We believe that the Bible is the true Word of God (John 17:17). We believe that the Bible is inerrant (without errors) and that it serves as the basis for faith and life. We believe that the Bible is an unchanging Word, yet it remains applicable from century to century. Inside of the Bible we learn about what God has done for the world, how God forgives sinners, and how one can get to heaven (John 20:31).

In the Bible, we learn that all people are born sinful as a result of Adam and Eve’s fall into sin (Genesis 3). As a result of this act, all people are born destined for eternal death in hell (Romans 6:23). But out of his great love, compassion, grace. God sent his Son, Jesus to be our Savior and take on the punishment for sin that we deserved (1 John 4:9-10). Jesus paid for our sins by dying on the cross on the first Good Friday and rising back to life on Easter Sunday (John 19-20).

We believe the simple truth of John 3:16, perhaps the most well-known Bible verse: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” We believe that heaven and eternal life are found only through belief in Jesus Christ as Lord (John 3:16, John 14:6, Acts 4:12, Acts 16:31).

We believe that apart from Christ, there is no true hope, true comfort, or eternal life for human beings (Romans 10:9). But through faith in Christ, believers enjoy peace, comfort, and hope throughout this life here and now (Psalm 63:3,5, Galatians 5:22-23).

As a Lutheran congregation, we follow in the footsteps of theologian Martin Luther (1483-1546) who rediscovered the beautiful truth of the Bible – that we are saved by grace, through faith, not by our works or actions (Ephesians 2:8-9). We base our teaching and practice on Martin Luther’s three “solas” from the time of the Lutheran Reformation: sola gratia (grace alone), sola fide (faith alone), sola scriptura (Scripture alone). We believe that we are saved solely by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ, as laid out in the Holy Scriptures (the Bible).

Messiah Lutheran Church is a member of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, a Lutheran church body based out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For a more detailed explanation on what our church and church body believes, teaches, and practices, please visit WELS.net/about-wels/what-we-believe.