St Paul's is a Lutheran Church...
The Lutheran Church was the first Protestant Church which found its beginnings in the reformation when Martin Luther (our name sake) discovered the gospel message of Jesus Christ. He discovered the gospel as he studied the bible for himself. Luther was a priest and university professor. He challenged the Catholic Church of the day with this message asking them to reform taking on board this gospel which appeared so clearly in the bible.
Today the Lutheran Church is one of the largest Christian denominations worldwide and continues to place emphasis on the gospel message. In Sydney the Lutheran Church isn't as well known as it is in places such as the USA and Europe. As a Lutheran Church in Australia we belong to a larger body called the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA), in turn the LCA is involved in partnership and dialogue with other Lutheran churches around the world.
The gospel message is at the heart of who we are and that mesage is "that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 2:8,9) and that "while we were sinners Jesus Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). There is absolutely nothing we can offer or do to win God's favour or blessing, he gives it as a free gift and all we can do is give him thanks for his wonderful gift of salvation.
As people saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ we are called to do serve our neighbour and be that gospel message in the communities we are a part of, not to earn salvation or win favour, but as an act of worship to the God who loves us.
Below is a very brief summary of what Lutherans believe. For a more detailed look into Lutheran beliefs please speak with our pastor.
Lutheran Beliefs
We believe ...
that God created the universe and everything in it, and that he created humans as the crown of creation and as moral beings for a life of worship and service to God (Isaiah 43:7, Psalm 100).
We believe ...
that we turned our back on God's will and purposes (that is, we 'sinned'), and in our rebellious and sinful condition we stand helpless and hopeless under the judgement of God (Romans 3:12,23).
We believe ...
that God gave his Son, Jesus Christ, to die for the sins of all of us, and that the good news of his love in Christ is for all people everywhere (John 3:16, Romans 3:24).
We believe ...
that everyone who, by the working of the Holy Spirit, accepts in personal faith what Jesus Christ has done by his death on the cross and by his resurrection, receives forgiveness from God, becomes a child of God and a member of his church (Acts 16:31, Romans 3:22).
We believe ...
that God has revealed eternal truth to us in his inspired, inerrant word, the Bible, and that it alone is the basis of the Christian faith (2 Timothy 3:15-17, John 17:17).
We believe ...
that God offers his grace and forgiveness to all people, including infants, in the sacrament of baptism. We also believe that in the sacrament of the Lord's supper, the body and blood of Christ are given in, with and under bread and wine, as a further assurance of personal forgiveness to believers.
We believe ...
that the word of God and the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper are the means through which the Holy Spirit can work in people to give faith and spiritual life to them and to the church.
We believe ...
that Christians, though still subject to sin and failure, will show love to God in a life of loving service to other people, practising forgiveness, kindness, patience, humility and unselfish service of others for Christ's sake.
We believe ...
that Christians are called into the church to praise and worship God, to receive the Spirit's renewal for their faith, to strengthen their fellow believers, and to carry out God's mission of taking the good news of his saving love to all people.
We believe...
that God will raise up all people on the last day and that every person who believes in Jesus as Saviour will be given eternal life.
We confess ...
what we know from God's word as expressed in the Lutheran Confessions, which include the historic creeds (Nicene, Apostles and Athanasian), the Augsburg Confession and Luther's Small Catechism.