
WHAT WE BELIEVE
1. The Bible is the inspired Word of God. It is His message to all
people. The entire Bible points to Jesus as the Savior.
2. There is only one true God. He has revealed Himself as Father,
Son and Holy Spirit.
3. God is the creator of everything that exists.
4. People were originally created by God pure and holy. They were to
live according to God's will, doing what was pleasing to Him.
5. Adam and Eve, the man and woman God created in the beginning, went
against God's will and brought sin into the world. Since that time, all people have
been conceived and born in sin.
6. Sin is living out of relationship with God, not living according to
God's will, and thus transgressing His holy will in thought, word and deed.
7. People cannot save themselves by their good works or restore themselves
to a right relationship with God.
8. God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world. He is both true God and
true man. He lived to fulfill God's law for us, died on the cross to pay the penalty
our sins deserved, and rose from the dead so that we might have eternal life.
He ascended into heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of The Father to intercede
for us.
9. Because of Jesus' death on the cross, God declares a person just--or
righteous--and forgiven. This happens not because of human effort, but because the
justification won by Jesus is applied to the one who believes in Jesus as Savior.
10. Faith in Jesus is a gift of God, given by the power of the Holy
Spirit, thus all the glory belongs to God.
11. The means of grace are the Word, Holy Baptism, and Holy
Communion. By these means, God applies the merits of Jesus' atoning death to all who
believe in Jesus as their Savior.
12. Jesus will come again to take all believers to Himself. On the
final day, all the dead will be raised. Those who are still alive will be bodily
transformed. After this, the final judgment will take place. Unbelievers will
go into eternal damnation, and believers into eternal life.
13. The true Christian church is made up of all believers of all times who
believe in the Triune God and in Jesus Christ as their only Savior.
14. The true visible church is the church which correctly preaches and
teaches God's Word and administers Holy Baptism and Holy Communion according to the
teachings of Scripture.
15. Christians are called to tell others that the only way of salvation is
by faith in Jesus Christ, and to show their faith by their deeds of love towards others.
International Lutheran
Laymen's League RD 9-88