What We Believe

The highlights of the Faith according to the Lutheran Tradition

The Bible

We believe the Bible is the Inspired Word of God. While the Bible is a collection of 66 books written by more than a few human authors, it is all Divinely Inspired by the Holy Spirit working through the people who wrote each book. The goal of all the Scripture is to point us toward the Christ.

God

We believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These three are the Holy Mystery that is the Trinity, one God in three persons. The Trinity is best explained in the words of the Athanasian Creed, though all three historic Ecumenical Creeds affirm the Trinity.

Soteriology

Soteriology is a nice, fancy word simply meaning "doctrine of salvation". So, how do Lutherans believe one is saved?

To put it simply, through faith in Jesus Christ who was crucified for us, died, and was buried, then rose again on the 3rd day.

As it says in Ephesians 2:8-9:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

The Sacraments

Just how many Sacraments are there?

Lutherans believe there are two Sacraments in the Church. A Sacrament is a visible means of God's Grace. This means a physical element must be present, along with the Word of God that is doing all of the active work of conveying that Grace to us. Those Sacraments are Holy Baptism and The Lord's Supper, also called the Eucharist or Communion.

Explanation of Luther's Seal

First, there is a black cross in a heart that remains its natural color. This is to remind me that it is faith in the Crucified One that saves us. Anyone who believes from the heart will be justified (Romans 10:10). It is a black cross, which mortifies and causes pain, but it leaves the heart its natural color. It doesn’t destroy nature, that is to say, it does not kill us but keeps us alive, for the just shall live by faith in the Crucified One (Romans 1:17). The heart should stand in the middle of a white rose. This is to show that faith gives joy, comfort, and peace—it puts the believer into a white, joyous rose. Faith does not give peace and joy like the world gives (John 14:27). This is why the rose must be white, not red. White is the color of the spirits and angels (cf. Matthew 28:3; John 20:12). This rose should stand in a sky-blue field, symbolizing that a joyful spirit and faith is a beginning of heavenly, future joy, which begins now, but is grasped in hope, not yet fully revealed. Around the field of blue is a golden ring to symbolize that blessedness in heaven lasts forever and has no end. Heavenly blessedness is exquisite, beyond all joy and better than any possessions, just as gold is the most valuable and precious metal.
(From: Letter from Martin Luther to Lazarus Spengler, July 8, 1530 [WA Br 5:445]; tr. P. T. McCain)