Our Savior is a member of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS)
The Bible teaches that there is one God: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus is true God from eternity and true man from his conception in time. The Holy Spirit is not another way of describing God's "working activity," but is a divine personality and true God.
The Bible teaches that God has fully revealed himself in Scripture (the Bible). We believe that the Bible is complete, true, and inspired by God. As such, it is without error or contradiction.
The Bible teaches that God created all things in six, consecutive, twenty-four hour days.
The Bible teaches that God created man and woman free from sin, but that by their disobedience, they lost the image of God (holiness, perfect knowledge of God's will). From that time, every child that has been born, inherits the sinfulness of its parents. This is called "original" or "inherited" sin.
The Bible teaches that sin is not just a defect in man, but that it completely separates man from God and results in the condemnation of God.
The Bible teaches that all are born spiritually dead in sin, blind to the way of salvation, and enemies of God. No one can therefore "choose" to be a believer.
The Bible teaches that Jesus is the only exception to the previous point. He was truly human, but he remained true God, perfect, without sin.
The Bible teaches that when Jesus died on the cross, he paid for the sins of every single person of all time, whether a person believes it or not. This is called "Objective Justification," and is the most wonderful teaching of the whole Bible. God has declared all people "not guilty" because of Jesus' sacrifice. So we do not teach that all people can be forgiven, but that they have been forgiven.
The Bible teaches that, although a person cannot accept Jesus, he does have the ability to reject what Jesus has done for him. By doing this, he forfeits God's gift of forgiveness.
The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit uses the "Means of Grace" to work in people's hearts. Through these means (the Gospel in God's Word and in Baptism and in the Lord's Supper), the Holy Spirit creates the gift of faith. Through (not because of) faith, an individual personally receives all the blessings Jesus has won for him. This is called "Subjective Justification." God declared all people "not guilty." Through faith, he declares me "not guilty." This is a most comforting teaching. At times we may wonder if we are truly forgiven. We don't always feel forgiven. God turns us away from our feelings and onto the solid foundation of Jesus. He asks, "Are you a part of 'all people?' If so, you are forgiven!"
The Bible teaches that Baptism is not what we do to give a testimony of our faith, but what God does for us to bring us to faith.
Because the Bible teaches that all people are sinful from birth (including infants), and because the Bible teaches that Baptism is one of God's ways of giving us forgiveness, it therefore follows that the Bible teaches all people are to be baptized for the forgiveness of sins, regardless of age.
The Bible teaches that in the Lord's Supper (Holy Communion) we truly receive Jesus' very body and blood, along with the bread and wine. The Bible teaches that the Lord's Supper is to be celebrated among believers who are completely united in doctrine and practice. This is called "Close Communion" (a better term than "Closed," although both are true.) Only those who are members of our congregation or of those in fellowship with us (WELS, ELS) may join us at the Lord's Supper. This scriptural practice is by no means a judgment on anyone's faith.
The Bible teaches that God has given believers the means to communicate our needs andour thanksgiving directly to him in prayer. Prayer is powerful and effective. God always answers the prayers of his children. That having been said, we remember that, although God takes our prayers into account, he always answers them according to his will, not ours.
The Bible teaches that Jesus will return one more time in the future, when all the dead will be raised, and that there will be an immediate, public judgment. Those who have rejected God's free gift of salvation will be sentenced to eternal punishment in a real hell. Those who, by God's grace, believe in Jesus as the Savior, will be caught up in the air with him and taken to live with him forever in heaven.
|
