Christ Lutheran Church
What We Believe
What we believe and teach at Christ Lutheran Church (LCMS) in Wathena, KS
is Rooted in Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions
Our Beliefs (LCMS)
Christ Lutheran Church confesses the faith once delivered to the saints, grounded in Holy Scripture and faithfully summarized in the Lutheran Confessions. We invite you to explore the summary provided below and to join us to recieve Christ's gifts in the Divine Service
Christian Faith
In John 14:6, the Christian faith affirms that Jesus was sent by the Father to redeem and save us through His death and resurrection. Our understanding of Jesus comes from the bible.
Bible
God's Word is found in the Bible. The writers' thoughts and words were inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Tim 3:16-17 | 2 Pet 1:21). There are no errors in Holy Scripture, and it cannot make mistakes. As a result, it is completely trustworthy and provides us with all the information and convictions we require for a Christian life and faith.
Trinity
The triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is the only real God. Despite being three separate beings, they are all part of the same God (the Holy Trinity). According to Matthew 28:19, there is only one God, not three.
Creation
By His Word, God made everything out of nothing. He spoke creation into being and shaped it in six days. God's creation is the only thing that exists (Gen 1:1 | Ps 33:6 | Ps 33:9 | Heb 11:3). God is still working in His creation, taking care of it and making new life in it all the time. Atheistic views of evolution lead to conclusions that are not in line with the Bible.
Sin
Satan brought sin into the world by tempting Adam and Eve, who gave in to the temptation (Gen 3:1–6; Rom 5:12). Their disobedience had an impact on all of humanity (Rom 3:23 | Rom 5:19 | Ps 51:5). We are completely spiritually corrupt (Eph 2:1). We sin in our thoughts, desires, words, and actions (Matt. 7:17).
Jesus
Jesus is the eternal Son of God who came into the world as a man with a body and soul to keep God's promises from the Old Testament. So, He is both God and man, Creator and created, all in one person, but He is without sin (Col 1:16-17 | Jn 1:1 | Matt 1:20). Jesus' death on the cross paid for our sins, calmed God's anger, and brought us back to God (Is 53:4–5 | Gal 3:13). He came back to life on the third day (1 Cor 15:5–9). He went up to the right hand of God forty days later (Eph 1:20–23). Finally, He will come back in splendor on the Last Day (Matt. 25:31–46).
Justification
God's act of justification is when He declares the sinner is not guilty. By grace, for Christ's sake, and through faith, not via our own merit, effort, or satisfactions (Eph 1:7 | Eph 2:8-9), we are forgiven of our sins and made right with God. We must hang on to this teaching with all our might because it is the most essential teaching of the Christian faith that gives solace to the sinner who is sorry for what they did.
Law and Gospel
The Ten Commandments are God's good and loving will for the lives and well-being of everyone (Jn 1:17). In Romans 3:20, God's law also demonstrates that everyone has sinned and can't follow God's rules. The Gospel is the only place we can find help.
The Gospel is the teaching that Jesus Christ's death and resurrection may save you from your sins. The Gospel is also what God is still doing to save us, primarily through preaching, baptism, and the Lord's Supper (John 6:63 | Romans 1:16). The Gospel is the sole means by which to get forgiveness for sins, be justified, and live forever. It actually provides forgiveness and salvation.
Holy Spirit
God is the Holy Spirit. He is one of the three individuals that make up the Trinity (Matt 28:19). He, along with the Father and the Son, made the universe (Gen. 1:2). He uses the Word of the Gospel and Baptism (1 Cor 12:3 | Titus 3:5) to bring people to trust in Christ, or to change sinners into believers. He also keeps and strengthens trust in Christ. Sadly, a lot of people don't believe the Gospel or listen to the Holy Spirit (Matt 23:37 | Acts 7:51).
Good Works
Good works are the natural outcome of saving faith (John 15:5). The Holy Spirit helps us overcome sin, love God, and do good works through the Gospel and Sacraments (Gal 5:22-23; Eph 2:10). Good works are performed for the benefit of others. God requires us to serve our neighbors (Matthew 5:16; Gal 5:13). However, good works do not earn God's grace (Heb 11:6).
Church and Ministry
The body of Christ is the church, which is made up of everyone who has been gathered by the Spirit to believe in Christ worldwide. Only followers of Christ comprise the holy Christian church (Col 1:18 | Jn 10:16). But when the gospel is preached pure and the sacraments are given correctly, that is where the Church is found in the world (Matt 28:19 | Jn 20:21-23 | Lk 24:47 | Matt 26:26). It is common to refer to this church as a local congregation.
For the purposes of administering the Lord's Supper, teaching, preaching, baptizing, and forgiving sins, Christ established the pastoral office. In order to administer the sacraments and proclaim the gospel, God has sent pastors to lead the church (Acts 20:28 | 1 Cor 4:1). Men who are qualified as pastors in both life and doctrine are to be called by their congregations (1 Timothy 3:1–2; 2 Timothy 2:1).
Prayer
As the Bible says in Psalm 19:14, prayer is "speaking to God in words and thoughts." In the beginning, God comes to us and communicates with us through His Word, and He then invites us to react by praying. According to the Bible, God instructs us to pray, and He guarantees that He will listen to our petitions (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18). The prayer that Jesus taught His disciples to pray is known as the Lord's Prayer (Luke 11:1-4). Jesus taught His disciples this prayer when they was seeking guidance on how to pray.
Church and State
God set up His church on earth to save everyone, to foster and keep trust in the Gospel, and to give people forgiveness for their sins (Matt 24:14). But God has set up governments and leaders to keep people safe and defend their lives on Earth and in society. They should protect and praise people who do the right thing, and punish offenders (Rom 13:1-4).
Baptism
God directly works forgiveness, life, and salvation in those who are baptized through baptism. According to 1 Peter 3:21, Titus 3:5, Ephesians 5:26, Gal 3:27, and Rom 6:3–4, baptism saves the individual. Baptizing "all nations" is Jesus' worldwide mandate (Matt 28:19). The word "all" obviously refers to everyone, including adults and children. Babies require the salvation that baptism provides since they have inherited original sin. Additionally, according to Acts 2:38–39 and John 3:5, the Holy Spirit can instill faith in infants. In moments of doubt or temptation, we are reassured in knowing that we are a baptized child of God in Christ Jesus.
Repentance
Repentance is divided into two parts: First, we acknowledge our transgressions. We acknowledge that God is displeased by our misdeeds (Ps 51:1-4). The second component is trust in the free pardon of sins granted because of Christ (Ps 32:2). Repentance is both a death sentence and a resurrection. God's Word both comforts and terrifies. While the gospel promises grace via Christ, the law condemns sin. Repentance produces good deeds (Lk 19:8).
Lord's Supper
During the Lord's Supper, Christ offers His own body and blood to the congregation. According to Matthew 26:26, Matthew 26:28, and 1 Corinthians 10:16, the bread represents the actual physique of Christ, and the wine represents the actual blood of Christ. This is a very intriguing mystery. On the other hand, we make our faith in the words that Christ spoke on the night when He was betrayed. The words of Christ are not designed to be interpreted metaphorically, nor are they meant to be understood as pictorial language. The remission of sins that Christ's body and blood have gained for us on the cross is the most important blessing that the Sacrament imparts (Matthew 26:28). In addition to forgiveness, however, God bestows all other blessings, including life and salvation, upon those who approach him.
The practice of "close" communion is practiced here a Christ Lutheran. This time-honored tradition dates back to the Apostles themselves (1 Corinthians 10:17 | 1 Corinthians 11:27 | 1 Corinthians 11:29). It is forbidden to administer the Sacrament to individuals who do not correctly declare what the Bible teaches about Christ and His Supper. Invitations to the Lord's Supper are extended to individuals who are members of the Missouri Synod of the Lutheran Church to attend. Those who are interested in learning more about the Gospel and the Sacrament are encouraged to attend a new member class before taking communion.
Because Christ earnestly urges us to partake in the Lord's Supper by saying, "This do in remembrance of Me," and because we require the forgiveness of sins and the power to live a new and holy life, those of us who attend Christ Lutheran Church partake in the Lord's Supper weekly.
Lutheran Confessions
As a congregation of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, we hold fast to the historic, confessional Lutheran faith.
We subscribe unconditionally to:
Together these documents from the Book of Concord of 1580, which we believe to be a true and faithful exposition of Holy Scripture
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Sunday Services
Sunday School: 9:00 AM
Divine Service: 10:15 AM
Christ Lutheran Church - Wathena KS
Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS)