1. We affirm the Sacred Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the divinely, verbally inspired Word of God, and the source and norm for all matters of faith and life, not only in the sense that they speak truly of events that God did in the past, but also as the dynamic power which accomplishes what God does in our lives and in the Church today (Is. 55:10ff; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 1 Thes. 2:13).

 2. We affirm the catholic creeds of the Church and the Lutheran Confessions as espoused in the Book of Concord of 1580.

 3. We affirm the doctrine of justification by grace through faith as the central teaching of Christianity, that it is through the work of Christ alone by which we are declared righteous and have eternal life (Eph. 2:8-10; Rom. 3:21-26; 4:5; 6:23).

4. We affirm the lordship of Jesus Christ, who is risen from the dead and is alive in our midst, demonstrating his living presence as he accomplishes his mighty works through his people today as he himself did when he walked on the earth (Jn. 14:12; Mk. 16:17; Acts 5:29-32; 1 Cor. 1:4-9).

5. We affirm the means of grace (Word and Sacrament) as God's channels, not only to work faith, but to convey God's blessing and power. From the beginning of creation, in the time of the Apostles, and today, the Spirit works through the means of grace (Gen. 1:3; Jn. 1:1-3; Gal. 3:5; Rom. 10:17; 1 Pet. 1:23).

6. We affirm that the means of grace do not work automatically (ex opere operato), but the gifts and power of God, given through Word and Sacrament, must be received by faith and acted on in obedience (Matt. 7:24-27; Lk. 11:28; Jn. 8:31-32; Rom. 1:16-17; Heb. 4:2; Jas. 1:22). Therefore, each believer who wishes to share in the ministry of the Spirit is told to earnestly desire and pray for the Spirit and his gifts (Lk. 11:13; 1 Cor. 12:31; 14:1,13; and Apology, Article IV, 45-46).

7. We affirm the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and his gifts as God's empowerment to his people until Jesus returns (Matt. 28:16-20; Acts 2:17; 1 Cor. 1:5-7; 13:8-9). The Holy Spirit not only works to bring us to faith in Christ, but also preserves us in the faith, gives the office of the ministry, and empowers and guides his people through a variety of ways, at his initiative and disposal, including gifts of the Spirit for mission and ministry (Eph. 4:11; 1 Cor. 12:1-11, 18, 28; Rom. 12:4-8). We affirm that it is "our Lord's will that the diversities of gifts should be for the common profit (1 Cor. 12:4-31)." (Preamble to the LCMS Constitution)

8. We affirm that sanctification is a divine work of God, received by faith, involving a process and series of experiences in the life of the believer in and through which God works by His Word and Spirit to restore His image in the life of the believer (2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 4:24). Sanctification follows justification and is not complete until Christ's return. Therefore, continual Christian growth through the Spirit is to be sought and desired by every Christian (Rom. 12:1-2; Gal. 5:22-25; Eph. 4:11-16; Phil. 3:12-16; 2 Pet. 1:5-11; Heb. 6:1-3).