was created in holiness, enjoying a perfect fellowship with and knowledge of God (original righteousness).
Genesis 1:26ff; Ephesians 4:34
- Fell into sin and “are conceived and born in sin, that is, all men are full of evil lust and inclinations…and are unable by nature to have true fear of God and true faith in God. Moreover, this inborn sickness and hereditary sin is truly sin and condemns to the eternal wrath of God all those who are not born again through Baptism and the Holy Spirit.” (Augsburg Confession, Article II) (Original Sin)
Romans 5:18-19; Romans 7:18; Ephesians 2:1-3; Ephesians 4:18-19
Regarding the salvation of God
The Lutheran Church teaches that …
- Redemption from sin, death and hell is found only through faith in Jesus Christ.
Acts 4:12; John 14:6; I John 5:11-12
- God justifies by grace through faith all who believe.
Romans 3:21-23; Romans 5:1-2; Ephesians 2:8-9
- We are received into fellowship with God through Holy Baptism.
Romans 6:3-5; Mark 16:16; I Corinthians 12:12-13
Regarding the Holy Scriptures
The Lutheran Church teaches that …
- The Holy Scriptures are the inspired Word of God.
II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:21; John 14:25-26
- The Holy Scriptures are the testimony of Jesus Christ and the gracious fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation.
John 5:39; Acts 10:42-43; II Timothy 3:14-15
- The Holy Scriptures are inerrant and infallible.
Titus 2:1, 11-15; John 10:35
Regarding the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion
The Lutheran Church teaches that Holy Baptism is…
- The work of God through the application of water and the Word to work the adoption of fallen man by grace to be a child of God and an heir of eternal salvation.
Titus 3:4-7; Matthew 28:19-20
- One of the means of grace by which God works the benefits of the forgiveness of sin, new life and fellowship in the body of Christ.
Acts 2:38-39; Romans 6:3-5; I Corinthians 12:12-13
- Applicable to all people including infants who are in need of the same forgiveness.
Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:22-23; Romans 10:17; Matthew 19:13-14; Colossians 2:11-12
The Lutheran Church teaches that Holy Communion is…
- The true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine given to Christians to eat and drink.
Matthew 26:26-28; I Corinthians 10:16
- One of the means of grace by which God works the benefits of the forgiveness of sin, renewal of new life and fellowship in the body of Christ.
Colossians 1:22; I Peter 2:24; I Corinthians 10:17; I Corinthians 11:26
- An expression of the unity in the confession of the Church and harmony in the mission of he Church.
Acts 2:42; I Corinthians 10:17; I Corinthians 11:26-29