What Lutherans Believe

We believe that we turned our back on God's will and purposes (that is, we 'sinned'), and in our rebellious and sinful condition we stand helpless and hopeless under the judgement of God (Romans 3:12,23).

We believe that God gave his Son, Jesus Christ, to die for the sins of all of us, and that the good news of his love in Christ is for all people everywhere (John 3:16, Romans 3:24).

We believe that everyone who, by the working of the Holy Spirit, accepts in personal faith what Jesus Christ has done by his death on the cross and by his resurrection, receives forgiveness from God, becomes a child of God and a member of his church (Acts 16:31, Romans 3:22).

We believe that Christians are called into the church to praise and worship God, to receive the Spirit's renewal of their faith, to strengthen their fellow believers, and to carry out God's mission of taking the good news of his saving love to all people.

We believe that God has revealed eternal truth to us in his inspired, inerrant word, the Bible, and that it alone is the basis of the Christian faith (2 Timothy 3:15–17, John 17:17).

We believe that God offers his grace and forgiveness to all people, including infants, in the sacrament of baptism.

We also believe that in the sacrament of the Lord's supper, the body and blood of Christ are given in, with and under bread and wine, as a further assurance of personal forgiveness to believers.

We believe that Christians, though still subject to sin and failure, will show love to God in a life of loving service to other people, practising forgiveness, kindness, patience, humility and unselfish service for Christ's sake.

We believe that God will raise up all people on the last day and that every person who believes in Jesus as Saviour will be given eternal life.