| |
Home
Who's
Who
Directions
News
& Info
Calendar
See
& Hear
Prayers
Youth
Chapel
School
Columbarium
Capital
Campaign
Partners
FAQs
|
THE CREED
Luther's
Little Instruction Book (The Small Catechism of Martin Luther)
Part Two: The Creed
Translated by Robert E. Smith
May 22, 1994
The Creed:
The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to His Household
- The
First Article: On Creation
I
believe in God the Almighty Father, Creator of Heaven and
Earth.
Q. What
does this mean?
A.
I believe that God created me, along with all creatures. He
gave to me: body and soul, eyes, ears and all the other parts
of my body, my mind and all my senses and preserves them as
well. He gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house
and land, wife and children, fields, animals and all I own.
Every day He abundantly provides everything I need to nourish
this body and life. He protects me against all danger, shields
and defends me from all evil. He does all this because of
His pure, fatherly and divine goodness and His mercy, not
because I've earned it or deserved it. For all of this, I
must thank Him, praise Him, serve Him and obey Him. Yes, this
is true!
- The
Second Article: On Redemption
And
in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, Who was conceived
by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under
Pontius Pilate,was crucified, died and was buried, descended
to Hell, on the third day rose again from the dead, ascended
to Heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Almighty
Father. From there He will come to judge the living and the
dead.
Q. What
does this mean?
A. I believe that Jesus Christ is truly God, born of the Father
in eternity and also truly man, born of the Virgin Mary. He
is my Lord! He redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, bought
and won me from all sins, death and the authority of the Devil.
It did not cost Him gold or silver, but His holy, precious
blood, His innocent body -- His death! Because of this, I
am His very own, will live under Him in His kingdom and serve
Him righteously, innocently and blessedly forever, just as
He is risen from death, lives and reigns forever. Yes, this
is true.
- The
Third Article: On Becoming Holy
I
believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the
community of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection
of the body, and an everlasting life. Amen.
Q. What
does this mean?
A. I believe that I cannot come to my Lord Jesus Christ by
my own intelligence or power. But the Holy Spirit call me
by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, made me holy
and kept me in the true faith, just as He calls, gathers together,
enlightens and makes holy the whole Church on earth and keeps
it with Jesus in the one, true faith. In this Church, He generously
forgives each day every sin committed by me and by every believer.
On the last day, He will raise me and all the dead from the
grave. He will give eternal life to me and to all who believe
in Christ. Yes, this is true!
If you
would like to talk to a pastor about what Lutherans believe,
|
|
|
