About Jesus Christ
Do you know about Jesus?
The following is a summary of our beliefs. It is the Apostles' Creed with explanations given by Martin Luther:
I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
What does this mean?
- I believe that God created me and all that exists, and that he gave me my body and soul, eyes, ears and all my members, my mind and all my abilities. And I believe that God still preserves me by richly and daily providing clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, spouse and children, land, cattle, and all I own, and all I need to keep my body and life. God also preserves me by defending me against all danger, guarding and protecting me from all evil. All this God does only because he is my good and merciful Father in heaven, and not because I have earned or deserved it. For all this I ought to thank and praise, to serve and obey him. This is most certainly true.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
What does this mean?
- I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the virgin Mary, is my Lord. He has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with his holy, precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death. All this he did that I should be his own, and live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness, just as he has risen from death and lives and rules eternally. This is most certainly true.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
What does this mean?
- I believe that I cannot by my own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him. But the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way he calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian Church he daily and fully forgives all sins to me and all believers. On the Last Day he will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. This is most certainly true.
What We Confess
Our Confessional Synod
- We are part of a larger church body called the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, WELS.
- We are a confessional church that bases all teaching on Holy Scripture.
- We are also an Evangelical church, meaning we exist to share the good news about Jesus. All Scripture centers around him.
- Finally, we are a Lutheran church. We agree with the confessions of the Lutheran church which came out of the Reformation started about five hundred years ago. The Lutheran Reformation helped turn many Christians back to Scripture as the sole source of truth from God.
WELS churches and schools are found in all fifty states and in missions around the world.
Find a WELS ministry location.
Our Scriptural Foundation
Immanuel Lutheran School was founded on these eternal truths as revealed in God's inerrant Word, the Holy Scriptures:
- The Holy Scriptures are God's Word and are inspired, inerrant, infallible, and supreme in all matters of which they treat. ( 2 Peter 1:21: 2 Timothy 3:16; John 17:17, 10:35)
- There is only one true God --Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- and he reveals himself in the Holy Scriptures. (1 Timothy 2:5; Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19)
- God created all things in six normal days and created mankind as the crown of that creation. (Genesis 1, Psalm 8:4-8)
- Mankind's fall into sin has corrupted the nature of every human being, making all men guilty of sin and therefore subject to damnation. (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:9-19; Romans 5:12,16; Romans 6:23)
- God, through his grace, love, and mercy sent his only Son Jesus to suffer and die to pay the penalty for all men's sins. (John 3:16; Romans 5:6-8; 1 John 2:2)
- All who through the work of the Holy Spirit believe that Jesus is their Savior receive forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. (Romans 5:1; Romans 8:1 Titus 3:4-7; Acts 13:38-39; John 5:24)
- As a believer in Jesus a Christian will strive to show his love to God by using his gifts and talents to help spread the Word of God. He will also help his fellow Christians and all men in every way that is consistent with God's Word. (Matthew 25:31-46; Matthew 28:19; Psalm 51:10-15; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15; 1 Peter 3:15; Galatians 3:10)
- The Lord gave parents the primary responsibility for the Christian training of their children. (Deuteronomy 6:7-9; Ephesians 6:4)
- The Lord also gave to his church and hence to each Christian congregation the responsibility to train its children according to the Scriptures. (Matthew 28:20; John 21:15-17; Ephesians 4:11-16)
- A congregation calls a pastor and teachers to function in its midst as ministers of the Word of God. (1 Corinthians 12:28-29; Ephesians 4:11-12)