We believe, teach, and confess that Holy Scripture (the canonical books of the Old and New Testament) differs from all other books in the world in that it is the very Word of God. We believe what Scripture says about itself: "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16); "For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21); "The Word of the Lord endures forever" (Psalm 119:9).

The Holy Spirit caused every Word to be written through the prophets, evangelists, and disciples. Since Scripture is the Word of God, it contains no errors or contradictions, but, in all its parts, includes the infallible truth (John 10:35; Romans 3:21; 1 Corinthians 2:13), even when it speaks of historical, geographical, scientific, and other secular matters (John 10:35).

We reject the doctrine which under the name of science has gained wide popularity in the Church of our day that Holy Scripture is not in all its parts the Word of God, but in part, the Word of God and in part the word of man and therefore does, or at least, might contain an error. We reject this erroneous doctrine as horrible and blasphemous, contradicts Christ and His holy apostles, sets up men as judges over the Word of God, and thus overthrows the foundation of the Christian Church and its faith.

Furthermore, we also believe that Holy Scripture is complete and that the canon is closed, as Scripture says, "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son" (Hebrews 1:1–2).

For this reason, we do not search for the Word, Will, or Revelation of God in "signs and wonders," that is, apart from the words of Holy Scripture; instead, with complete confidence, we find His Word, Will, and Revelation in the very words of Holy Scripture, which He has given to us and all people. The Holy Scriptures are the sole source from which all doctrines proclaimed in the Christian Church must be taken and, therefore, the sole rule and norm by which all teachers and doctrines must be examined and judged.

Because Holy Scripture is the Word of God, we believe, teach, and confess the Triune God: the One true God (Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:4) is the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, three distinct persons, but of one and the same divine essence, equal in power, equal in eternity, equal in majesty, because each person possesses the one divine essence entirely (Colossians 2:9; Matthew 28:19). We hold that all teachers and religions that deny the doctrine of the Holy Trinity are outside of the Christian Church. The Triune God is the God who is gracious to man (John 3:16-18; 1 Corinthians 12:3).

Since the Fall of man (Genesis 1-3), no man can believe in the "fatherhood" of God except he who believes in the eternal Son of God, who became man and reconciled us to God by His vicarious satisfaction (1 John 2:23; John 14:6). This is a sacred mystery, one that we do not seek to explain through analogy, metaphor, or simile. Reason cannot comprehend God; instead, the Triune God gives us faith to believe. We do not explore the Trinity; we adore Him. We worship the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity. We confess all the three Trinitarian Creeds of the universal Church: The Apostles' Creed, The Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed.

Our churches teach that the Word, that is, the Son of God [John 1:14], assumed the human nature in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. So there are two natures—the divine and the human—inseparably joined in one person. There is one Christ, true God and true man, who was born of the Virgin Mary, truly suffered, was crucified, died, and was buried. He did this to reconcile the Father to us and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for all actual sins of mankind [John 1:29].

He also descended into hell, and truly rose again on the third day. Afterward, He ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. There He forever reigns and has dominion over all creatures. He sanctifies those who believe in Him, by sending the Holy Spirit into their hearts to rule, comfort, and make them alive. He defends them against the devil and the power of sin.

The same Christ will openly come again to judge the living and the dead, and so forth, according to the Apostles’ Creed.

Our churches teach that people cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works. People are freely justified for Christ’s sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor and that their sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake. By His death, Christ made satisfaction for our sins. God counts this faith for righteousness in His sight (Romans 3 and 4 [3:21–26; 4:5].

Our churches teach that since the fall of Adam [Romans 5:12], all who are naturally born are born with sin [Psalm 51:5], that is, without the fear of God, without trust in God, and with the inclination to sin, called concupiscence. Concupiscence is a disease and original vice that is truly sin. It damns and brings eternal death on those who are not born anew through Baptism and the Holy Spirit [John 3:5].

Our churches condemn the Pelagians and others who deny that original depravity is sin, thus obscuring the glory of Christ’s merit and benefits. Pelagians argue that a person can be justified before God by his own strength and reason.

We believe that God, in order to deliver the faith to us, and in order to bring the work of Jesus on the cross to us, uses particular means by which this grace is delivered to us. These means are the Holy Scriptures, the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, and Holy Absolution.

Concerning Baptism, our churches teach that Baptism is necessary for salvation [Mark 16:16] and that God’s grace is offered through Baptism [Titus 3:4–7]. They teach that children are to be baptized [Acts 2:38–39]. Being offered to God through Baptism, they are received into God’s grace.

The Lord's Supper is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself for us Christians to eat and to drink. It is the ministration of His very Body and Blood. It gives exactly what it says: "the forgiveness of sins," as the words declare: "Given for you," and: "Shed for you for the forgiveness of sins," (Luke 22:19, 20; Matthew 26:28), and "This cup is the New Testament in My blood" (1 Corinthians 11:23; Jeremiah 31:31-34). In the Lord's Supper, we receive Christ's very body and blood into our mouths, not in a spiritual way, but truly, physically. This is a sacred mystery revealed in Scripture and believed by faith. Christ is truly present, not because of our faith, but because of His promise in the Word. Therefore, those who do not truly believe still receive Christ's body and blood in the Lord's Supper (1 Corinthians 11:27 ff.). Those who receive it unworthily, that is, in ignorance or impenitence, receive it to their judgment. For this reason, we practice Closed Communion. This is an act of love on behalf of the Church to protect people from receiving it unworthily and to their harm, and to ensure that all those who receive it receive the blessing the Lord intended: The forgiveness of sins.