Jesus is God's son, sent by God to become human like us. In his life and being he broke through the prison of sinfulness and thus restored the relationship of love and trust that God intended to exist between himself and his children. Though he is eternal, with God at the beginning of time, he was born on earth of a virgin, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was at once truly God and truly human.
The man, Jesus of Nazareth, lived and died in Palestine during the governorship of the Roman administrator Pontius Pilate; we believe him to be the Messiah chosen by God to show his love for the world. He is God, yet with all the limitations of being human. His relationship to God, however, was not one of sin but rather of perfect obedience to the Father's will. For the sake of a sinful world, Jesus was condemned to death on the cross.
But death could not contain him. On the third day after his execution, the day Christians observe as Easter, Jesus appeared among his followers as the risen, living Lord. By this great victory God has declared the Good News of reconciliation. The gap between all that separates us from our Creator has been bridged. Thus, Christ lives today wherever there are people who faithfully believe in him and wherever the Good News of reconciliation is preached and the Sacraments administered.
To view videos about Lutheran understandings of the Old Testament, New Testament, and Jesus Christ, click here. Find some information about what ELCA Lutherans say about the Bible and watch this fun cartoon that explains Who Wrote the Bible. Find out more information on our Five Primary Expectations for discipleship and about the things We Value as a community of faith.
We are members of the Southeastern Iowa Synod of the ELCA. Our companion synod is the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania. You can visit their web site by clicking on the logo below.
If you are new to the Lutheran tradition, we invite you to visit our "What to Expect in Worship" page to find out more about what we believe.
