Unchanging Truth in a Rapidly Changing World
“For it is with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and it is with the mouth that a person confesses, resulting in salvation.” Romans 10:10
Bethany Lutheran and Concordia Lutheran are a Christian, Biblical, and Faith-based Church.
We join together to be strengthened by the teachings of the Bible and to reach out to those around us in Christian love. We proclaim forgiveness and salvation for all people through the perfect life and death of Jesus Christ. The blessings of Christ are received through faith in Him as Savior.
The Bible
We believe that the Sacred Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God.
The Bible is free of any error whatsoever. It is the only source and norm of Christian teaching. Read More…
The Three Universal Christian Creeds and the Lutheran Confessions
We accept the three Universal Christian Creeds: the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. We also accept the confessional writings in the Lutheran Book of Concord. These creeds and confessions are a faithful explanation of what the Bible teaches. We accept them because their teaching is true. Our teachings and practices conform to them. Read More…
God
We believe that there is only one true and living God, the God of the Bible, and no other. The true God is three Persons in one God, and one God in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; John 10:30) Read More…
Sin
We believe that God created Man in His image (Genesis 1:27), that is, without sin. But man, through disobedience and unbelief, lost this perfection (Genesis 3:6), became sinful and corrupt by nature (Psalm 51:5), and an enemy of God (Romans 8:7). Therefore man is subject to all the consequences of sin and ultimately death (Romans 6:23). Read More…
Jesus Christ
We believe that God sent His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to rescue mankind from the punishment of sin (John 3:16-17). Only Jesus could save mankind because He is both true Man and true God (John 1:14). By His perfect obedience to God’s commands (Romans 5:18) and by His innocent suffering and death, and glorious resurrection from the dead, Jesus paid the debt of sin and won forgiveness, life, and salvation for all (John 1:29, 1 John 2:2, Romans 4:25). Read More…
Justification and Salvation
We believe that our works cannot save us. Rather, we are freely justified (declared innocent of sin and righteous) before God on account of Jesus’ perfect work for us. For Christ’s sake, the sins of all who believe in Him are forgiven before God. Through faith in Christ, we are saved from sin, death, and hell (Romans 3:21-28, Galatians 2:16) Read More…
Free Will and Conversion
We believe that by nature, on account of our sinful corruption, we have no power by which we can come to Jesus or choose Him as our Lord and Savior. Rather, we are brought to faith in Christ and kept in that faith only by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 2:1-6, Colossians 2:13) Read More…
The Means of Grace
We believe that God works through the means of grace, that is, through the Word and the sacraments of baptism, absolution, and the Lord’s Supper. In these ways, He creates and nourishes faith and bestows on repentant sinners the gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation that Christ won for the whole world on the cross. Read More…
God’s Word: Law & Gospel
We believe that God’s Word is God’s power to work in our lives. With the word of His Law (the Ten Commandments), God shows us our sin and our need for a Savior. With the word of His Gospel (the “good news” of Jesus and His work for us) God forgives us for Jesus’ sake. (Matthew 28:18-20, Romans 1:16-17, Romans 10:17) Read More…
Baptism
We believe that Baptism saves us (1 Peter 3:21-22). Baptism is the application of water with the saving Name of God: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). In Baptism God creates saving faith in our hearts and washes away the guilt of our sins. This is true for infants and adults alike. (John 3:3-6; Mark 16:16; Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 6:4; Titus 3:5-8) Read More…
Absolution
We believe that faithful, baptized Christians need to keep receiving Christ’s forgiveness because they sin daily and struggle with the effects of sin. God announces the forgiveness of sins through confession & absolution, in the worship service and in private settings (John 20:23). Read More…
The Lord’s Supper
We believe that in the Lord’s Supper the bread and wine are Jesus Christ’s true, substantial body and blood, the same body and blood born of Mary, that suffered and died on the cross, was raised from the dead in glory and ascended into heaven. By feeding us with Christ’s body and blood, God grants us the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation and unites us to Himself. (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26) Read More…
Good Works and the Holy Life
We believe that when we are justified and forgiven of our sins for Christ’s sake, we are also sanctified (made holy) (1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:20). Our lives are renewed to live for the glory of God and to serve our neighbors in love by doing the tasks God has called us to do in the stations He has placed us (Ephesians 2:10). Our good works do not justify and save us. They are simply the natural fruits of faith (Matthew 7:17-18; John 15:1-4). Read More…