STATEMENT OF BELIEFS:

• We believe that there is only One True God—the Holy Trinity, meaning that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are three distinct persons, yet one God.

• We believe that the Son became man as Jesus, the Christ, that He is completely God and at the same time, completely man, yet one person.  We believe that He was truly born of the Virgin Mary, lived, died, and was raised again from the dead.

• We believe that all people are born sinful, worthy of condemnation, and unable to earn favor with God or come to Him. (Psalm 51:5)  They are, therefore, in need of forgiveness for their sins. 

• We believe that salvation is given to us completely by God’s grace because of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, which won forgiveness for our sins.  We believe that we are given faith to believe this by the Holy Spirit.

• We believe that God has promised to deliver this forgiveness to us through specific means.  These are the Word and the Sacraments. 

• We believe that God’s Word is recorded faithfully in the Holy Scriptures of the Bible, which is without error, and the very words of which were given by God Himself.  We believe that God creates faith in our hearts as this Word is read and preached.    

• We believe that through Baptism, God delivers His grace to forgive sins, rescue from death and the devil, and give eternal salvation.

• We believe that in the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper, we truly and actually receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, and that this true Body and Blood deliver to us forgiveness, life, and salvation from sin. 

• We believe that on the Last Day, Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead, and give eternal life to all who believe in Him. 

• We believe that the Apostles Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed are true and faithful expressions of what is taught in the Scriptures, and we reject all false teachings that they condemn.

• We believe that the writings included in the Book of Concord truthfully and faithfully explain the teachings of the Holy Scriptures.