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The Lutheran Faith
Basics of the Lutheran Faith
As Lutherans, our congregation prizes its Lutheran Heritage, which is centered on Scripture
(accepting the Word of God as His Word and believing what it teaches because we believe in Jesus
the Word). Martin Luther from Holy Scripture taught God's love for us was not preconditioned by
how well we work at being good, but that this love was free from God and not deserved. Our Lutheran
word for this free undeserved love is Grace. He further found that we are saved by Christ's life,
death and resurrection, not our own efforts. Jesus Christ lived, died and rose again because of His
love for His Father and us. In the Bible (John 3:16) Jesus tells us that God so Loved the world
(that is all of us) that He gave His only begotten Son, so that who so ever believes in Him doesn't
perish but has everlasting life. So our church Heritage as Lutherans is
- Scripture alone (tells us how to be saved and what God would have us do);
- Faith alone (which is God's gift through the working of the Holy Spirit);
- and Grace alone (God's free unmerited love), are the basic foundation of Salvation.
It is through the salvational work of Jesus, who as our substitute--takes our sin upon Himself,
that we become free of our sins and are forgiven for our failures by God. All this happens because
of God's love for us. This love comes to us through the Word of God and His Sacraments. The Lutheran
words describing this way of delivery to us is means of Grace.
All of these teachings are dependent on Scripture alone, which teaches Faith alone and Grace alone.
The teaching of Luther and the reformers, therefore, can be summarized in three short phrases: Grace
alone, Faith alone, Scripture alone.
Grace alone
God loves the people of the world, even though they are sinful, rebel against Him and do not
deserve His love. He sent Jesus, His Son, to love the unlovable and save the ungodly.
Faith alone
By His suffering and death as the substitute for all people of all time, Jesus purchased and
won forgiveness and eternal life for them. Those who hear this Good News and believe it have the
eternal life that it offers. God creates faith in Christ and gives people forgiveness through Him.
Scripture alone
The Bible is God's inerrant and infallible Word, in which He reveals His Law and His Gospel of
salvation in Jesus Christ. It is the sole rule and norm for Christian doctrine.
Who is Jesus?
We teach what Scripture upholds, that Jesus is the Son of God and is Himself true God. We were not
present when Jesus lived on this earth, but in the Bible we have the record of his birth, life, death
on the cross, and resurrection. Study of the Bible, God's Word, will enable you to seek out the answer
to this age-old question. We believe what is written in the Bible because we believe in Jesus as our
Savior and Lord. He is both God and man, the revelation of God in Human form. His birth is special,
because He is God taking human form on to become the perfect sinless human sacrifice for our sins. As
St. John says in the first John, “the Word (the message and at the same time the messenger) dwelt among
us bringing but enlightenment and eternal life to the world. Jesus lived, died and rose again from death
to conquer sin, death and the devil for us. His death is substitutionary, in that He died in our place
for our sins, so that believing and trusting in Him we would be able to have eternal life. There is no
other name under heaven by which we can be saved. He is the door, the way, the truth, and the life and
nobody comes to God the Father except through Him. Nobody!
Isn’t it great that He loves us and God loves us and forgives us, because of Jesus’ perfect work.
That is a really good reason to come and worship with us. Come let us make a joyful noise to the Lord
for He is good and His mercy through Jesus is forever.
Why We Worship and Why You Should
In worship we come into the presence of God. He has promised to be there. Where His Word is
preached in truth and purity and where the sacraments are administered properly, there He is.
Lutherans call our service Devine Worship because God deals with us, comes to us, blesses us
and forgives us our sins, strengthens us and preserves us through His Word and Sacrament.
Sacraments Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
Ascension Lutheran Marianna believes and confesses that there are two sacraments, that is Divinely
commanded actions connected with visible elements that promise to give forgiveness of sins, life and
salvation because they are the truest form of the Gospel. For the Sacrament of the Altar, Holy Eucerist,
or Holy Communion (all names for the same thing- the Lord’s Supper) we point to the teaching in John
chapter 6. It is clear that Jesus says that we must eat His body and drink His blood. This is not
figurative language. The Jews of His day understood Jesus to mean exactly that and that is why some
left his company.
It was for them a very hard teaching. Yet in the same chapter of John Jesus told them that,
those who were given to Him by the Father, He would never drive away. To be a teller of truth,
if this sacrament was simply a remembrance meal and not the true sacrifice i.e. Jesus’ Body and
Blood He was lying to the Jews. Notice that Jesus even says that to validate His teaching His
disciples would see Him ascend to where He was before. The Ascension of the Lord is also a fact
of history recorded in the Bible. Note also that at the institution of the Lord’s Supper on the night
which He was betrayed He declares it to be His Body and Blood. So when we commune at the Altar Ascension
Lutheran Marianna what is present in the sacrament of Holy Communion is the sacrifice given for us on
Calvary – the actual Body and Blood of the Lord. That is why Lutherans declare they believe in the
real presence of the Lord at this Sacrament. Jesus says in John 6 of the sacrament that unless we eat
the body and drink His blood you have no life (no life in Christ – eternal life) in you. The benefit
of this eating and drinking is that we receive forgiveness and sins, life and salvation, because we
become one with our Lord dwelling in Him and He in us. This is our understanding of the scriptural
teaching of this sacrament.
The Sacrament of Holy Baptism is commanded by Jesus in John 3:5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the
truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.(NIV)
No one is very excusive. It leaves no exceptions and they are Jesus’ words! Again in Matthew 28:19
Jesus said: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, All nations includes everyone, even children. St. Peter says
in Acts.2:38-39 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is
for you and your children. And St. Paul teaches in Titus 3:4-7 But when the kindness and love of God
our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his
mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out
on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might
become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
All these scriptures must be read in harmony. Scripture must be used to interpret scripture.
The text must not be forced to fit some preconceived notion. The simple straight forward meaning is
the correct one. Ascension Lutheran Marianna believes that baptism is not a work of man, but a work
of God. Pastor Hank may be doing the physical baptism but the Lord is the one making the baptism valid
and giving His spirit. He saves us, He sends His Spirit. It is into His Name we are baptized. So we
preach, teach and confess that baptism is necessary to enter the kingdom of God and that infants too
are to be baptized. Jesus will not condemn us for following His Word, but He will condemn us for not
following His commands. He says if you love me you will keep my commandments. We do not understand
baptism as a work we do, nor do we see it as an action that is a one time thing. We understand baptism
as something God does and which a person returns to each and every time he or she is repentant. An
activity that is to be done daily and is with us all our days. We also understand baptism to be required
only once using the proper form given by our Lord in Matthew 28 and accept baptism from other denomination
when God is confessed as Triune according to the Early Christian Creeds.
Our worship is a celebration of the Lord’s presence and for all the wonderful things He does and is
doing for us. A love affair with Christ can not be done effectively from a distance. Love and forgiveness,
peace joy and celebration are the outward signs of the work of the Spirit. Come and meet your Lord with us.
Christ’s Love Shower Down Upon You
- Pastor Hank Malone
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