… that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
For with the heart one believes resulting in righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made resulting in salvation.
For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.”
— Romans 10:9-11
Lutheran teaching and belief are biblical. They are centered on the good news of the gospel: that Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, suffered and died to pay for for the sins of the whole world, and thereby won salvation and eternal life for all people who believe in him.
Our belief is based only on the bible. It is summarized in the Book of Concord, a collection of documents from the Lutheran Reformation and earlier, that we believe faithfully represent the teaching of the bible.
Of these documents, the Nicene Creed, the Small Catechism, and the Augsburg Confession are the most useful parts to read initially.
The Nicene Creed, a brief statement of belief of the fourth-century Church, still represents our faith today. Our congregation confesses this creed out loud every Sunday, as does much of the Christian world.
The Small Catechism was Martin Luther’s effort to standardize religious education. Although intended for children, It is an excellent resource for adults. It is especially helpful in how it describes the connection between faith, the Word of God, and the sacraments.
The Augsburg confession was written early in the Lutheran Reformation to clarify the reformers’ disagreements with the Roman church.
The LCMS is referred to as a confessional church. This is because all its Pastors and congregations have promised to preach, teach, and confess in step with the Book of Concord. New members are typically expected to confess agreement with the Small Catechism.
If you want a quick picture of what Lutherans in our synod believe, this four-minute video, by a non-Lutheran theologian, is a good place to start. It is clear and objective.
The following is a lively discussion between a pastor in our denomination and an evangelical blogger who interviews clergy from various religious traditions. This gives some insight into the identity of a Missouri Synod Lutheran church.
Even though St. James church is smaller than the one in this video, and half a continent away, we share the beliefs and the sentiment expressed.
The bible advises us to be cautious and discerning about what we believe. If you want a little more detail about some of the things we believe — and don’t believe — look at the ‘Caution‘ page.
Not all “Lutheran” churches believe the same thing.
(We’re the LCMS)
The Word of the Lord endures forever.