Doctrinal statements

Significant differences between the Catholic Church and ours include: the papacy, the nature and role of Mary, invocation of the saints, the doctrine of purgatory, transubstantiation, use of the Apocrypha and tradition as sources of doctrine, and justification through a combination of faith in Christ and good works.

As Lutherans, we love to speak about the forgiveness of sin that we have in Christ. If people realize that they have complete forgiveness through Christ, they will see why there can be no purgatory for Christians. If they understand that we are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus, they will understand why we do not need to pray through saints as mediators.

All of our congregations provide obligation-free information classes that explain what we believe and why. All are welcome to attend.

For more information about the various differences between the Lutheran and Catholic Church bodies, read Catholicism Today, a Bible study available through Northwestern Publishing House.

Christ's prayer is that his followers be brought to complete unity in order to let the world know that God the Father sent him as our Savior (John 17:20-23). God also cautions us to avoid false teachers (e.g. Romans 16:17) and people whose lives do not follow his Word (1 Corinthians 5:11). So we believe that Christ intends us to be united in doctrine and practice with other Christians before we join in proclaiming the gospel of Christ, gather together around the Lord's Table, or engage in other forms of church fellowship. This is the faith that Christ has given us, and it is the key difference between WELS and many other Lutheran church bodies.

In general, our church body has been unable to reach agreement with the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) regarding fellowship, church and ministry, and gender roles. Our areas of difference with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) also include their views on Scripture, biblical interpretation, and homosexuality.

For a detailed explanation of the doctrinal issues that currently separate our church body from LCMS, ELCA, and others, please refer to these publications: WELS and Other Lutherans and What's Going On Among The Lutherans?, both available through Northwestern Publishing House.

Scripture does not exclude infants from baptism, rather it indicates that they need to be baptized because they are conceived and born in sin, and they need to be born again to enter the kingdom of God (Psalm 51:5, John 3:5-6). Through Baptism the Holy Spirit works to create or strengthen faith and brings the gifts of forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation (Titus 3:4-7, 1 Peter 3:21, Acts 2:38-39). We should never deprive children of baptism, "the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit."

On the day of Pentecost when Peter told the gathered crowd, "Repent and be baptized." He also said, "The promise is for you and your children" (Acts 2:38-39). Children were included in the command and promise Peter spoke. St. Paul draws a parallel between Old Testament circumcision and Baptism (Colossians 2:11-12). Babies in the Old Testament were to be circumcised on the eighth day after birth.

For more information on infant baptism you may want to read Baptized into God's Family—The Doctrine of Infant Baptism for Today and Baptism: My Adoption into God's Family, both available through Northwestern Publishing House.

The real presence of Christ's body and blood is a special, sacramental presence that is beyond our full understanding. We say this to avoid crass, cannibalistic ideas that have no place here. This eating is real, but it is supernatural. We do not see or taste the body and blood. It cannot be detected by our senses. We do not digest it like ordinary food.

In summary, we believe that Christ's body and blood are present in the Sacrament and received because of the promise of Christ and because Christ’s body is the body of the Son of God.

A more thorough study of this is available by reading Articles VII and VIII of the Formula of Concord, which deals with the connected subjects of the real presence of Christ's body and blood in the Lord's Supper and the person of Christ, the God-man.

Scripture talks about believers being gathered to Christ on judgment day, but not about a secret rapture at an earlier time (Matthew 24, 1 Thessalonians 4). The being "caught up" that is described and taught in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 is an event that will take place on the last day. Matthew 24:41 needs to be understood in its complete context. Earlier in this chapter Jesus said that at his second coming the world will be destroyed (Matthew 24:29). In Matthew 24:31 he said the angels will gather the elect to be with him. Then in Jesus indicated that not everyone is among the elect, so as the elect are gathered, their immediate neighbors who are not the elect will not be taken to be with Jesus (Matthew 24:40,41). In Matthew 24:51, Matthew 25:10-12, Matthew 25:30, and Matthew 25:31-46 (especially v.46) Jesus explained what will happen to the others who are not gathered with the elect.

For further reading, please see a booklet by Pastor Harold Wicke titled "The Millennium," available through Northwestern Publishing House. "The Millenium" contrasts false teachings regarding the end times with the gospel-centered encouragement that the Bible provides for Christians. There are also several helpful online essays on the rapture on our seminary's Web site.

Among the blessings that our loving Father intends for married couples are companionship, sexual happiness, chastity, and children (Proverbs 18:22, Hebrews 13:4, Psalm 127:3).

In addition, he protects and cares for marriage in a variety of ways—not only by treating it as a lifelong union, but by forbidding sexual activity outside of this bond and by clarifying the role relationships of a husband and his wife.

His design for marriage is that a husband loves his wife and sacrifices himself for her, motivated by the love that Christ has shown for both of them (Ephesians 5:25-28, 1 Peter 3:7). His plan also is that a wife loves and respects her husband in the same way that she shows her love for Christ (Ephesians 5:22-24, also see 5:33). If a marriage relationship is blessed with children, he intends that fathers take a leading role in bringing up their children as Christians (Ephesians 6:4).

Our present marriage laws recognize public, present consent, not cohabitation, as that which establishes marriage. This reflects what Scripture says also. Most cohabitating couples in the United States do not regard or refer to each other as husband and wife and are not legally married no matter how long they live together.

Even though our unbelieving society embraces living together outside of marriage as an acceptable lifestyle, it is still a sinful arrangement. A pastor or congregation will deal patiently with cohabitating people who are seeking spiritual guidance or if they are new Christians who are just beginning to grow in their Christian life of sanctification. This is done by firmly yet gently confronting them with their sin, comforting them with the joy of forgiveness and eternal life through Christ, and then guiding them to change their behavior to show their love for Christ.

God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16). His will regarding it is abused today whenever marriages are terminated through the public and legal divorce decree without marital unfaithfulness or malicious desertion preceding.

Is it possible for a church member to stumble and fall into the sin of homosexuality? The answer again is yes. Scripture does not classify sinful actions into "sins that believers commit" and "sins that only unbelievers commit." The fact that someone sinned sexually with a person of the same gender does not, all by itself, mean that the person isn't a believer, any more than would an act of heterosexual immorality, drunkenness, reckless driving, or cheating on one's taxes.

Can a person remain a practicing homosexual in defiance of God's Word and also be a believing member of the church? The answer is no. Believers agree that what God calls "sin" is sin. They turn from their sin, receive God's forgiveness, and battle against the sin in their lives with the help of God's Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:9,10 are perhaps the key passages on this subject in Scripture. First, note that it includes homosexuality in a catalogue of other sins, with no indication that it is any worse (or any less bad) than greed, slander, or cheating someone. Then, speaking to Christians, Paul says, "That is what some of you were" (1 Corinthians 6:11). The past tense is significant.

1. Our role. Each of us is a steward over the many blessings that come from God. One of those blessings is life. It is given by God and he, alone, reserves the right to terminate life (Deuteronomy 32:39). As we rightfully wrestle how best to manage our time, talents, and resources to the glory of God, so also we make decisions regarding the care of life with that same concern (1 Corinthians 10:31). Simply put, even decisions like "pulling the plug" are first and foremost a stewardship question of managing God's blessings to his glory.

2. God gets his way. Our times are in God's hands (Psalm 31:15). It is easy in the highly emotional setting of making "plug" decisions about someone to think we have all authority over life and death. There are many times when plugs have been pulled and the patient lived or when all the right medical things were done and the patient died. God always gets his way. God has a time of grace for all of us not just to come to faith but to also live that faith (Hebrews 9:27; Philippians 1:23,24), and in our role of caring for each other (Philippians 2:1-5). The obstacles and challenges we encounter provide opportunities for us to demonstrate our love for God (1 John 5:3).

3. Pain. Today most pain can be managed. A standard mantra in medical circles is, "If your doctor cannot control the pain then find another doctor." It is increasingly rare that pain cannot be managed.

4. Life support technology. Don't forget that many people whose lives we enjoy are living because of the blessing of life support technology. There is our cousin who was "put back together" after the terrible car accident and is now doing great. There is Grandma who takes her blood pressure pills everyday to sustain her life. There is the surgery your wife had to deliver your child because there was a problem with the way the baby was situated in the womb. Technology is one more blessing God gives to help us in our stewardship over other blessings.

5. How far do we go. This is the BIG question. When can we tell if God is seeking to take this life home or if it is a challenge placed before us to manage? It is often easier to tell when God is taking someone home than you might think. In the dying process there is generally a cascading series of events that occur with organs failing. The doctor may advise you that ventilator support makes it easier for your loved one to breathe, but his kidneys and liver have begun to fail, and this is adding strain to his weakened heart. Those are the kinds of signs that strongly suggest this person's time on earth is coming to an end.

6. Quality of life. What increasingly becomes the issue is concern about the quality of life a patient would have if he or she continued living. This may be a stroke patient who suffered oxygen deprivation to the brain that resulted in some brain damage. Tube feeding has been used because the stroke left him unable to orally eat or drink at this time or perhaps permanently. The doctor might advise "letting him go" because of the brain damage. A good question to ask at this time is, "If we do not withdraw the tube feeding what would happen?" If the doctor believes the patient would still die in a few days, then he is suggesting there is a declining condition here in which the tube feeding isn't doing anything to sustain his life. Death will come shortly with or without it. The doctor, however, may instead say, "If we keep feeding him like this he could live weeks, months, or even years." Then you have your answer because the patient is not dying. Rather, the patient has suffered a decline in the quality of his life.

We are not permitted to hurry life's end simply because it has lost quality. The patient may prefer to be dead rather than to live like this. The family may prefer the patient dead rather than to live like this. But we are never permitted to bring death simply because we are dissatisfied with the quality of our lives. Even for the bedridden person who cannot communicate there is purpose to that life. Sometimes that purpose to life is to show acceptance of the challenges that come into life (Psalm 46:10), and sometimes that purpose in life is to be the object of concern and care for others so that they might learn or demonstrate their love for God by caring for the patient. We must be ever-mindful of how differently God presents us with circumstances that might allow us to share our faith and hope in him (1 Peter 3:15).

There is no simple answer that can be given to "plug pulling" questions because the medical circumstances vary greatly from one patient to another. The circumstances compel us to always act first out of our allegiance for God, recognizing we are stewards over his gift of life.

It is wise, however, to have realistic expectations. Not all the sick and dying were healed when our Lord served among people, and not everyone was healed among the apostles or those they served. Paul was denied healing of a physical ailment he asked to be removed (2 Corinthians 12:8-10), Paul's coworker Epaphroditus almost died and was not quickly healed (Philippians 2:25). Trophimus was not miraculously healed (2 Timothy 4:20), and Timothy was instructed to use medicinal remedies rather than being healed (1 Timothy 5:23). God has always been selective and has not given a guaranteed promise of miraculous healing to his dearly loved people. Since the time of the apostles, the phenomenon of miraculous healings has apparently substantially decreased in number. Perhaps this is because one of the purposes of miracles is no longer needed. Originally God provided them to substantiate the trustworthiness and truth of the Apostolic New Testament (Mark 16:20).

When you pray for healing, do so as a humble child of God and ask that God's will be done—and tell him you pray that healing is indeed his will. Ask confidently, knowing that he is not only fully able to heal but also able to sustain you in illness and use sickness for your spiritual and eternal good as well as for his glory.

The Lutheran Augsburg Confession puts it this way: "Our churches teach that lawful civil ordinances are good works of God and that it is right for Christians to hold civil office, to sit as judges, to decide matters by the imperial and other existing laws, to award just punishments, to engage in just wars, to serve as soldiers, to make legal contracts, to hold property, to swear oaths when required by magistrates, to marry, to be given in marriage" (Augsburg Confession, XVI:1,2).