What We Believe

St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church

Waterford, WI

 

The Luther Rose

Our Practice Concerning

The Lord's Supper

In keeping with the tradition of the ancient Church, we celebrate the Lord's Supper at every Divine Service.

Because the Lord's Supper is an expression of our complete unity of faith and doctrine, we practice closed communion, and only members of our congregation or a sister LCMS congregation may commune at our altar.  This is not a judgment of the faith of others, but rather an indication of our obedience to the Lord's command that those who kneel together at His altar be in complete unity regarding what they believe and teach.

In the words of Justin Martyr (100-165 AD), "And this food is called among us the Eucharist, of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined."

The Ante-Nicean Fathers, Vol. I, p.185

Justin Martyr

(100-165 AD)

Martin Luther's

Small Catechism

Dr. Martin Luther

(1483-1546)

The Book of Concord

1580

The Confessions (official teachings) of the Lutheran Church

While not officially adopted by The Lutheran Church -- Missouri Synod, the Brief Statement (1932) is an excellent summary of what we believe and teach.

To find out more about what we believe and teach about contemporary issues like homosexuality, women's ordination, etc., click HERE.

 

GOD

WE BELIEVE that there is one God (Dt. 6:4; 1 Cor. 8:4), in three persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Mt. 28.19; Mk. 1:9-11). Each person is of one and the same divine essence and is equal in power and majesty. This teaching is called the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. Though it cannot be fully comprehended, it is how God has revealed Himself in the Bible.  WE REJECT the notion that God is in all things (pantheism), that God is three "gods", and that He is so utterly unified within Himself that it is impossible to have a personal relationship with Him. We also reject the notion that people who adhere to non-Christian religions (Muslims, Buddhists, Mormons, Jews, etc.) also worship the true God and are therefore saved.

THE HOLY BIBLE

WE BELIEVE that the Holy Scriptures, as contained in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible are the inspired and inerrant Word of God in all matters to which they speak whether spiritual, moral, historical, geographical, or scientific (2 Tim. 3:16). These externally revealed words and sentences of God serve as the only rule and norm for all questions of faith and life.  God has given the Scriptures to us to lead us to salvation in our Savior Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:20). Because they alone are the Word of God, all teaching must be based on them alone. Therefore, WE REJECT the following teachings: that the Bible merely "contains" the Word of God; that the moral precepts laid down in the Bible were "culturally conditioned" and thus not binding for modern times; that God gives "continuing revelation"; and that Scripture alone is inadequate for dealing with personal problems or theological teachings.

CREATION

WE BELIEVE and teach that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth in six literal 24 hour days. We believe this doctrine of creation to serve as a beginning point for any relationship with God. It is necessary to understand that God is our Creator and we are the creatures He has made. Specifically, we affirm that we are created in the image of God and, as such, we are clearly distinct from all the other creatures that God made. Therefore, WE REJECT the theory of evolution as both unbiblical and unscientific. We do not accept the idea that man is currently and simply the highest form of animal and that our existence can be attributed to an unobserved, undemonstrated accident.

OUR SIN AND NEED FOR FORGIVENESS

WE BELIEVE that Adam and Eve were real historical people and were originally created without any sin.  However, after the fall into sin (Gen. 3), all people have been born sinful (Rom. 5:12), and we daily sin (Rom. 3:23). There is nothing that we ourselves can do to free ourselves from the bondage of our sin (Rom. 5:6). We are all sinners, who deserve God's punishment. The Ten Commandments show us how we have failed to live up to God's standard.  Therefore, WE REJECT the beliefs that the account of the fall in the Book of Genesis is an "ancient myth" or is merely symbolic; that infants are born innocent and remain in that state until they reach an "age of accountability;" and that mankind is evolving to a higher level of perfection.

SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST ALONE

WE BELIEVE that God's Law shows us our sin, the Gospel shows that God sent His Son to save us from our sin. Jesus Christ is the Son of God who was born of the virgin Mary. He is both true God and true man in one person (Col. 2:10). He saved us first by fulfilling God's Law perfectly in our place (Heb. 7:26,27), and then by offering His perfect life as the payment of our sins on the cross (Is. 53:6; 2 Cor. 5:21). On Easter morning Christ physically rose from the dead (1 Cor. 15:17). Christ's resurrection assures us of eternal life with Him in heaven (1 Cor. 15:20). Christ accomplished the salvation of the whole world on the cross, but this salvation is received only through faith in Him as our Savior (Acts 10:43). We are not saved because of any of our works. Salvation is an undeserved gift of God through faith in our Savior Jesus Christ. (Eph. 2:8,9). Even faith is not a work, but a gift given by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:3).  Likewise, WE BELIEVE and teach that we are justified before God only because of the substitutionary death and victorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the central teaching of the Bible and all of the Bible must be interpreted in the light of this central truth. Just as it was at the time of the Reformation in Europe, it is still true today that we believe in faith alone which apprehends salvation through Christ's suffering and death; in grace alone, by which we received God's undeserved love; in scripture alone, which is the only revelation of God's will in our lives and for our salvation.  Therefore, WE REJECT any notion that people may be saved without faith in Jesus Christ, or that salvation may be obtained through any kind or amount of human effort. We reject the mistaken idea that Jesus was merely one "prophet" among others who have come to enlighten mankind or that He was only another "great teacher".  We also reject any attempt on the part of sinful people to "earn" or "deserve" God's love which is an incredible insult to the sacrifice of His Son; that salvation is a result of any act or cooperation of the human will, and that it is possible for unbelieving humanity to "decide" to believe.

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE MEANS OF GRACE

WE BELIEVE and teach that the third person of the Holy Trinity is the Holy Spirit.  Through God's grace in Christ, the Spirit enters us at the time of our Baptism or through the work of the Spirit working through the Bible on human hearts and minds. In the lives of all believers, it is the Holy Spirit who motivates and empowers us to walk according to God's will and to please Him with our behavior.   We acknowledge that the Holy Spirit uses certain means to bring us to faith and to strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ. These means of grace are the Word of God and the Sacraments of Baptism and The Lord's Supper. In His Word God uses the Law to bring us to see our sin, and the Gospel to help us to see our Savior from sin Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 1:23). Baptism is the means by which the Holy Spirit grants us a rebirth as children of God (Rom. 6:4; Titus 3:5). In Holy Communion we receive the body and blood of our Savior in the bread and wine as a guarantee and pledge that our salvation has indeed been accomplished (1 Cor. 11:23ff). WE REJECT the idea that God speaks directly to people apart from the means of grace.

GOOD WORKS

WE BELIEVE that we are not saved because of any works that we do (Eph. 2:9). Our salvation is purely a gift of God. But as Christians we are also new creations. God gives us the will to love others as Christ has loved us (Eph. 2:10; Mt. 5:16). However, as long as we are on this earth we also have the sinful nature which fights against our new nature in Christ. So the Christian life becomes a struggle between the new nature and the old (Rom. 7:14ff). We do good works, not to be saved, but because we are saved.

THE CHURCH

WE BELIEVE and teach that there is one, Holy, Christian and apostolic Church. This Church is comprised of all who trust in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation regardless of denomination. This universal Christian Church includes people who trust in Christ alone from all nations, races, cultures and times. Entrance into the Church is an act of God which brings us into fellowship with Him and with our fellow Christians. It is, therefore, essential that those seeking to be in Christian fellowship will seek out the true, visible Church on earth which teaches the Word of God in its truth and purity and administers the Sacraments as Christ has established them. While we uphold the doctrinal integrity of our denomination, WE REJECT any teaching which attempts to restrict the mercy and grace of God to any specific denomination or group. Likewise, we reject the idea that membership in any specific group or Christian denomination guarantees salvation.  We reject the unbiblical notion that one's relationship with God is a private matter when, in fact, the Christian faith is essentially a corporate experience.

THE LAST THINGS

WE BELIEVE and teach that Jesus Christ will return, not secretly, but openly and in all His power to judge the living and the dead of all times, (Rev. 1:7, Ac. 10:42).  We believe that the dead will be resurrected, (Rev. 20:12-13). Believers will receive everlasting life in heaven, (Jn 3:16-18). Unbelievers will be given everlasting torment in hell, (Matt. 25:46).  Therefore WE REJECT the notions that all people will be saved or that unbelievers will be annihilated, (Matt. 25:41, 46); that there are many paths to God other than through faith in Jesus Christ (Jn. 14:6); that people will have another chance after death to come to Christ or that people are reincarnated after they have failed the test, (Heb. 9:27).
 

©MMXVI, St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Waterford, Wisconsin