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 First and foremost we believe in the Triune God, who has revealed Himself to us in scripture, and most profoundly in His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, who died as a propitiation for our sins.
"He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:2 (ESV)
This we believe is the essence of the Gospel which is the power to save.
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16 (ESV)
We believe faith in this gospel and nothing else saves.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God." (Ephes. 2:8 (ESV)
This in short is what First Lutheran Church believes, teaches and confesses as the Christian faith. What we believe finds more concrete and expanded treatment in the Book of Concord 1580. As such we believe all doctrine and practice of the Church needs be in accord with the Word of God as found in the Bible.
However, one might find a shorter and yet more concise statement of our faith in the Nicene Creed, which we confess every Sunday. Those desiring membership in our congregation are instructed in Luther's Small Catechism, which is part of the Book of Concord. Children are also enrolled in a 3 year confirmation course starting in the sixth grade that instructs them in the Christian faith the Old Testament (1year), the New Testament (1 year) and the Confessions of the Lutheran Church as found in the Book of Concord (1 year).
This is a mere thumbnail sketch of what we believe, as the Christian faith can be plumbed for a lifetime, and there would still be gems of truth to be mined. We would be honored to answer any other questions you might have about what we believe.
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