What We Believe and Teach
Zion stands on a deep and rich heritage dating back to the ancient Christian Church. As a member of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Zion Lutheran Church adheres to confession of the Lutheran Faith as expressed in the Book of Concord (1580). In agreement with such confession, we believe, teach, and confess:
The Book of Concord of 1580 contains the three ancient, ecumenical creeds of the Church (Apostles, Nicene, Athanasian), the unaltered Augsburg Confession, its Apology, the Smalcald Articles, Luther's Treatise on the Power and the Primacy of the Pope, Luther's Small and Large Catechisms, and the Formula of Concord.
- That there is One God in Three co-equal, co-eternal Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, historically and confessionally called 'The Holy Trinity" by the Church;
- That God the Father sent God the Son, Jesus Christ (who is true God and true Man), into the world to suffer and die upon the Cross as the one divine sacrifice for all the sin of all who have ever lived and will ever live, thus, reconciling sinners unto Himself through the sacrifice of His Son;
- That the Father and the Son sent God the Holy Spirit into the world to convict sinners of their sin through His inspired and inerrant Word of Law and to create and sustain justifying faith in Jesus Christ within them through His inspired and inerrant Word of Gospel as it is preached and personally applied to penitent sinners through Baptism and Absolution and the Lord's Supper, all given by God to His people for the forgiveness of their sins and the strengthening of their faith;
- That God graciously descends to serve His people during the Divine Services of His Church whose historic liturgy prepares them to rightly hear His Word proclaimed and receive His Sacraments as these Means of Grace are faithfully administered by His called and ordained pastors.
The Book of Concord of 1580 contains the three ancient, ecumenical creeds of the Church (Apostles, Nicene, Athanasian), the unaltered Augsburg Confession, its Apology, the Smalcald Articles, Luther's Treatise on the Power and the Primacy of the Pope, Luther's Small and Large Catechisms, and the Formula of Concord.
- The Bible is the inerrant Word of God. It is His message to all people. The entire Bible points to Jesus as the Savior.
- There is only one true God. He has revealed Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- God is the creator of everything that exists.
- People were originally created by God pure and holy. They lived according to God's will, doing what was pleasing to Him.
- Adam and Eve, the man and woman God created in the beginning, went against God's will and brought sin into the world. Since that time, all people have been conceived and born into sin.
- Sin is living out of relationship with God, not living according to God's will, and thus transgressing His holy will in thought, word, and deed.
- People cannot save themselves by their good works or restore themselves to a right relationship with God.
- God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world. He is both true God and true man. He lived to fulfill God's law for us, died on the cross to pay the penalty our sins deserved, and rose from the dead so that we might have eternal life.
- Because of Jesus' death on the cross, God declares a human being just-or righteous-and forgiven. This happens not because of human effort, but because the justification won by Jesus is applied to the one who believes in Jesus as Savior.
- Faith in Jesus is a gift of God, given by the power of the Holy Spirit, thus all the glory belongs to God.
- The means of grace are the Word, Holy Baptism, and Holy Communion. By these means, God applies the merits of Jesus' atoning death to all who believe in Jesus as their Savior.
- Jesus will come again to take all believers to Himself. On the final day, all the dead will be raised. Those who are still alive will be bodily transformed. After this, the final judgment will take place. Unbelievers will go into eternal damnation, and believers into eternal life.
- The true Christian church is made up of believers of all times who believe in the Triune God and in Jesus Christ as their only Savior.
- The true visible church is the church which correctly preaches and teaches God's Word and administers Holy Baptism and Holy communion according to the teachings of Scripture.
- Christians are called to tell others that the only way of salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ and to show their faith by their deeds of love toward others.