What We Believe

Introduction

Nearly 500 years ago, the Christian church was corrupted by many false teachings. A man named Martin Luther led people back to the teachings of the Bible. His work, and that of his friends, is called the Reformation. Through Luther God restored the church to purity of doctrine and a new life of faith in Christ.

The doctrines of the Lutheran Church are not new. They are the teachings of the Bible. Thus the Lutheran Church is not a new church.

It is not a sect or cult.

It is a church whose teaching is based on the words written by the prophets of the Old Testament and the apostles of the New Testament. The Bible tells us about Jesus Christ.

The teachings of the Lutheran Church are those of the original, ancient church of the apostles and early Christians.

We at Hope as a united body of Christian hold to the following beliefs:

The Bible - That the Entire Bible is God’s Perfect Word. Read more...

Triune God - That God is three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, yet one God. Read more...

Man & Woman - The Bible and Lutherans teach that men and women are a special creation of God. Read more...

God the Father - The Bible and Lutherans teach that God the Father is one of the three persons who are the Triune God. God is a spirit. Read more...

Creation - The Bible and Lutherans teach that at the beginning of time God created heaven and earth and all creatures. He did this in six days. Read more...

God’s Law - The Bible and Lutherans teach that God wrote his law in people's hearts at creation. Because God's law demands perfection, no one can be saved by keeping the law. God's law serves to show us our sins, to warn us of God's anger against sin, and to guide us in our Christian life. Read more...

Sin - The Bible and Lutherans teach that the first man and woman lost the image of God when they gave in to the temptation of Satan and disobeyed God's command. This brought on them the judgment of God. Since that time all people are conceived and born in sin, desire to do what is evil, and are dead spiritually. Therefore, we are unable to reconcile ourselves to God by our own efforts and deeds. Read more...

The Gospel - The Bible and Lutherans teach the gospel. The message of the gospel is the good news that a loving God sent Jesus Christ to take away the sins of all people. Read more...

Jesus Christ - That Jesus is true God, existing from eternity, and true man, born of the Virgin Mary. That forgiveness of sins and peace with God comes freely and only through Jesus Christ. That through faith in Jesus, God delivers the forgiveness of sins and the sure hope of heaven to people personally. Jesus Christ will return on the Last Day to judge all people and take all who trust in him to heaven. Read more...

Redemption - The Bible and Lutherans teach that Jesus, who is both God and man, humbled himself by becoming a man and dying on the cross. He did this to redeem all people from the judgment for sin, the fear of death, and the power of the devil. Read more...

Justification - The Bible and Lutherans teach that God judged all sinners righteous in his sight when Jesus Christ died on the cross for us. Read more...

The Holy Spirit - That the Holy Spirit creates, strengthens, and preserves saving faith in our hearts through the Good News of Jesus offered to us in God’s Word, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. Read more...

Conversion - The Holy Spirit creates faith in our hearts through the gospel. He also keeps us in the faith and motivates us to do good works. Read more...

Saved Through Grace - The Bible and Lutherans teach that already before the world was created, God chose those individuals whom he would in time convert through the gospel and preserve in the faith to eternal life. This gift of salvation is entirely a free gift of God's grace. Read more...

Saved Through Faith - The Holy Spirit creates faith. Whoever reamins in this faith to the end of life will be saved eternally. Salvation is not possible without faith. Read more...

Repentance - The Bible and Lutherans teach that repentance is an acknowledgment of sin and sincere regret for it. A repentant sinner also trusts that God will forgive sin for Jesus’ sake. Read more...

Sanctification - The Bible and Lutherans teach that faith in Jesus Christ is living and active. Therefore faith produces good deeds that are pleasing to God and are shown throughout the believer's life. Read more...

Prayer - The Bible and Lutherans teach that believers pray. Christians pray because God commands us to pray and promises to answer our prayers. Read more...

The Church - The Bible and Lutherans teach that there is one holy, Christian Church. It is made up of all who believe in Jesus. Since faith is a matter of the heart it is invisible. Only God knows who has faith and therefore is a member of the Holy, Christian Church. Read more...

Baptism - The Bible and Lutherans teach that baptism is a holy act. It is instituted by God. Using water and God’s Word it offers and gives the forgiveness of sins, spiritual life, and eternal salvation. It is meant for young and old, including children. Read more...

Holy Communion - The Bible and Lutherans teach that Holy Communion is a holy act instituted by Christ. Together with bread and wine we receive Jesus’ true body and blood. In this special meal Jesus gives the forgiveness of sins, strengthens our faith, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe. Only people who repent of their sins and receive proper instruction in the Christian faith should be admitted to this sacrament. Read more...

Angels & Heaven - The Bible and Lutherans teach that to be in heaven is to be in the presence of God. In heaven are the holy angels, who are messengers of God, together with the souls of all who have died as believers. Read more...

TheDevil & Hell - The Bible and Lutherans teach that many of God’s angels sinned and became powerful evil spirits, called demons. They are enemies of God and believers. The devil (Satan) is their leader. Although God threw them down into hell, they tempt everyone to sin and seek to destroy a believer’s faith. On the Last Day all who have died without faith in Jesus Christ, will also be condemned to hell. Hell is a place of eternal torment and separation from God. Read more...

The Creeds - A creed is a statement of what a group of people believes and teaches. There are three statements of faith that are used throughout the Christian world--the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. The teachings in these creeds are taken from the Bible. These statements of faith distinguish Christians from all false teachers. Read more...

Unity of the Church - The Bible and Lutherans teach that true unity of the church is evident when Christians agree in their confession to the doctrine revealed in Scripture. Read more...

Religious Education - The Bible and Lutherans teach that the religious education of children is the primary duty of parents and especially of the fathers. The church may assist the parents by establishing schools and other organizations to teach Christian doctrine. Read more...

Christians and Their Government - The Bible and Lutherans teach that not only the Church, but also all governmental authority, is instituted by God. Therefore Christians will be obedient to the government that rules over them unless the government commands them to disobey God. Read more...

The Gift of Life - The Bible and Lutherans teach that human life is the gift of a gracious God. Only God has the right to take the life he has given. Read more...

Marriage - The Bible and Lutherans teach that marriage, established by God, is the union of one man and one woman. Read more...

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