For hundreds of years, Christians around the world (Lutherans included) have answered the question "Who is Jesus?" by repeating one of the church's most ancient creeds: the Apostles' Creed. The word "creed" simply means "I believe." The Apostles' Creed summarizes in a few short statements what the Bible teaches about the true God.

The creed begins: "I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth."

According to the Bible, there is only one God, the almighty, all-knowing Creator of all, who mercifully provides for the needs of His creatures. In love, God originally created human beings in His image: perfect and sinless.

In sinful pride, our first parents rebelled against God and brought sin, death and suffering to the entire human race. But God's love for His sinful creatures could not be quenched. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to rescue sinful humanity by His perfect life, redeeming death, and glorious resurrection from the dead.

Thus, the creed continues: "I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead."

According to the Bible, Jesus is both true God and true man. He is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit from all eternity: three persons, but only one God (the "Triune God"). But He is also true man, a human being like us in every way--except for sin. As true God and true man, Jesus lived the perfect life that we could never live.

He suffered and died on the cross to pay the price for all of our sins. He rose from the dead to seal and proclaim His victory over sin, death and the devil. Then He ascended into heaven where He rules in power and glory, until the day when He returns to judge the living and the dead.

Jesus has done everything necessary to accomplish the salvation of all people. Therefore, the Bible's answer to the question, "How can I be saved?" is a very simple one: "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31). According to Scripture, salvation comes not by "living a good life" or "trying to be a good person," since "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Salvation is a free gift of God, which comes through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

The third and final article of the Apostles' Creed explains how faith in Jesus is possible. The creed concludes: "I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting."

According to the Bible, we are not able to trust in Jesus by our own strength, power or wisdom. The Holy Spirit, working through the Gospel—the Good News about Jesus Christ as revealed in the Scriptures—enables us and empowers us to believe.

The Holy Spirit also sustains and strengthens our faith and makes us members of Christ's body, the church. Joining with other believers to hear God's Word and receive His sacraments (baptism and the Lord's Supper), we receive forgiveness for our sins and strength to live lives that are pleasing to God and bring blessing to us and to others. We look forward in hope and eager anticipation to Christ's second coming, when He will bring us and all believers to our true, heavenly home, where the glory and beauty of God's creative work will be fully and perfectly restored.

What do Lutherans Believe?

 

The BIBLE is the Word of God - absolute truth; it shows God in action. The Bible is preached in its truth and purity.

Three Ecumenical CREEDS are statements of beliefs, not additions to the Bible; they support the Bible's teachings.

1. Apostle's Creed - is the oldest summary of Christian beliefs; tells the basic principles of the Bible; is used for general confession and religious teachings.
    
2. Nicene Creed - states basic beliefs about God; that He is TRIUNE -- three persons in one God; tells about His works in the world.
    
3. Athanasian Creed - summarizes the doctrine of the Holy Trinity and emphasizes the importance of Christ, who is true God and true Man in one person.

    

Man is JUSTIFIED (saved) not by ones own merit, but only by God's grace.

Two Sacraments:

1. BAPTISM establishes a new life in man, remakes him in God's spirit. Each Christian is baptized, many as infants, in order to mark the death of the sinful man in us and the rebirth into holy life - Christ's life.
    
2. LORD'S SUPPER is the Body and Blood of Christ borne by bread and wine in Holy Communion. Christ's Body and Blood in, with, and under the Bread and Wine offers Christians a direct encounter with God -- Christ's body and blood are actually present "in, with, under" bread and wine. Christ again comes among us to forgive our sins, helps us to live truly Christian lives.

    

PRAYER is an important aspect of daily living as Christians share their thoughts with God and He speaks to His people through His Word.

MARRIAGE is intended for life; divorce is recognized only in extreme cases.

CONFESSIONS An accurate interpretation of the Word of God written to correct church errors.

1. Augsburg Confession - stresses the doctrine of SALVATION by GRACE through faith in Christ as the center of the Christian faith, and the importance of the Bible and Christian doctrines in Christian religion. It also testifies against the abuses of the medieval church which Luther sought to correct.
2. Apology of the Augsburg Confession - gives an explanation of the Augsburg Confession and a defense against enemies who would destroy the church.
3. Smalcald Articles - Martin Luther's "last will and testament" - states the doctrine of the Trinity and Deity of Christ; emphasizes the central doctrine of Christianity: "we are saved only through faith in Christ."
4. Formula of Concord - was written to unify the church, which had been disorganized for 30 years; officially approves all the earlier Lutheran confessions.
5. Luther's Small & Large Catechisms - seek to explain and teach the six chief parts of the Bible: God's Law (The Ten Commandments), the Gospel (death and resurrection of Jesus Christ), Lord's Prayer, Baptism (water), Lord's Supper (bread/body & wine/blood), and God's Forgiveness to children (small) and to adults (large).

    

WORSHIP is offered in reverence to Jesus Christ as God's own son, come into the world to save all mankind from sin, in His death and resurrection from the dead. We celebrate His presence among us and invite all who would believe to find strength and comfort in His Word and Sacrament on a weekly basis.

CONFIRMATION - instruction classes for children and adults that strengthen and discover the faith we have been baptized into. Through the help of the Holy Spirit, we knowingly choose to be disciples of Christ and confirm our faith publicly as members of His church. One becomes a member of the Lutheran Church in three ways, Transfer from another Lutheran Church, Baptism for adults after instruction, for children as infants, and Affirmation of Faith, person already baptized and confirmed in a Christian church - in all cases the person publicly promises to be faithful and loyal to Christ and to live a Christian life.

LIVING FELLOWSHIP OF PEOPLE - each person is called by faith into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and sent as a daily missionary of this faith into the world. Jesus commands us to care for one another and the world around us, to come together and worship often, and raise up children in faith. The Lutheran Church is a daily partnership with God and with men; loyalty to Christ "matures" only within the church and cannot endure outside of it. We witness our faith best by speaking words of encourage, counsel and advice to one another and those around us and sharing God's written word as the norm and authority for every aspect of Christian living. We witness best by example -living a life of love and service to others.

CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY - We need Christ for He offers us new life and hope in salvation from our sins and we need one another as servants of our time, talents, money and love that every person may know Christ and come to Him as their personal Savior and Lord.

DISCIPLESHIP & MISSIONS - not just a member, but a living, vital part of Christ's body, willing to forget self and work for Christ, involved in serving God and mankind in a meaningful life filled with His eternal purpose.

More interesting questions and answers from LC-MS official website. All links below open in a new window.

What does the Bible mean when describing marriage saying that the souls of the bride and groom will become one? Does this literally mean that the souls of the two individuals are united for eternity? Will husband and wife know each other in heaven?

Does the LCMS have an official position on Emergency Contraceptive Pills (ECPs) to prevent pregnancy.  I am not speaking of RU-486 (the abortion pill).  ECPs do not disrupt an established pregnancy.  They work by either preventing fertilization or preventing implantation.

In a Bible study we were discussing John 11 regarding the death and raising to life of Lazarus. We rightly believe that at death we immediately receive the reward of heaven. The question was asked, "When Jesus brought Lazarus back from the dead, did He 'snatch ' him out of heaven?"

What is the LCMS policy regarding inter-denominational or interfaith marriages? Is there anything that must be "promised" about children of these marriages?

I was wondering what the LCMS view is on "near death experiences."  Do we as a church validate the spirituality claims made for such experiences (e.g., bright lights in a tunnel, talking to supreme beings, etc.)?  Just what do we believe on this subject?

Does the LCMS teach that the Angel of the Lord is Jesus? Or does this title sometime refer to Michael?

Our congregation's altar guild recently voted to begin using artificial flowers on the altar instead of live ones. Is this acceptable?

How can Christ be sinless when on the cross he took on the sins of the world?

What is the LCMS position on the practice of intinction (dipping the bread into the common cup but not drinking) as the only means of receiving Holy Communion?

Wouldn't it be possible to contract a virus via an infected person who has drunk of the communion cup prior to you? Drinking from the community cup seems to be the traditional and proper way. But does that potentially put me in harm's way? Does drinking from the individual cups remove some of the community aspect of the gift?

Is the theological framework of the Twelve-Step program of Alcoholics Anonymous doctrinally compatible with the Scriptures and Lutheran Confessions, assuming one subscribes to the Triune God as one's higher power?

In the FAQ about re-baptizing, I found something that brings up a question in my mind. The following statement in an answer says the following: "Nowhere do the Apostles call on Christians to repeat baptisms; however, they frequently recall to their minds the baptism once received (1 Cor.1:13; 6:11; 12:13; Rom. 6:3ff; Eph. 4:5; Col. 2:12 ; Titus 3:5-6; 1 Pet. 3:21)." By mentioning this in your text (about the Apostles remembering their baptisms and those of others), it must be an important factor in one's own baptism that one recalls what, where, when, how, and why it happened, otherwise you would not have mentioned it, nor would have the Apostles. Doesn't infant baptism rob the person (the infant upon growing up that was baptized too young to remember it happening) to reflect on the death and resurrection with Christ (as above in Romans 6:3 and Col.2:12)? The person as an infant couldn't possibly remember it.

According to the answer on the "All Sins the Same?" page the LCMS teaches that "all sins come equally under God's judgment," and therefore all sins are equal--whether sins of thought or deed, or even perhaps where our earthly laws would have us believe one sin is of greater wrong than another (for example, murdering someone versus swearing). Yet on your "Degrees of Heaven/Hell" page you say that in Hell the degree of torment will be "determined by the nature of the sins to be punished" and in Heaven "there will be degrees of glory corresponding to the differences of work and fidelity here on earth." This doesn't seem to make sense to me: If all sins are the same equally under God's judgment in their capacity to separate us from the love of God, and God sees all sin weighing equally, how then can we at the same time be evaluated by degree with regards to heaven/hell?

I would like to know how the LCMS reconciles 1 Timothy 5:14 and support of working mothers? As far as I can tell this verse says that women should be busy at home, not at career.

What does our religion say on who can be baptized?  In the Lutheran  church, can only Lutheran babies be baptized, or can anyone bring babies to be baptized, including non-members with members as sponsors? I thought we baptized to take away the original sin we are all born with?

For a pastor, what does the abbreviation CRM mean? What causes a pastor to be in CRM status? Is this a self-determined status, or is this imposed by synod, districts, etc? Or mutual agreement? Is the reason for CRM status available to congregations? Individuals? How is a pastor removed from CRM status? Are there specific steps for the pastor, or for a calling congregation? Are there any cautions that a congregation should exercise when considering a call to a pastor now on CRM? Generally speaking, I have always associated CRM status with a 'troubled' pastor. Is this a correct association?

What is the Synod's position on tattoos and body piercing?  If my so or daughter asks to have a tattoo or pierced lip or tongue, what Scripture may I rely on?

What is "pastor emeritus" and how does a pastor receive this title?

Do you have any information/references on the origin of clergy-performed marriages?  Namely, when and why did pastors start performing marriages, since there seems to be no scriptural precedent ?

You state that when Jesus died on that cross He was sacrificing His life to save ours. My questions are: Who is "ours"...? What about those who died before He was born? What about those who didn't hear of him and those who still haven't heard of him? How exclusionary is his sacrifice? Is it really as limited as one would NOT expect of a LOVING God?

What is the LCMS view on sanctification?  How does one become more sanctified?  How does this compare to Calvinistic views and Wesleyian views (apart from the view of entire sanctification)?  There seems to be plenty of info on the web about sanctification from Wesleyian traditions, but not much at all from confessional denominations--how come? 

Our Ladies Aid group was given the task of ordering a funeral pall; however no one seemed to know exactly if there was a certain significance assigned to the pall--someone said they thought it referred to "our baptism" but didn't know why. I am thinking it is to show we are covered in life and death by God's grace, with the color white signifying Chirst's "washing our robes clean."

What does fasting mean in the Christian life?

Under the Belief and Practices section on the web site in section 16 of the Brief Doctrinal Statement "Of Conversion," it says "Calvinists solve this mystery, which God has not revealed in His Word, by denying the universality of grace; synergists, by denying that salvation is by grace alone. Both solutions are utterly vicious, since they contradict Scripture and since every poor sinner stands in need of, and must cling to, both the unrestricted universal grace and the unrestricted "by grace alone," lest he despair and perish." My question is that if we say the sinner must "cling to, both universal grace and....grace alone.....," isn't clinging an action or work? Isn't it God's grace that clings to or keeps us?

I do not find an exact statement as to whether the Christian Science Church is considered a Christian church.

Does a frozen embryo have a soul? 

At our last elder's meeting we discussed switching from the three-year series for scripture readings to the one-year series. Could you give me some guidance on the advantages of using the one-year series versus using the three-year series? I would also like to know the advantages of staying with the three year series which I know gives a broader base for various lessons on which to preach.

Why do Lutherans not partake of the Lord's Supper at weddings?

As a recent convert to Lutheranism, I am to be baptized this Sunday. In my adult instruction class with the pastor at the local LCMS church, I asked why the baptismal shell was used as a symbol in the church. The pastor said that he did not know and challenged me to find out. After looking across the internet, I have found that there is a legend that John the Baptist used a shell to baptize the Lord. Also, I discovered that certain large conch shells have been used as baptismal fonts in some cultures. Considering these possible explanations, is there a specific, known connection to an origin of the baptismal shell and its connection to the Christian faith? That would seem to be the case for it to be such a widespread symbol.

Our congregation is planning to hold an "old-fashioned revival" next summer, including something called an "altar call". This is foreign to me, and it makes me uneasy. Insofar as it involves an outreach and opportunity for evangelism within our community, it sounds like what Jesus commanded us to do. But I worry that there is an implied message of free will in accepting Christ and a focus on a "conversion" experience. Can you help me understand the culture and history of a "revival" and advise me on the potential for problems?

A person, because of his study of science, does not believe that the universe was created in six literal 24-hour periods. Does this fact, by itself, render this person ineligible for membership in the LCMS?

Is an elder in the LCMS required to step down from this office if he separates from or divorces his wife? And can the congregation appoint or elect an elder if that person has been previously divorced?

I've found myself is some interesting conversations with other Christians recently about the viability of modern-day psychics.   Why are we to believe the prophets of the Old Testament when they foretold future events, but should dismiss modern-day psychics as they also attempt to foretell future events?  Additionally, if all our gifts come from God - and someone is gifted with a psychic ability--why can't that gift from God be used today to help others.  Why do we assume that psychics are "of the devil"?
 

What does the LCMS church teach about demonic influence over a believer? I've heard that demons can "gain a foothold" in a believer's life, perhaps through some conscious, unrepented of sin, and thus have a strong influence over emotions, choices, etc., but they can't really "possess" the believer like they can a non-believer. What's the Biblical teaching on this, and how should we go about dealing with it?

It is the stated view of the Missouri Synod that we accept the Word of the Scriptures verbatim. So why then is it that Lutherans use the term "trespasses" in the Lord's Prayer? I haven't been able to find that word in the Gospel of Luke 11 in any version of the New Testament.

for more interesting questions and answers please visit www.lcms.org