Jesus has established that only the Word of God is to shape what is taught in His Church. We therefore believe and teach that:
The Bible is the verbally inspired Word of God and therefore the sole rule for teaching
The word and opinion of men are not to add to nor subtract from the Word of God
The two chief teachings are the Law of God, which points out the sin of mankind, and the Gospel of Chris
t, which points out the Savior from sin. These two teachings are to be properly distinguished and the Gospel is to be predominant. Jesus Christ, true God and true Man, is the only Savior for sinners. By His holy, substitutionary death on the cross, He has redeemed and justified every sinner. The Holy Spirit is responsible for the gracious work of sanctification whereby the spiritually dead sinner is brought to faith in Christ and preserved in that faith until safely entering eternal life in heaven. The Holy Spirit does this work of grace through the means of grace; the Gospel in the Bible and in Baptism and in the Lord's Supper. The LORD God is not willing that any sinner should die eternally but that all should come to know Jesus and thus have eternal life. To that end we seek to share the precious Gospel message of Jesus, His life and His work, with everyone. Messiah subscribes wholeheartedly and without reservation to:
The Apostolic, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds
The Augsburg Confession and its Apology (1530)
Martin Luther's Small and Large Catechism
The Smalcald Articles (1537)
The Formula of Concord (1577)
The Brief Statement (1932)
Concerning Church Fellowship (1962)
