We Believe
Trinity Lutheran Church of Gillette, Wyoming is a member of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, a group of over 6,000 congregations who walk together in the same confession of faith.
Trinity Lutheran Church serves as a steward of God’s grace in Christ Jesus. We are a community gathered around the Means of Grace, committed to the faithful preaching and teaching of God’s Word and the right administration of the Sacraments. In the midst of a very confused, sin-filled, and bleak era, we proclaim the message of clarity, forgiveness, and eternal hope given to each of us in Jesus Christ. The following are statements of faith that outline the major teachings of the Christian faith. We pray that you would give them thoughtful consideration along with the scripture passages listed.
According to what is taught in the Holy Scriptures, we believe that:
- There is only one true God, namely, the God revealed in the Holy Bible. God is triune, having three unique persons in one divine being – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All are God, yet each is unique from the other two. They do not comprise three Gods, however, but one God. He is the only true God as revealed by the Son, Jesus Christ, and also the prophets, apostles, and evangelists in the Bible (Ps. 110:1, Mt. 28:19, 2 Cor. 13:14).
- Every human being is conceived and born in sin. We each are born inclined to sin, dead to God, and lacking any ability or desire to turn to or seek Him. We are not free to choose either good or evil, God or what is not God, for the human will is enslaved to sin, making us, by our inborn human nature, enemies of God. This innate hostility toward Him is often called original sin (Gen. 6:5, Ps. 51:5, Rom 8:7-8).
- The punishment for sin is death and damnation. When our first parents sinned in the original bliss of creation, God pronounced a curse upon them, and therefore all humankind, who inherit their sin. Thus, death is not natural, but rather the just judgment and consequence of sin. Moreover, sin brings about damnation, that is, eternal separation from God and suffering in hell, from which there is no escape (Gen. 2:17; 3:19, Rom. 5:12; 6:23).
- No person can, by any amount of decent living or good works, earn God’s favor or merit himself salvation. Even the most morally upstanding person is sinful and is accountable to God for it (Rom. 3:23, Gal. 5:4-5, Eph. 2:8-9, Phi. 3:8-9).
- We are justified – declared not guilty – by God solely by His grace, His undeserved and unmerited kindness to us. This happens when a person trusts, by faith, in the saving work of Christ Jesus. This faith is worked by the Holy Spirit, not by any power or will in the individual, making salvation entirely God’s work (Rom. 3:28, 1 Cor. 12:3, Eph. 2:8-9).
- The Holy Spirit works faith in a person through the hearing of the Word of God, particularly the Gospel, which is the good news of the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ alone. Just as He is instrumental in bringing one to faith, He also sustains that faith and directs the person’s life according to the Word of God (Rom. 10:17, 1 Cor. 3:16, Titus 3:5). g
- Jesus of Nazareth, also called the Christ, is both God and man. He is God of the substance of the Father and man of the substance of his mother. Thus, He has two natures, one divine, one human, joined together in a personal union. Each retains fully its own characteristics, yet Jesus is not half God and half man, but simultaneously 100% God and 100% man (Lk. 2:7, Jn. 20:28, Rom 9:5, Col. 2:9, 1 Jn. 5:20).
Regarding the Means of Grace – God’s Word and Sacraments- we believe that:
- We receive the blessings of Jesus’ saving death and resurrection through the means of grace. These are the various forms of the Gospel, offered, delivered, and applied to us, particularly the written and preached Word, Baptism, Absolution, and the Lord’s Supper.
- The Holy Scriptures are God’s revelation of humanity’s salvation in Jesus Christ, and the only source that determines the content of Christian teaching. They are comprised of the Old and New Testaments, written by human authors under the direction of the Holy Spirit, making them God’s Word, not man’s word. These writings are where God has revealed Himself so that people might know about Him, their sinful condition, and God’s plan of salvation accomplished through His Son. Thus, the message of the entire Scriptures is centered on Jesus Christ, the only savior from sin, death, and eternal damnation (Jn. 20:31, Acts 4:12, 1 Cor. 2:13, 2 Tim. 3:15-16, 2 Pt. 1:21).
- Baptism is the application of water to a person in the name of the Triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. By it one receives the forgiveness of sins, rebirth and renewal in the Holy Spirit and, therefore, eternal salvation (Mark 16:16, Gal. 3:27, Titus 3:4-7).
- The Lord’s Supper, or Holy Communion, is the true body and blood of Jesus present in elements of bread and wine given to Christians to eat and to drink. It was instituted by Christ Himself and bestows forgivgeness, life, and salvation (Mt. 26:26-28, 1 Cor. 10:16).
- We proclaim with confidence that God wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. That salvation and truth are found only in Christ Jesus, who died for the forgiveness of your sins and the sins of all mankind.
- We encourage you to visit Trinity Lutheran Church, speak with one of our pastors, and hear the message of forgiveness and salvation that God has spoken to us by His Son.
What About?
A series of 27 pamphlets, written by former Synod President A.L. Barry, that address doctrinal topics, moral issues and concerns in the church to help Christians grow in their understanding of these important questions. These documents are made available in PDF format. You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view them.