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Beliefs
INTRODUCTION |
STATEMENT
| THE SIX CHIEF PARTS | CREEDS
and CONFESSIONS | ARTICLES
| LINKS
In
1527 Dr Martin Luther wrote the small catechism, a basic summary
of the most important teachings in the Bible. These are divided
into six chief parts, and these make up the central teachings of
the Lutheran Church.
The
chief parts are:
1. The
Ten Commandments
2. The Apostle's Creed
3. The Lord's Prayer
4. Baptism
5. Confession and Absolution
6. The Lord's Supper
The
following are the biblical texts (and creed) that are contained
in the Small Catechism. For Luther's explanation of these
texts, click here.
The
Ten Commandments
1. You
shall have no other gods.
2. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
3. Remember the sabbath to keep it holy.
4. Honor your father and your mother.
5. You shall not murder.
6. You shall not commit adultry.
7. You shall not steal.
8. You shall not bear false witness.
9. You shall not covet your neighbor's house.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or
his manservant, or maidservant, his ox or donkey,or anything
that belongs to your neighbor.
The
Apostle's Creed
I believe in God the
Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only
Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Plate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand
of God, the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and
the dead.
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.
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and
ever. Amen.
Baptism
"Therefore, go and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" [St
Matthew 28:19].
"Whoever believes and is baptized will be
saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned" [St
Mark 16:16].
"He saved us through the washing of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us
generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been
justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of
eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying" [Titus
3:5-8].
"We
were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in
order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the
glory of the Father, we too may live a new life" [Romans
6:4].
Confession and Absolution
"The
Lord Jesus breathed on His disciples and said, 'Receive the Holy
Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if
you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven'" [St
John 20:22-23].
The Lord's Supper
The holy
Evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke and St. Paul write: Our Lord
Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and
when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the
disciples and said: "Take, eat; this is My body, which is
given for you. This do in remembrance of Me." In the same
way also he took the cup after supper, and when He had given
thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of
you; this cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed
for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you
drink it, in remembrance of Me." [This is a compilation
of the accounts of the Lord's Supper from St Matthew 26:26-28;
St Mark 14:22-24; St Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26]
INTRODUCTION |
STATEMENT
| THE SIX CHIEF PARTS | CREEDS
and CONFESSIONS | ARTICLES
| LINKS
|
