LEARN GOD'S WORD. LIVE WITH CHRIST.
LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS.
I'm Lutheran because...
...Lutherans believe that the Bible is completely true, through and through. We take comfort in knowing that we can trust everything it says, even if we don't yet fully understand it.
...Lutherans believe that the devil, the world, and their own sinful nature are always trying to drag Christians down to hell with them, but our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, has overpowered them. He took all our guilt to the cross, died with it there, and rose again, because death could not contain Him.
...Lutherans believe that Jesus not only obtained the forgiveness of sins on the cross, but that He now delivers that forgiveness to us by means of His Word, Baptism, and Holy Communion. We can't go back in time to the cross to find forgiveness, but Christ comes to us in Word and Sacrament to give it to us.
...Lutherans believe that everyone who does not receive this gift of forgiveness is doomed to suffer eternal damnation, and if they don't realize that, they also can't realize that they need a way out, a Savior. So, people need to be warned about condemnation before they're able to receive salvation.
...Lutherans believe that any attempt to escape condemnation by our own actions and efforts is pointless. We can't live a perfect life, so we can only depend on Christ's forgiveness to save us.
...Lutherans believe that those who have received salvation are free to begin living a renewed and godly life. So, Christians need to be taught how to avoid sinning and live a godly life - receiving ample forgiveness as they go for all the mistakes they may make.