Mount Calvary is part of the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod and as such we hold to the Creeds of the Early Church - the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athenasian Creed - and we agree that the Book of Concord is a faithful explanation of the Christian faith.
GOSPEL
(a.k.a. “The Good News”) Most simply, that we sinners are saved from eternal punishment by what Jesus did for us (not by what we do for ourselves). The Gospel is the declaration that Peace has been achieved between God and sinful man, through Christ; a “Great Substitution” took place, the life that Jesus lived of perfect obedience to God was credited to us, and our disobedience and rebellion before God was credited to Him as He paid our penalty (death) on the cross; We received His perfection, He received our punishment; it all happened about 2000 years ago, in a particular place (on a cross in Jerusalem) and time of year (Passover, on a Friday). “It is finished,” as Jesus said from the cross; He has secured our salvation for us.
John 19-20 1 Corinthians 15:1-28 Romans 1:16 Romans 5:1-11 Acts 13:26-39
John 19-20 1 Corinthians 15:1-28 Romans 1:16 Romans 5:1-11 Acts 13:26-39
GRACE
“By grace you have been saved… apart from works.” Ephesians 2:8-9.
“Gracious” is a description of God’s character. Because of who He is, He gives salvation to sinful mankind through Christ. The grace that saves us therefore, is the free gift of God’s favor, His good will toward those who are utterly unworthy of His blessings, on account of Christ’s work for us. This favor is certain because God promised it and achieved it through Jesus; it is not dependant on any supposed goodness in the individual. Saving grace is never merited by the individual, but is only possible because of Christ’s life and death on our behalf for our sins. That means that God is not gracious to us because we deserve it, but because He figured out a way to forgive sin and to bestow salvation upon fallen mankind - that way was through Christ. Grace is not a power that God gives to us so that we can “get better,” so that we can please Him with our good works, or so that we can ultimately help Him at all with our salvation. God has done everything for us already in Christ, grace is the favorable disposition of God toward all people, flowing from His merciful and loving character.
Exodus 34:6 Romans 4:1-25; 6:23 Galatians 3:10-14 Titus 3:4-7
“Gracious” is a description of God’s character. Because of who He is, He gives salvation to sinful mankind through Christ. The grace that saves us therefore, is the free gift of God’s favor, His good will toward those who are utterly unworthy of His blessings, on account of Christ’s work for us. This favor is certain because God promised it and achieved it through Jesus; it is not dependant on any supposed goodness in the individual. Saving grace is never merited by the individual, but is only possible because of Christ’s life and death on our behalf for our sins. That means that God is not gracious to us because we deserve it, but because He figured out a way to forgive sin and to bestow salvation upon fallen mankind - that way was through Christ. Grace is not a power that God gives to us so that we can “get better,” so that we can please Him with our good works, or so that we can ultimately help Him at all with our salvation. God has done everything for us already in Christ, grace is the favorable disposition of God toward all people, flowing from His merciful and loving character.
Exodus 34:6 Romans 4:1-25; 6:23 Galatians 3:10-14 Titus 3:4-7
SALVATION
Salvation is a free gift from God to sinful people. Our salvation was worked out to completion by Jesus, His righteousness credited to us as if it were our own, our sins swallowed up in His death on the cross on our behalf. Our salvation has nothing to do with our self-improvement, good works, or “making up” for our sins (our salvation does not come from within us at all– it comes from outside of us, from Christ). Since it is not based on our work or sincerity or merit, but on the perfect work of Christ, we can be assured of our salvation, as He guarantees it by His resurrection, and comforts us by the peace that He has won for us, the forgiveness of our sins.
John 3:14-17 Romans 8:1-3,10-11 John 1:1-18 1 John 1:1-4; 5:11
John 3:14-17 Romans 8:1-3,10-11 John 1:1-18 1 John 1:1-4; 5:11
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