A
Lutheran is a Christian--
one who trusts in Jesus Christ as Savior.
We've
provided you with a few questions & answers to guide you to a better
understanding of the Lutheran faith and what it means to be called a
"Lutheran."
If you
have a question, comment, or concern please contact our office so we may assist
you.
- What
is a Lutheran?
- What
is a Lutheran church?
- What
are the teachings of the Lutheran church?
- What are the
three ancient "CREEDS" of Christianity which Lutherans adhere to?
- How
do Lutherans worship?
- What two
sacraments do Lutheran churches celebrate?
- How can one
become a member of a Lutheran Congregation?
- What
happens at Confirmation?
Lutherans share a common faith with
other Christians. They accept the Bible as the true source of Christian
love, guidance, and doctrine. They accept the same ancient creeds.
But they also proclaim God's message by emphasizing justification by faith,
teaching that a person is not to live according to a formula of do's and
don'ts, but in the freedom of Christian love, and not confusing law and
gospel.
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A Lutheran church is a confessional
church that acknowledges Jesus as Lord and Savior, and the Bible as revealing
God's will. A Lutheran church is an ecumenical church (in most cases)
that works for the unity of ALL Christians. A Lutheran church is a
visible church where Christians gather together to hear God's Word. And
a Lutheran church is an invisible church made up of all those people together
who are saved by faith in Christ as Savior.
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The
Lutheran church teaches that:
The Bible is the Word of God-absolute truth and shows
God in action.
The Savior, Jesus, died to save the world from sin.
The Church is all those people who sincerely accept
and believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior.
The Creeds are statements of belief, not additions to
the Bible and summarize the Bible's teachings.
God
is one God in three persons--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: Creator, Redeemer,
and Sanctifier.
A
person is justified (saved), not through merit
but only by God's grace, through faith.
Baptism,
a sacrament, establishes new life in a person and remakes him or her in God's
spirit.
Religion
and Science are not in conflict. Religion talks about the
"who," the creator; science talks about the "how."
Man
and Woman were created by God in holiness, but sinned (rebelled).
We cannot by our own powers come back to God.
Repenting means sincerely regretting one's sins and asking for Christ's
forgiveness and guidance.
The
Lord's Supper, a sacrament, is the Body and Blood of Christ borne by
bread and wine in Holy Communion.
A
Christian's unity with fellow Christians is rooted in Christ as God and
Savior.
God's
law demands perfection of heart, through, word and deed. Whoever
disobeys is a sinner.
Faith
is a confessed sinner's acceptance of Christ as Savior.
Prayer
is a Christian's sharing of thought with God--communication with God.
Religious
education of the young is the responsibility of home and church.
Sins
are the failures of people to live their lives in trust toward God. They
are evidenced in thoughts, words, and deeds.
Conversion
(spiritual rebirth) is the bestowal of faith in Christ as Savior.
The
Spirit of Evil has many names in the Bible and is the enemy of God and
the church.
Separation
of church and State is ordained by God and provides two arenas of work
for Christians.
The Gospel, the teachings of Jesus, offers grace to
everyone and will save those who believe in its promises.
Sanctification
(holiness of life) follows conversion, but total holiness is possible
only after entering eternal life.
Death
does not sever a believer's relationship with Christ.
Marriage
is intended for life.
Basically,
Lutheranism teaches that a person is saved only by the grace of God through
faith in Christ.
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The
Apostles' Creed:
This is the oldest summary of Christian belief. It tells the basic
principles of the Bible. It's used for general confession and religious
teachings.
The
Nicene Creed:
It states basic beliefs about God; God is Triune--three persons in one.
It also tells about God's works in the world.
The
Athanasian Creed:
It summarizes the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. It emphasizes the
importance of Christ, who is true God and true human in one person.
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The Bible is the basis of Lutheran worship. Generally services retain
the traditional order: liturgy,
candles, cross, altar, vestments, hymns, psalms, sins confessed (private or
public), and the Lord's Supper celebrated.
But renewed stress is placed on the preaching of God's Word reminding us of
God's truths and kind works among people.
Attending
church services regularly helps strengthen one's faith in community.
Follow
our link and learn more about our worship
services at St. John.
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The
two sacraments the Lutheran church celebrates are Baptism
and the Lord's
Supper.
Baptism
is the death of sin in us and our rebirth into a holy life--Christ's
life. The Lord's
Supper is a
Christian's DIRECT encounter with God. Christ's body and blood are truly
present and received "in, with, under" bread and wine. Christ
again comes among us to forgive our sins and help us to live truly Christian
lives.
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One
can become a member of a Lutheran Congregation by one of the following ways:
Transfer--from
one Lutheran congregation to another. Instruction in a pastor's
class or a confession of faith is sometimes necessary.
Baptism--for
adults who, after instruction in the faith, publicly state faith in Christ,
loyalty to Christ's church, and promise to lead a Christian life.
Baptism is also for persons not previously baptized in the name of the triune
God.
Affirmation
of Faith--for a
person already baptized and confirmed in a Christian church, who publicly
promises faith and loyalty to Christ and to live a Christian life.
Instruction is usually required.
Follow
our link and see how you can become a member of
St. John.
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Confirmation
affirms and strengthens baptismal promises. Through the help of the Holy
Spirit, we knowingly choose to be disciples of Jesus and confirmed MEMBERS of
His church.
Follow
our link and hear more about our Confirmation
Program at St. John.
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