Who is God?
God is the creator of the world; the giver of life; the source of wholeness, healing and forgiveness; the champion of the poor and oppressed; the power of new life and resurrection. Christians know God as the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Christians believe all people are created in God’s image and loved by God. God’s grace is a gift, offered through Christ and received by faith. There is nothing we do, good or bad, to earn this gift. We call this “good news” or “the gospel.”
What Do Lutherans Believe?
We believe that all people are imperfect and sinful. We are saved (made right with God) by God’s grace alone, through Christ — not by prayer, mindset, or good deeds. Through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God became one of us and took on the world’s sin and suffering to show divine love. We receive the gift of grace by faith and know that we are forgiven even as we struggle with sin. We trust that through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, we are freed to live with gratitude and love.
Forgiveness
There is no limit to God’s grace or forgiveness. Through Jesus Christ, God promises to forgive our sin. Though humans can cause pain and suffering, God always offers the possibility of healing and transformation. When we confess our sins, we are reassured of God’s forgiveness, and we respond to that grace by serving and loving our neighbor. Ultimately the gift of grace is a gift from God’s infinite love. God’s gift of faith transforms us to receive and respond to this good news.