About Us

ST. Paul

Evangelical Lutheran

Church of Bethpage

ABOUT US

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While there are a variety of ways one could answer this question, one very important answer is simply this, "A Lutheran is simply a Christian who believes, teaches and confesses (to acknowledge belief or faith in; profess) the truths of God’s Word as they are summarized and confessed in the Book of Concord.” The Book of Concord contains the Lutheran confessions of faith.
Perhaps you have attended an ordination of a pastor and heard him promise that he will perform the duties of his office in accord with the Lutheran Confessions. When people are received into membership into a Lutheran congregation through confirmation they are asked if they confess the doctrine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, as they have learned to know it from the Small Catechism, to be faithful and true.
These solemn promises indicate to us just how important the Lutheran Confessions are for our church. Let's take a look at the various items contained in the Book of Concord and then we will talk about why the Lutheran Confessions are so important for being a Lutheran.

What are the Ecumenical Creeds?

The three ecumenical creeds in the Book of Concord are the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed and the Athanasian Creed. They are described as "ecumenical" [universal] because they are accepted by Christians worldwide as correct expressions of what God's Word teaches.

What is the Augsburg Confession and Apology of the Augsburg Confession?

In the year 1530, the Lutherans were required to present their confession of faith before the emperor in Augsburg, Germany. Philip Melanchthon wrote the Augsburg Confession and it was read before the imperial court on June 30, 1530. One year later, the Lutherans presented their defense of the Augsburg Confession, which is what "apology" here means. It too was written by Philip Melanchthon. The largest document in the Book of Concord, its longest chapter, is devoted to the most important truth of the Christian faith: the doctrine of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

What are the Small and Large Catechisms?

Martin Luther realized early on how desperately ignorant the laity and clergy of his day were when it came to even the most basic truths of the Christian faith. Around 1530, he produced two small handbooks to help pastors and the heads of families teach the faith.
The Small Catechism and the Large Catechism are organized around six topics: the Ten Commandments, the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer, Holy Baptism, Confession, and the Sacrament of the Altar. So universally accepted were these magnificent doctrinal summaries by Luther, that they were included as part of the Book of Concord.

What are the Smalcald Articles and the Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope?

In 1537, Martin Luther was asked to prepare a statement of Lutheran belief for use at a church council, if it was called. Luther's bold and vigorous confession of faith was later incorporated into the Book of Concord. It was presented to a group of Lutheran rulers meeting in the town of Smalcald. Philip Melanchthon was asked to expand on the subject of the Roman pope and did so in his treatise, which also was included in the Book of Concord.

What is the Formula of Concord?

After Luther's death in 1546, significant controversies broke out in the Lutheran Church. After much debate and struggle, the Formula of Concord in 1577 put an end to these doctrinal controversies and the Lutheran Church was able to move ahead united in what it believed, taught and confessed. In 1580, all the confessional writings mentioned here were gathered into a single volume, the Book of Concord. Concord is a word that means, "harmony." The Formula of Concord was summarized in a version known as the "Epitome" of the Formula of Concord. This document too is included in the Book of Concord.

What is the connection between the Bible and the Confessions?
We confess that, "The Word of God is and should remain the sole rule and norm of all doctrine" (FC SD, Rule and Norm, 9). What the Bible asserts, God asserts. What the Bible commands, God commands. The authority of the Scriptures is complete, certain and final. The Scriptures are accepted by the Lutheran Confessions as the actual Word of God. The Lutheran Confessions urge us to believe the Scriptures for "they will not lie to you" (LC, V, 76) and cannot be "false and deceitful" (FC SD, VII, 96). The Bible is God's "pure, infallible, and unalterable Word" (Preface to the BOC).
The Lutheran Confessions are the "basis, rule, and norm indicating how all doctrines should be judged in conformity with the Word of God" (FC SD RN). Because the Confessions are in complete doctrinal agreement with the written Word of God, they serve as the standard in the Lutheran Church to determine what is faithful Biblical teaching, insofar as that teaching is addressed in the Confessions.

What is the main point of the Lutheran Confessions?
The Lutheran Reformation was not a "revolt," but rather began as a sincere expression of concern with the false and misleading teachings, which, unfortunately, even to this very day, obscure the glory and merit of Jesus Christ. What motivated Luther was a zealous concern about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Here is how the Lutheran Confessions explain what the Gospel is all about:
Human beings have not kept the law of God but have transgressed it. Their corrupted human nature, thoughts, words, and deeds battle against the law. For this reason they are subject to God's wrath, to death and all temporal afflictions, and to the punishment of the fires of hell. As a result, the Gospel, in its strict sense, teaches what people should believe, namely, that they receive from God the forgiveness of sins; that is, that the Son of God, our Lord Christ, has taken upon Himself the curse of the law and borne it, atoned and paid for all our sins; that through Him alone we are restored to God's grace, obtain the forgiveness of sins through faith and are delivered from death and all the punishments of our sins and are saved eternally. . . . It is good news, joyous news, that God does not want to punish sin but to forgive it for Christ's sake (FCSD, V, 20).

What is a "confessional" Lutheran?
The word "confession" is used in a variety of ways, but when we speak of a "confessional" Lutheran we mean a Lutheran who declares to the world his faith and most deeply held belief and conviction, in harmony with the documents contained in the Book of Concord. You will catch the spirit of confessional Lutheranism in these, the last words written in the Book of Concord:
Therefore, it is our intent to give witness before God and all Christendom, among those who are alive today and those who will come after us, that the explanation here set forth regarding all the controversial articles of faith which we have addressed and explained--and no other explanation--is our teaching, faith, and confession. In it we shall appear before the judgment throne of Jesus Christ, by God's grace, with fearless hearts and thus give account of our faith, and we will neither secretly nor publicly speak or write anything contrary to it. Instead, on the strength of God's grace, we intend to abide by this confession (FCSD, XII, 40).

What is an "unconditional subscription" to the Confessions?
Confessional Lutheran pastors are required to "subscribe" unconditionally to the Lutheran Confessions because they are a pure exposition of the Word of God. This is the way our pastors, and every layman who confesses his belief in the Small Catechism, is able with great joy and without reservation or qualification to say what it is that he believes to be the truth of God's Word.
Dr. C. F. W. Walther, the Missouri Synod's first president, explained the meaning of an unconditional confessional subscription in words as clear and poignant today as they were then:
An unconditional subscription is the solemn declaration which the individual who wants to serve the church makes under oath that he accepts the doctrinal content of our Lutheran Confessions, because he recognizes the fact that they are in full agreement with Scripture and do not militate against Scripture in any point, whether the point be of major or minor importance; and that he therefore heartily believes in this divine truth and is determined to preach this doctrine.

So what is it to be a Lutheran?
Being a Lutheran is being a person who believes the truths of God's Word, the Holy Bible, as they are correctly explained and taught in the Book of Concord. To do so is to confess the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Genuine Lutherans, confessional Lutherans, dare to insist that "All doctrines should conform to the standards [the Lutheran Confessions] set forth above. Whatever is contrary to them should be rejected and condemned as opposed to the unanimous declaration of our faith" (FC Ep. RN, 6).
Such a statement may strike some as boastful. But it is not; rather, it is an expression of the Spirit-led confidence that moves us to speak of our faith before the world.
To be a confessional Lutheran is to be one who honors the Word of God. That word makes it clear that it is God's desire for His church to be in agreement about doctrine, and to be of one mind, living at peace with one another (1 Cor. 1:10; 2 Cor. 13:11). It is for that reason that we so treasure the precious confession of Christian truth that we have in the Book of Concord. For Confessional Lutherans, there is no other collection of documents, or statements or books that so clearly, accurately and comfortingly presents the teachings of God's Word and reveals the Biblical Gospel as does our Book of Concord.
Hand-in-hand with our commitment to pure teaching and confession of the faith, is, and always must be, our equally strong commitment to reaching out boldly with the Gospel and speaking God's truth to the world. That is what "confession" of the faith is all about, in the final analysis. Indeed, "It is written: I believed; therefore I have spoken.' With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak" (2 Cor. 4:13). This is what it means to be a Lutheran.

For Further Study:
Robert Preus, Getting into the Theology of Concord: A Study of the Book of Concord (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1977).
David Scaer, Getting into the Story of Concord: A History of the Book of Concord (St. Louis, Concordia Publishing House, 1977).

— Dr.A.L.Barry
President
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

What Lutherans Believe, Teach and Confess

Article 1 - On God

We believe, teach and confess there is one divine essence who is called and is truly God (Deut. 6:4) and that there are three persons in this one divine essence (1 John 5:7) equal in power and alike eternal. God the Father (2 Peter 1:17), God the Son (Heb. 1:8), God the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4).

Article 2 - On Original Sin

We believe, teach and confess that since the fall of Adam all people who are born according to the course of nature are conceived and born in sin. By that we teach that inherent in all people since conception (Ps. 51:5) we are full of evil lusts and inclinations and are unable by nature to have a true fear or true faith of God. Moreover this inborn sickness and hereditary sin condemns all those who are not born again to the eternal wrath of God (Rom. 5:12-21; Rom. 7:8; John 3:6).

Article 3 - The Son of God

We believe, teach and confess that God the Son became man (John 1:1,14), was born of the Virgin Mary (Is. 7:14) and that the two natures, divine and human are inseparable united in the one person of Christ, true God and true man (1 Tim. 2:5), who was truly born, suffered, was crucified, died and was buried to be a sacrifice not only for original sin but also for all other sins and to satisfy God's wrath (1 Pet. 3:18; Gal. 3:13). The same Christ also descended into hell (1 Pet. 3:19-20), truly rose bodily from the dead on the third day, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God (Luke 24:39; Mark 16:19).

The same Christ eternally rules and has dominion over all creation (Phil. 2:9-12) and through the Holy Spirit the sanctifies, purifies, strengthens and give comfort to all who believe in Him in order that He may give to them eternal life and every grace and blessing both in this life and the next (1 Thes. 5:23). The same Lord Christ will return for all the world to see to judge the living and the dead (Matt. 25:31-32).

Article 4 - On Justification (How a person is forgiven and made right before God)

We believe, teach and confess that no person anywhere can be forgiven, made righteous or acceptable before God by his or her own inward qualities, outward works or satisfactions. We can only receive forgiveness of sin before God by grace (Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 2:11) for Christ's sake, through faith in Christ who suffered for the sins of the whole world and for us, for His sake our sin is forgiven and true righteousness and eternal life are given to us (Rom. 2:23-28; Rom. 4:5).

Article 5 - The Ministry of the Church

We believe, teach and confess that God instituted the office of the ministry for the purpose of bringing the Word and the Sacraments to His people in order that they may come to saving faith (Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 11:23-25; 2 Cor. 5:18; Acts 20:28). It is only through these two means that the Holy Spirit works faith where and when He pleases in only those who hear and do not reject the Gospel (John 5:52; Rom. 10:17; 1 Thess. 1:5).
We also believe, teach and confess that the Holy Spirit does not come to us through our own preparations, imaginations, enthusiasms or works but only through the preached or taught Work of Holy Scripture and Sacraments (John 17:17; John 5:52; Eph 1:17; Titus 3:5).

Article 6 - The Necessity of Good Works

We believe, teach and confess that true Christian faith should produce good works and that we must do good works because God has commanded them, however we should do them for Christ's sake and never place our trust in them in order to obtain favor before God. Christ says "When you have done all that is commanded of us, say, we are still unworthy servants" (Luke 17:10).

Articles 7 and 8 - The Church

We believe, teach and confess that the one Holy Christian Church will be and remain forever (Matt. 16:18). The Church is the gathering or assembly of all believers wherever the Gospel is preached in its purity and the Holy Sacraments (Baptism and the Lord's Supper) are administered according to the Gospel (Matt. 28:20; Luke 22:19, Acts 2:42; Eph. 4:5-6).
True unity of the Christian Church exists where the preaching of the Gospel conforms with a pure understanding of it and where the Sacraments are administered in accord with God's Holy Word (John 8:31; Acts 16:4). However it is not necessary for the true unity of the Christian Church that ceremonies or rites created by men must be uniformly observed in all local gatherings.
We also sadly admit that in this life there are many false Christians, hypocrites and even open sinners among the godly but that in no way inhibits or negates the effectiveness of God's Word and Sacraments even if a wicked pastor or minister administers them, for as Christ Himself says, "The Pharisees sit on Moses seat" (Matt. 23:2).

Article 9 - Baptism

We believe, teach and confess that Baptism with water in the name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit is necessary because Christ commanded it so and that the grace of God (forgiveness and renewal) is offered through it (Matt. 28:29; John 3:5; Eph 5:26; 1 Pet. 3:21). Children should also be baptized, for in their being offered to God through Baptism they too are received into His grace (Mark 10:14; Acts 2:38-39).

Article 10 - The Holy Supper of Our Lord

We believe, teach and confess that bread and wine distributed and received in the Holy Supper (for the forgiveness of sins and for eternal life) are truly the body and blood of Christ (Matt. 26:26-28, ; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Cor. 10:16; John 6:48-58).

Article 11 - Confession of Sins

We believe, teach and confess that private absolution has a rightful place in the Church and should be retained and not be allowed to fall into disuse (Matt. 16:19 18:18, John 20:21- 23). However, in confession it is not necessary to remember all trespasses and sins for this is impossible, "Who can discern his errors?" (Ps. 19:12).

Article 12 - Repentance

We believe, teach and confess that all those who sin after their Baptism receive forgiveness of sin whenever they truly repent of their sins (Matt 11:28; Mark 1:15; 2 Sam. 12:13). Properly speaking, true repentance is nothing else than shame , sorrow and fear of God's wrath on account of sin, and yet at the same time to believe and trust in our being absolved of our sins on account of Christ.
The changing and correcting of our sinful ways should follow. This amendment of life must produce the fruits that correspond with our repentance (Matt 3:8; 1 John 2:3.4). Therefore we also believe, teach and confess that those who once were godly can fall from God's grace again (Gal. 5:4; 1 Cor. 10:12; Matt 26:41; 1 Pet.5:8).

Article 13 - The Use of the Sacraments

We believe, teach and confess that the Sacraments were instituted by Christ not only to be the signs by which people might be identified outwardly as Christians, but that they are signs and testimonies of God's will toward us for the purpose of awakening and strengthening our faith (Matt. 28:19,20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26).
Baptism and the Lord's Supper have the command of God to which the promise of grace has been added. When we are baptized and when we eat the Lord's Body, we are absolved and our hearts should firmly believe that we are truly forgiven for Christ's sake. Through the Word and the rite, God simultaneously moves the heart to believe and to take hold of faith, as Paul says, "So faith come from hearing and hearing by the word of God." (Rom. 10:17)

Article 14 - Order in the Church

We believe, teach and confess that no person should publicly teach or preach or administer the Sacraments without a regular call (Rom. 10:14-17; 1 Cor. 12:28; Titus 1:5; Acts 21:28).

Article 15 - Church Rites

We believe, teach and confess that rites or customs may be used which can be used without entering into sin and which contribute to the peace and good order to the Church. However any observances of human tradition that burdens the consciences which are instituted to appease God, earn grace and make satisfaction for sins are opposed to the Gospel and the teaching about faith (Gal. 1:9; 1 Tim. 6:3-5; Gal. 5:9).

Article 16 - Order in the World

We believe, teach and confess that lawful civil ordinances are good works of God instituted for the sake of good order (Rom. 13:1-6). The Gospel teaches an inward and eternal righteousness of the heart and does not destroy the state or the family. On the contrary, the Gospel requires the preservation of the state and family as ordinances of God and the exercise of love in those who live under authority (Rom. 12:1-2). Therefore Christians are bound to obey the laws of the land and those in authority except when commanded to sin, for then Christians are obliged to obey God (Acts 3:29).

Article 17 - The Return of Christ of Judgment

We believe, teach and confess that on the last day Christ will appear for judgment (Matt. 24:30-31; John 5:22-23; Acts 17:31) and raise up all the dead (John 5:27-29; John 6:39-40). To those who are saved He will give eternal life and endless joy (John 3:18; 1 Pet. 1:9).
To the unsaved and evil demons He will condemn to be tormented without end (Matt. 25:31-41,46).
Scripture teaches nothing regarding the opinions of those who say that before the resurrection of the dead the godly will take possession of the kingdom of the world and that the ungodly will by suppressed everywhere (Matt. 25:31-46; James 5:9; 1 Pet. 4:7; Mark 13:35ff).

Article 18 - Freedom of the Will

We believe, teach and confess that we possess some measure of freedom of the will which enables us to live an outwardly honourable life and to make choices based on reason. However, our wills do not have the power, without the Holy Spirit, to make us acceptable to God, that is, spiritual righteousness, because in our natural sinful state we habitually reject the gifts of God (1 Cor. 2:14).
Without the Holy Spirit we cannot produce the inward affections such as fear or love of God or trust in God, "Without faith it is impossible to please God" (Heb. 11:6). Although our human nature is in some measure able to perform outward acts of goodness (we can refrain from theft and murder), on the other hand our nature is capable of the will to worship idols and the will to commit murder.

Article 19 - The Cause of Sin

We believe, teach and confess that although God created and preserves nature (Heb. 1:3), the cause of sin in the world is the will of the wicked (Jer. 17:9), that is, the devil and ungodly people (John 8:44). The will thin, outside of God turns itself even further away from God to evil. It is as Christ says, "When the devil lies, he speaks according to his own nature."

Article 20 - Faith and Good Works

We believe, teach and confess that the term faith does not mean merely knowledge of Christ's suffering and resurrection. True faith is belief not only in the history of Jesus Christ but also in the trust and belief that we have grace, righteousness and forgiveness of sins only through Christ (Rom. 5:1).
We also believe, teach and confess that good works should and must be done, not that they earn us God's grace but that we may do God's will and glorify Him. When faith is given by the Holy Spirit, the heart is moved to do good works (1 John 4:7; Eph. 2:8-10; 1 Thess. 4:3; Luke 17:10).
Without faith and Christ our human nature cannot possibly do works pleasing to God, or to love one's neighbour or to avoid evil lusts. Genuine works of faith can only be done with the help of Christ as He Himself says, "Apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

Article 21 - On Saints

We believe, teach and confess that the remembrance of faithful Christians may serve as an example so that we may imitate their faith and good works insofar as our own particular calling is concerned. However, regardless of how saintly anyone is, Scriptures do not teach us to pray to the saints or to seek their help, for the only mediator whom the Scriptures set before us is Jesus Christ.
According to Scriptures, the highest form of divine service is sincerely to seek and call upon the name of Jesus in every time of need. "If anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John 2:1).

This is the sum of our teaching and there is nothing here that departs from the Scriptures from which pure doctrines and profession of faith may be preserved by the power of the Holy Spirit until the glorious coming of Jesus Christ, our only Redeemer and Savior.

Dr. Martin Luther

A Statement from The Office of former Synod President A.L. Barry, 1995

On November 10, 1483, Hans and Margarete Luther were blessed by God with the gift of a son. The next day the baby boy was baptized and given the name of the saint of the day, Martin. We thank God for the precious gifts He has given to us through the work of his faithful servant, Dr. Martin Luther.
There have been more books written about Martin Luther than any other figure in history, except our Lord Jesus Christ. Luther's life and work transformed Western civilization and consequently impacted the entire world. The changes initiated at the time of the Reformation laid the foundation for revolutionary changes in economics, politics, culture, philosophy and in just about every area of life imaginable.
However, it is not for these things that we remember and praise God for Martin Luther. Rather it is for the clear and penetrating voice of the living Gospel which resounded from Luther's pulpit, classroom and home. The vibrant and joyous Good News poured forth from the pen of Luther, obliterating centuries of dark ignorance concerning the grace of God through Christ the Savior.
Do Lutherans worship Luther? Of course not! Sometimes others perceive our admiration for Luther as worship. The best and perhaps the only way we can explain to others why it is we admire this man and his work so much is to let them read Luther themselves. Share with someone a copy of Luther's Galatians commentary, or his Small and Large Catechism, or his preface to the book of Romans, and they will come away with a new found respect for this man of God.
Our own Dr. C. F. W. Walther was rescued from pietism by being introduced to the works of Dr. Luther during an illness. Years later, writing to a pastor in another Lutheran synod, he explained why Luther is so important to our Synod. "If you have such a great longing to learn Lutheran doctrine, to cling to it, and faithfully to teach it, I would urge you to read Luther's writings. It cannot be otherwise that in Luther the Lutheran doctrine is the purest, the brightest, the most complete and original (according to the Scriptures). It is plain stupid to continue to argue about Lutheran doctrine, and to follow one's presumptions, and not to turn to Luther himself...you will soon become divinely certain and happy in your faith and in your standpoint within and toward the church" (Selected Letters of Dr. C. F. W. Walther, CPH: 1981, p. 112).
That was good advice then and still is today. I encourage you to pull down a volume of Luther's writings from your bookshelf for reading and study; as you do, pause a moment to thank God for His faithful servant, Dr. Martin Luther.