The faith and teachings of the Lutheran Church are confessed in the Lutheran "symbols" which have been collected into one work called the Book of Concord of 1580. These symbols include the Three Chief Symbols (namely, the Apostles', the Nicene, and the Athanasian Creeds,) the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles, the Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope, the Small and Large Catechisms, and the Formula of Concord. This congregation and her pastors accept without reservation these symbols becuase they are the true exposition of the Word of God. This faith can be summarized by the following:
- The entire Bible, which points to Jesus as the Savior, is the true and inspired Word of God and is without error. It is God's message of love and hope for all people.
- There is only one true God, who exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We only know Him as He has been revealed through His Son, Jesus Christ.
- God is the creator of everything that exists.
- Adam and Eve, our first parents, were originally created pure and holy by God. They lived according to God's will, doing what was pleasing to Him.
- 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.
- Adam and Eve went against God's will and brought sin into the world. Since that time, all people have been conceived and born in sin - "for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
- People cannot save themselves by their good works or restore themselves to a right relationship with God.
- 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 deserve, 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.
- Because of Jesus' death on the cross, God declares a person just or righteous through the forgiveness of sins given as a free gift by Christ Jesus. This happens not because of human effort or decision, but because the justification won by Jesus is applied to the one who believes in Jesus as Savior.
- Faith in Jesus is a gift of God, given by the power of the Holy Spirit; therefore, all the glory belongs to God.
- The Holy Spirit comes to us through the means of grace, which are the Word of God, Holy Baptism, Holy Absolution, and Holy Communion. By these means, the merits and benefits of Jesus' perfect life and atoning death are personally given to all who believe in Jesus as their Savior.
- 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.
- 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.
- God desires Christians to join with other believers in churches which correctly teach God's Word and administer the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion according to the teachings of Scripture.
- 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 toward others.
