Gloria Dei Lutheran Church Saginaw MI

Our Beliefs

JESUS CHRIST

Jesus Christ is truly, fully God and truly, fully human. "In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form" (Colossians 2:9). Therefore, Jesus is the only one who can and did reconcile us to God. "God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them" (2 Corinthians 5:19).

Jesus lived a perfect, holy life for us in our place. On the cross, He suffered, shed His blood, and died to pay for all our sins. He then rose again from the dead on Easter Sunday to prove His victory over sin, devil, and death, and to give us the hope that He promised: that we are righteous in Christ through faith, in His suffering and death all our sins are fully forgiven, and we will be raised from the dead in His glory on the Last Day.

We believe that Jesus Christ is coming back again as He promised: "Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect" (Matthew 24:44), "Yes, I am coming soon!" (Revelation 22:20).

THE TRINITY

We believe in one eternal God who is the Creator of all things. He is One indivisible Lord and exists in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:18-20).

"So the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God; and yet there are not three Gods, but one God. So the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, the Holy Spirit is Lord; and yet there are not three Lords, but one Lord" (The Athanasian Creed).

He is totally loving, just, and holy. In the work of Jesus, God the Son, He has redeemed us for eternity. In the work of God the Holy Spirit, He creates saving faith in us by means of His powerful, eternal Word and that Word joined to water in Holy Baptism. Likewise, He daily strengthens and nourishes our faith by His Word and in the Lord's Supper.

The bible

We believe that the Bible is God’s Word meant to reveal Himself to humankind. It is inerrant, verbally inspired, authoritative, and applicable to our everyday lives. "All Scripture is breathed out [inspired] by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16).

Therefore, the true way of salvation is revealed only through God’s Word; as a result, we reject any claims of salvation through other means. The Gospel "is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16).

THE SEPARATION

On the sixth day of Creation, God created Adam and Eve in His image — that is, they were morally righteous and were in perfect harmony with God. But, sadly, through their fall into sin, Adam and Eve, with all their descendants, lost this righteousness and became by nature sinful and corrupt.

Because of this, apart from God's self-revelation in His Word, we cannot understand Him correctly. "For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8:7-8). Without the Gospel of Christ, we do not see the truth of His holy love for us, because we are blinded by sinful fear, anger, ignorance, and shame.

Because of the Fall, all are enemies of God, subject to God's righteous judgment and physical and spiritual death. And because of this inherited corruption, no person can, even partially, earn favor with God or avoid eternal condemnation by their own efforts.

THE RECONCILIATION

Because God is perfectly holy, we also need to be holy in order to have a relationship with Him and enter His presence. Jesus lived that righteous and sinless life for us, in our place, and Christ's holiness is declared to be our own through faith in His saving work: "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all and over all who believe" (Romans 3:22).

Jesus Himself took all our sins upon Himself in His suffering and death on the cross on Good Friday. "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us" (Galatians 3:13). On the cross, Jesus declared, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46; Psalm 22:1), showing that He suffered the full punishment for our sins, and even hell itself, so that we never will. "God made Him, who did not know sin, to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Jesus alone has reconciled us to God, merited our righteousness, and accomplished our salvation. We contribute nothing, no works, no choice, no effort. Rather, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23-24).

The new life of faith

Having been freely justified [declared righteous] for Christ's sake and through faith in Him, all Christians now are called "to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called. Live with all humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another in love" (Ephesians 4:1-2). Because we are declared by God to be righteous, all the works that proceed from faith are "sanctified [made righteous] by the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:16).

None of our works save us, but saving faith will naturally produce works. Therefore, "faith without works is dead" (James 2:26), because such an empty faith does not put its forgiveness and salvation into daily practice. However, what God calls us to do, He also empowers us to do through His Word, through our Baptism, and through the nourishment of the Lord's Supper.

These "Means of Grace" (the means by which God's grace comes directly to us and is made our own sure possession) are the power source of the Christian life: "Encourage those who are discouraged, help those who are weak, and be patient with everyone. See to it that no one repays evil with evil, but instead, always strive to do good to each other and to everyone else. Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:14-18).

The Church

We confess the God-given power of the church to proclaim forgiveness and salvation to all of humanity, and the necessity of believers to meet regularly for edification and fellowship.

"There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in the one hope of your calling. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all" (Ephesians 4:4-6). Therefore, church is defined as anywhere that believers gather around the Means of Grace (the Word, Baptism, the Lord's Supper).

In the church, we gather for "divine service," that is, God's service to us in bringing us His saving Word and all the blessings that Word provides: forgiveness of sins, everlasting life, and eternal salvation. We then return joyous and thankful service to our Lord with songs, prayers, and offerings.

We also serve one another with the selfless love Christ has for us: "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near" (Hebrews 10:23-25).

 

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Gloria Dei was formed in May of 1985 by 170 souls who had left an ALC (American Lutheran Church) congregation in Saginaw, MI, seeking to continue in the Scriptural doctrine and practices of the historic Lutheran church. These faithful members formed an independent Lutheran congregation.

Pastor J.K. Smith accepted the call to become the congregation's first regular pastor. Pastor Homer Mosley, Jr. succeeded Pastor Smith and retired in 2020. Pastor Jacob Kempfert currently serves the congregation.

At first, the congregation met in various places, including Michigan Lutheran Seminary, until 1990, when they acquired eight acres of ground and built at the present location. The church is now located in Saginaw Township, which comprises the western portion of the greater Saginaw metropolitan area.

In 1989 Gloria Dei joined the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, headquartered in Mankato, MN. It is part of a regional district, Circuit #3, encompassing Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana. The pastors of Circuit #3 meet regularly for study and encouragement at Holy Scripture Lutheran Church, Midland, MI.

Other groups of men and women meet throughout the year in different settings to grow in their service to the Lord and their appreciation of the Gospel. The blessings of this larger, orthodox fellowship help facilitate the congregation's ministry in its outreach, nurture, and confessional practices.