Our Community

Here are some of the more distinctive of Martin Luther's teachings.

1. Sinner/Saint. We believe that Christians are totally right with God because of Jesus Christ and at the same time we are always less than perfect because of sin. God's action is always grace (undeserved love) and God's action is always central, not my action. See Romans 7:14-25
2. The centrality of baptism. For Lutherans baptism is not merely a rite or ceremony involving a person's declaration of faith. It is God's action performed in the community of the church to claim a life under grace. Baptism is the complete gift and we spend our lives unpacking its meaning. See Romans 6:3-11.
3. The universal priesthood of all believers. Baptism fits us for the ‘office' of universal priesthood of all believers. There is no privileged class in Christianity: all have equal access to God's grace and God is present in all. The key marks of this priesthood are forgiveness of others as God has forgiven us, loving service of others as Christ has served us, and intercession, in which we take the concerns of each other to God in prayer. See 1 Peter 2:9-10 and ‘one another' verses.
4. Vocation. God's call is acted out in all occupations and stations in life. Success by earthly standards is not a criterion for judging faithfulness to that call. See 1 Corinthians 7:17-24.
5. The limits to human reason in spiritual matters. We do not reason our way into faith. Faith from God's side is a claim on our lives. Reason is a tool in the service of faith, not its master. Within these limits, reason remains nevertheless a glorious gift, because by using it we are able to discover and interpret revelation. Romans 11:33-36.
6. The two natures of Christ. In Jesus Christ God took human form. Jesus always remains both truly God and truly human. This frees us from searching for God elsewhere, and it means that God is truly present in Holy Communion, baptism, the Scriptures, and the Christian community. See 1 Corinthians 10:16-17.
7. The theology of the cross. The central event in Jesus' ministry was not his teaching of miracles, but his death on the cross. There he displayed his obedience to God and put our disobedience to death. His glory and holiness were hidden in his suffering and death. We are called to a similar obedience that may draw us into suffering and in which also our life with God may be hidden. See 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.
8. Resurrection life. The resurrection of Jesus is not only the guarantee that those who believe in him will be raised to eternal life after this present life. It is also the source of power for the Christian's everyday life. In baptism we have been buried with Christ and raised with Christ. See 1 Corinthians 15:20-28; Romans 6:3-11.
9. The distinction between Law and Gospel. The Law is what God required people to do for God. The Gospel is what God does for people. Lutherans are careful not to confuse the two, and to keep the emphasis always on the Gospel, which alone gives freedom and life. See Romans 8:1-11.
10. The Protestant Principle. ‘The Church is always in the process of being reformed.' No institution of system or doctrine is ever perfect. All need to be continually evaluated and reassessed.