THE ONLY TRUE GOD
is the Triune God revealed by Jesus Christ and taught in the Holy Scriptures. (Mt. 28:20; 13-16;2 Cor. 13:14)
EVERY HUMAN BEING
is conceived and born sinful, dead to God, predisposed to sin, without fear, love, or trust in God, and lacking the ability of the will to turn toward God. As a result, every human being is born under God’s judgment of eternal death and condemnation. (Eph 2:1-10; Ps. 51:5; Rom. 1:1-3:20)
THE WORD OF GOD
is a two-fold Word of the Law and the Gospel. The Law reveals our sin and the wrath of God. The Gospel reveals the forgiveness of sin through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ by the grace of God. The central teaching of the Bible is the justification of the sinner by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We believe that the proper distinction between the Law (God’s Commands) and the Gospel (God’s Promises) is essential for a right understanding of the Holy Scriptures. (Ro. 1:16; 3:21-22)
ON THE LAST DAY
Jesus Christ will appear visibly, to raise the bodies of all the dead to condemn the ungodly and the devil to hell and eternal punishment, and to give eternal life to all who trust in Him for forgiveness, life, and salvation. We reject any notion that Christ is now absent or that He will return to establish an earthly kingdom (Rev. 1:7; Mt. 25:31-46; Jn. 5:28-29)
JESUS CHRIST
is both the true God, eternally begotten of the Father, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, and is the only Savior from sin. (Jn 1:1-3, 14; Lk 2:11; 1 Tim 2:5-6; 1 Jn 5:20; Acts 4:12)
–who, by His perfect life and sacrificial death on the cross, has won the entire forgiveness of sins and eternal life for all people ( Rom 3:21-26; Gal 4:4-5; 2 Cor 5:21; 1 Jn 2:2)
–who rose bodily from the dead on the third day after His death ( 1 Cor 15:3-5; Mt 28; Mk 16:1-8; Lk 24; Jn 20)
–who currently resides over all things at the right hand of His Father ( Eph 4:10-12)
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
consists of continually being turned from sin to forgiveness, from death to life, from self to Christ. This turning is called “repentance”. Conversion, faith and repentance are works of God in the human heart. Good works follow faith as the fruit of repentance. (Mt. 3:8; Lk. 24:47)
HOLY COMMUNION
or the Lord’s Supper, is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ given under bread and wine for Christians to eat and drink for the forgiveness of their sins and for the strengthening of their life of faith. (Mt. 26:26-29; Mk. 14:22-25; Lk 22:14-23; Cor. 11:23-26)
HOLY ABSOLUTION
is the spoken forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus. It offers, delivers, and applies the forgiveness of sins with the full permission and authority of Jesus Christ. (Mt. 16:19; 18:18; Jn. 20:21-23; Mt.9:1-8)
ENTIRELY ON ACCOUNT
of Jesus’ perfect life and His sacrificial suffering and death, God justifies (acquits) the sinner and declares the sinner righteous in His sight. The Christian Church is present wherever believers in Christ are gathered around the preaching of Jesus Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins, and where Baptism, Absolution, and the Lord’s Supper are administered according to Jesus’ mandate and institution. (Mt. 18:20; Acts 2:42)
HOLY SCRIPTURE
, or the Holy Bible, is the written word of God, a product of the Holy Spirit working through the prophets and the apostles. Because the Bible is the Word of God, it is without factual error, and is the only source, authority, and judge of all teaching, practice, and life (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:22)
HOLY BAPTISM
is water applied in the Name of the Triune God according to Jesus’ mandate and promise (Mt. 28:19-20). Baptism works the new birth and faith, delivers the forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, unites a person with Jesus’ death and resurrection, and bestows eternal life and salvation on all who believe the promise of salvation attached to Baptism. (Jn. 3:5; Titus 3:5; Eph. 5:25-26; Ro. 6:4; Col. 2:11-12; 1 Pet. 3:21; Mk. 16:16)