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Baptized into the Family of God
Through Adam and Eve the entire world plunged into sin only to be
rescued by the promise of God fulfilled in the Incarnation (the “enfleshment”)
of God's Son, whose birth, holy life, innocent suffering and death,
resurrection, and ascension have won for all mankind a place in heaven.
Man's rescue takes place when he is baptized into the name of the Father and
of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Therein his sins are forgiven and he
receives adoption and the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise and gift is
for adults and children alike as Jesus says, “Make disciples of all nations”
(Matthew
28:19-20) and the Apostle Peter states, "This promise is to you and to
your children" (Acts
2:38-39).
Times of Refreshment
The Lord's Supper is provided regularly for the people of God as well as
on festival days. Through participation in this holy meal, the children of
God are sustained on their earthly pilgrimage by the very Body and true
Blood of our Savior Jesus Christ until they reach the promised land of
heaven. As a confessional church, we Lutherans take seriously the confession
of the lips and therefore practice Close Communion (only those who share our
confession of faith, that is, who say the same thing about God and His
saving work in Jesus Christ, are eligible to commune). What is believed, not
believing, determines unity.
Walking in One’s Baptism: A Clear Conscience for All
Holy Absolution is the individual reception of the remission of sins through
the laying on of hands. We believe and teach that it, too, is a work of the
Spirit and a gift of Christ to His Church, for Jesus says, "whosoever sins
you remit, they are remitted unto them"
John 20:23. Thus we read in
The Apology of the Augsburg Confession * (pdf) "Therefore Baptism, the
Lord's Supper, and Absolution, which is the Sacrament of Repentance, are
truly Sacraments. For these rites have God's command and the promise of
grace, which is the heart of the New Testament." As practiced among us,
Absolution is a cure without equal for troubled consciences.
We believe that Christ has established His Church on earth as the
dispenser of His forgiveness. To this end He has given to the Church these
means of grace which, with preaching and teaching, deliver poor sinners from
sin, death and the devil and give eternal life to all who believe.
* If you need the free Adobe Reader, you
can download it
here
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