Trinity Orthodox Lutheran Church

Trinity Orthodox Lutheran Church An independent, historic, orthodox, evangelical, and confessional Lutheran church Trinity is a conservative Lutheran congregation.

We accept only the 66 canonical books of the Bible as the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God, and we subscribe to the 1580 Book of Concord not in so far as but because it is also a correct exposition of Holy Scripture. We use a number of versions of the historic Western Rite of the church catholic for our Orders of Service, and we celebrate the Lord's Supper at each regular Sunday serv

ice and other Feast Days of the Church. We welcome all who seek to worship the One True Triune God in spirit and in truth!

09/07/2026

An Encyclopedia of Historic Orthodox Confessional Lutheranism
An Alphabetical Presentation of What We Believe and Practice and Why
Anthropomorphism of God This long imposing word refers to the way the Bible often describes God using human attributes, forms, and emotions. These descriptions appear throughout God’s Word to help people understand various traits and aspects of God’s characteristics and actions that might otherwise be difficult to understand. For example, God is frequently spoken of as having hands, arms, eyes, or as engaging in human-like feelings such as anger or sorrow. These representations do not imply that the Creator is limited by human form; instead, they relate the reality of Who God is in terms more understandable to our human thinking.
In many passages, God is portrayed with physical, human-like features. One instance is Isaiah 59: “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear.” The “arm of the LORD” indicates God’s power and reach, rather than a literal physical arm. Similarly, in Psalm 34, we read, “The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry.” Here, eyes and ears convey God’s knowledge and attentiveness. God’s emotional expressions are also described in human terms. Genesis 6 states, “And the LORD regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” This passage conveys how pervasive humanity’s sin was by describing God as sorrowful. The language uses human emotions in order to communicate the depth of God’s response to evil in a way that compares with human experience.
Anthropomorphism in Scripture exists to bridge the vast gap between an infinite creator and finite humans. Because humans rely on sensory experiences, Scripture uses relatable, human-like descriptions to convey God’s character, such as –
• Clarity: Words like “hand” or “face” attributed to God communicate authority or presence.
• Emotions: By describing God’s feelings in human terms, Believers can understand better God’s compassion, mercy, and justice.
• Teaching: Much like illustrations in a textbook, these descriptions aid in instructing readers about Who God is and how God acts.
However, this kind of language does not mean that God is literally bound by human form or limitations. Rather, it is a way of expressing divine attributes-from power over creation to deep involvement in human history-in a vocabulary humans can grasp. Knowing God completely is
impossible for us, but passages with anthropomorphisms tell us that God does indeed interact with us personally. Yet Jesus clarifies the situation, reminding us in John 4 that “God is Spirit,” emphasizing that the same One often described with arms and eyes in certain passages is not limited or constrained by a physical body.
Anthropomorphism is an important theological expression, and helps an infinite being reveal truth to finite minds. It also demonstrates God willingness to communicate with us, making Himself known in ways people can comprehend. It also underscores that humans, created in the image of God (Genesis 1), share some qualities with Him, though always imperfectly and finitely. Since Scripture is consistent and authoritative, properly interpreting these expressions maintains theology that does not reduce God to human limitation but rather elevates our understanding of divine accessibility and relational willingness. This gives us reverence and humility, recognizing such human language fosters a great respect for God. One remembers that, though God’s actions might be described in human terms, God’s being far exceeds human capacities. It also gives us confidence in God’s Word, as the use of this kind of language demonstrates the Bible’s literary richness and intention to communicate truth clearly. Correctly interpreted, it celebrates how skillfully Scripture bridges cultural and intellectual distances. And it also deepens our worship, for when we read about “the hands” of God shaping humanity, we can respond with awe for the Creator who so personally cares for His creation.
Thus, anthropomorphism is a vital literary and theological device in Scripture. While God is unbounded spirit, His word includes language referencing bodily features and human-like emotions to convey His attributes clearly. Throughout the Bible, these references have consistently affirmed His power, knowledge, compassion, and involvement with humanity. Far from diminishing the majesty of the divine, anthropomorphism offers profound insight into how the Almighty communicates, revealing that, although infinite, God is neither distant nor indifferent, but intimately concerned with the affairs of creation, and making divine truths accessible to every human heart.

09/06/2026

Trinity Orthodox Lutheran Church Worship Service

09/06/2026

Sunday Bible Study

09/05/2026

The Fifty Most Important Teachings of the Bible –
#46 Miracles From God Continue Today – But Only For His Purposes! A miracle is an extraordinary act of God that defies the normal laws of nature. Of course, God is not bound by the laws of nature because He made creation and its physical laws. Throughout Scripture, He works miracles to glorify Himself, rescue His people, validate His messengers, and accomplish His redemptive plan. Therefore, miracles are not random displays of power but purposeful signs that point to God’s character and will. In the Old Testament, they often accompanied deliverance, such as the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14), or judgment, such as the destruction of S***m and Gomorrah. (Genesis 19) In the New Testament, they marked the arrival of the Messiah (Luke 1–2) and the foundation of the church (Acts 2). These acts were never ends in themselves—they testified to greater truths. God is still able to work miracles today, but He does so according to His own wisdom and timing. Miracles are never guaranteed to Believers, and claims of them must always be tested against the truth of Scripture. The primary miracle still happening today is the miracle of salvation, the spiritual resurrection of a sinner. It is the greatest display of His supernatural power.
So, yes, God still does miracles today, but that doesn’t mean we expect Him to give us a miracle whenever we want one. It means that we trust that He can and does act in extraordinary ways to fulfill His perfect will. As we think about God’s miracles, however, we should temper our expectations. Scripture never promised miraculous interventions today. In fact, even though the Bible recorded many miracles, they were each done for the specific purpose of glorifying God and proving that Jesus is who He says He is. God is fully capable of doing anything He wants, including doing a miracle today. However, far more often, He sustains and grows us through trials rather than making our problems disappear. (James 1) Either way, His power is at work. Besides, our faith should not rest on miracles but on the perfect Word of God, which Peter called even “more fully confirmed” than seeing something awesome. (Second Peter 1). Certainly, we should rejoice when God heals or rescues someone, but we should rejoice even more in the subtle, daily miracle of transformed hearts and lives through the gospel. In fact, salvation, sanctification, and the Church’s growth, are all miracles because they are not the result of natural worldly processes. Instead, they are supernatural works of grace. This reminds us that our confidence should not be in what we can do, but in what God has done and still does by His mighty hand.
Today, many people desire miracles from God. They want God to perform miracles to “prove” Himself to them. “If only God would perform a miracle, sign, or wonder, then I would believe!” This idea, though, is contradicted by Scripture. When God performed amazing and powerful miracles for the Israelites, did that cause them to obey Him? No, the Israelites constantly disobeyed and rebelled against God even though they saw all the miracles. The same people who saw God part the Red Sea later doubted whether God was able to conquer the inhabitants of the Promised Land. This truth is explained in Luke 16. In the story, a man in hell asks Abraham to send Lazarus back from the dead to warn his brothers. Abraham informed the man, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” (v.31) Jesus performed countless miracles, yet the vast majority of people did not believe in Him. If God performed miracles today as He did in the past, the result would be the same. People would be amazed and would believe in God for a short time. That faith would be shallow and would disappear the moment something unexpected or frightening occurred. A faith based on miracles is not a mature faith. God performed the greatest “God miracle” of all time in coming to earth as the Man Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins (Romans 5) so that we could be saved. (John 3) God does still perform miracles—many of them simply go unnoticed or are denied. However, we do not need more miracles. What we need is to believe in the miracle of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
The purpose of miracles was to authenticate the performer of the miracles. Acts 2 declares, “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.” The same is said of the apostles, “The things that mark an apostle—signs, wonders and miracles—were done among you with great perseverance.” (Second Corinthians 12) Speaking of the gospel, Hebrews 2 proclaims, “God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will.” We now have the truth of Jesus recorded in Scripture. We now have the writings of the apostles recorded in Scripture. Jesus and His apostles, as recorded in Scripture, are the cornerstone and foundation of our faith. (Ephesians 2) In this sense, miracles are no longer necessary, as the message of Jesus and His apostles has already been attested to and accurately recorded in the Scriptures. Yes, God still performs miracles. At the same time, we should not necessarily expect miracles to occur today just as they did in Bible times. Our creation and our saving faith in Christ are the greatest miracles of all time!

08/28/2026

An Encyclopedia of Historic Orthodox Confessional Lutheranism
An Alphabetical Presentation of What We Believe and Practice and Why
Angels - What Does the Lutheran Church Believe About these Heavenly Beings?
- In the original languages of the Bible the word for “angel” means “messenger.” In most passages the term “angels” designates those spirit beings that were created in infinite numbers (Deuteronomy 33) to serve God in various ways as messengers. The creation accounts make no direct reference to origin of angels. But on basis of Genesis 2 Biblical scholars have concluded that the angels were created at an unspecified time in the six days of creation. Job 38 refers to the presence of angels when God “laid the foundation of the earth.”
- The Bible always speaks of angels as spirits and shows them as otherworldly beings appearing in some kind of human form when, in their work as God’s messengers, they appear to humans. Also, they always appear as male, never as female. Since they are spirit beings, they do not have actual wings, but are displayed with wings in God’s Word to indicate their ability to travel quickly in God’s service.
- The natural qualities of these beings are described in the Bible as being blameless, that is, without any sin, possessing the ability to discern good and evil, and as having knowledge of all things that happen on the earth. They also have great power and strength. The moral perfection of these angels is reflected in the designation “holy ones.” They are also described as immortal.
- The Bible names only two ranks of angels, angel and archangel, meaning simply “chief angel.” In Daniel 12 the archangel is named as Mi-cha-el (Hebrew for “Who is like God!”) “the great prince,” and Joshua 5 mentions a “commander of the army of the Lord,” which may be the same being. The angel Gabriel appears a number of times in the Bible, but is never specifically referred to himself as an archangel.
- The titles of “cherubim” and “seraphim” are not ranks but rather different kinds of angelic beings. God is often portrayed as enthroned above the cherubim, or as riding on a cherub or cherubim. The cover of the Ark of the Covenant, where the Lord promised to be present with His people, was decorated with figures of two cherubim with wings stretched out above the Ark. Embroidered representations of cherubim adorned the curtains of the tabernacle and the veil that enclosed the Holy of Holies. Figures of cherubim with outspread wings also stood in the most holy place in Solomon's temple, and carved figures of cherubim embellished the temple walls and doors. As such, cherubim may be regarded as guardians of a sacred place or as symbols of God's presence. Seraphim on the other hand are mentioned by name only in Isaiah 6, where they are described as six-winged beings who fly above the Lord's throne as they chant His praises. The winged “living creatures” in the description of the heavenly throne room in Revelation 4 are the New Testament counterparts of the cherubim and seraphim of the Old Testament.
- The function of angels as God's messengers may be seen as (a) conveying messages from God to humans; (b) foretelling special acts of God; (c) serving as agents of divine judgment; (d) serving as agents of divine blessing.
- The Scriptures indicate that each Believer has one or more specially assigned guardian angels, and the Bible clearly assures God's people of the constant guardianship of His angelic messengers. (see Psalm 91) Angels also pray for Believers as shown in Zachariah 1.
- Jesus Christ, as “the Head over all things,” is also the Ruler over the angels. Angels announced Jesus' birth, protected the infant Jesus, ministered to Him as He performed His redemptive work, and were always available to serve Him. They were also heralds of His resurrection and accompanied His ascension. Angels watch over ministers of the Gospel in Christ's Church on earth. (see Acts 5, 8, & 12) Angels praise the ascended Christ before His throne, and will accompany Him and assist Him at final judgment.
- The worship and invocation (praying to) of angels is strictly forbidden by Holy Scripture. (see Revelation 22:8–9; also Colossians 2:18) In the early Church, Eusebius, Augustine, Pope Gregory I, and the Council of Laodicea all referred to such activity as the sin of idolatry and thoroughly condemned any such practice.

08/25/2026

The Fifty Most Important Teachings of the Bible –
#45 Don’t Just Keep the Faith – Spread It Around! In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us, “Let your light shine before men … ” (Matthew 5) We’ve all heard that little children’s hymn, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine…” We may think of it as childish but in fact it proclaims a great truth, namely, we must let Christ’s light and truth of His Gospel shine from us, or we are being unfaithful to Christ and refusing to truly be His followers. We need to know that it is partly because far too many Believers in our country do not shine the beam of Gospel truth in politics, entertainment, and education that corruption and indecency are swamping our culture. We must not simply hold on to our faith in Jesus, we must share the Good News of salvation by what we do and say! Jesus calls us the salt of the earth. Note He doesn’t say a Believer is like salt or light; he says “you are the salt of the earth; you are the light of the world.” We know the human body cannot survive without salt and light, and our society cannot survive without the salt and light of Gospel witness. Without the Gospel, our culture becomes less than human, and we ourselves become dehumanized, without the seasoning and brightness of Christ and his true Word. In addition, we must understand that salt and light are no good by themselves, but only when used in service to God. No one eats spoonfuls of raw salt, rather, we use it to add flavor to something else. No one stares into a naked sun; it only serves to illuminate something else. Just so, Believers serve no purpose if they keep their faith to themselves. We are to season and enlighten the world around us, giving it God’s good taste and His brilliance. By definition, then, all Believers are missionaries; we must take our faith beyond private belief into the public.
By-the-way, restricting Christianity to only private belief and keeping it out of the discussion of politics, education, and entertainment, is exactly what many in our country are constantly calling for. We saw this take place in Soviet Russia, and still see it in Communist China and throughout the Muslim world. In order maintain complete power, governments since the Roman Empire have ferociously attempted to keep Christianity out of public life. That’s the underlying purpose of much of the agenda of the left in our nation, which wants to keep religion as a strictly private activity. We must not let that happen here in America.
The salvation of souls often comes from the witness of Believers like us. Remember too that salt not only flavors food but preserves it from rotting. Light not only reveals what is beautiful but also exposes what is ugly. A faithful Believer seeks to preserve what is healthy in society and works to expose what is rotten in order to change it. Believers need to strive to conserve the good and reform the bad. Only the light of Christ can show us what to keep and what to change.
Flavorless, dim Believers are not only unfaithful to Christ, but disastrous for society. Lack of witnessing to the Gospel in our daily lives can allow great evil to spread and strengthen. Such lack of living and spreading the Gospel faith permitted the N***s to control Germany and nearly all of Europe with their evil intentions. Weak Christian witnessing is permitting the abortion holocaust in America today. Christians and churches that fail to be salt and light in public life are permitting the po*******hy epidemic in our country to flourish.
Finally, let us consider how best to give witness to Christ in a darkening world. The most compelling witness is not what we say but what we do. Only if people see that we care about their eternal welfare will they care about what we say. No one will listen to even the most shining truths spoken by a mean and angry person. Some well-intentioned Believers sometimes fall into the trap of anger, negativity, and condemnation. In doing so, we fail to believe in God and His work. He converts hearts, not us; it is for us to love those he has put with us on earth, and then to teach the truth to those whom we love.
Now, of course I cannot tell you how you must witness to the Gospel in your private and public life, but I tell you that this is what Jesus wants you to do. May He guide all of us in faithfully witnessing to His wonderful Gospel, and so share saving faith with many lost souls!

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