Lutherans — a comparison of the doctrine of 17 current religions
Prepared by and presented by Rex Bennett
An overview of the beliefs of the Lutherans
- Lutherans:
- Atonement — Christ, by His innocent offering and death upon the cross, made complete satisfaction for all our sins and carried all our guilt. Christ reconciled us to God, and purged us of all sin.
- Baptism — By sprinkling, pouring, or immersion. Baptisms performed by other churches are accepted when all Bible conditions are met. Baptism is necessary for salvation except in rare instances. Infants are baptized.
- Did Christ organize a church while on earth? — No, Christ did not organize a church while on earth. The church organization came later in the development of the church. The Lutheran Church comes closest to the ideal of Christ.
- Ecclesiastical authority — Divine authority is received through the Holy Scriptures only. In a sense, all that exercise authority in accordance with the will of God, as revealed by His word, have the divine authority.
- God — God is a spirit, an absolute personality, eternal, and has no body or parts. God is of incomprehensible shape. God has infinite power, He is omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient.
- Heaven and Hell — Heaven is an eternal place for those saved through Jesus Christ. There will be perfect bliss in heaven. Hell is the abode of the lost and they will have woe and eternal torment. There is no known location for heaven or hell.
- Holy Bible — The Bible is literally the word of God and the only rule that we believe in for faith and practice. As scripture, it contains all of God’s teachings for man’s salvation.
- Holy Ghost — The Holy Ghost is the “third person of the divine essence”. The Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son, and is co-essential and co-eternal with them.
- Holy Trinity — God is trinity, meaning three distinct persons in one divine essence. Jesus Christ is God manifested in the flesh. The Holy Ghost, or third person, manifests God.
- Is membership in a church needed for salvation? — A person cannot be saved outside the church unless there is an exception made. The church teaches the true gospel and administers the sacrament properly for the saving of men.
- Life after death — There will be no family relationships, no sorrow, and no death, just happiness and joy. There is only heaven or hell, nothing in between.
- Marriage — Marriage is for this life only and should be terminated only by the death of the man or the woman (husband or wife).
- Miracles — The acts of Jesus are done through his name. The laws of nature are temporarily suspended during miracles. Miracles a the time of Christ were to confirm his claims of divinity. Miracles are not needed or necessary now.
- Future status of non-believers in Christ — Those who reject Christ will be separated from God and his mercies. This essentially eternal death and the torment of hell.
- Pre-existence of man — They do not believe in the pre-existence of man.
- Purpose of life — The purpose is to find God, salvation, and to help those non-believers in Christ to find him and come to him. The find life’s purpose, one must follow the direction of the Holy Ghost.
- Resurrection — The same body that we lay in the grave will be reunited with our spirit in a literal resurrection. We will be perfectly holy and righteous in that resurrected state.
- Revelation — They believe in the ancient revelations recorded in the Bible, but do not believe in any modern revelation or future revelation. Christ fulfilled all things during his life thus revelation is not necessary.
- Sacrament — They receive the body and blood of Christ in, with, and through the bread and wine. The body and the blood are actually present during the sacrament administration. The bread and wine are given to eat and drink for the remission of sins.
- Satan — Satan was one of the principle exalted spirits in the creation, and then became a fallen angel. He is an invisible spirit being, tempting men to reject God.
- Second Coming of Christ — Christ will come again in the same way that he ascended to heaven. He will judge all men, both the living and the dead, and will appear everywhere at the same time.
- Vicarious work for the dead — There is nothing that the living can do for the dead. They have no ordinances for the dead. After death comes the judgement and we can do nothing for the dead.
- Virgin birth, immaculate conception — Christ was conceived by the Holy Ghost and was then born of the Virgin mary. They do not believe in the immaculate conception.
Click here to return to the ‘Comparisons’ index