top of page
immanuel-what-we-believe

What We Believe

Immanuel Oceanside is a Christian church whose faith is expressed in the words of the Apostle’s Creed. We Believe in the Triune God, who sent His Son Jesus to die for the forgiveness of our sins.

 

But among the many Christian denominations, we joyfully belong to and share the beliefs of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

​

Anyone is welcome to worship with us, regardless of your church background.

Our Core Beliefs

Grace Alone

We believe that there is nothing we can do to be saved. Literally nothing. All of us have sinned and have no business in the presence of a perfect God. The good news is that we aren’t just unable, but also not asked to save ourselves. In His overwhelming grace, God has done all the work on our behalf through Jesus. As humbling as this is for us, it is even more freeing.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8–9)

Faith Alone

We are not saved by our good works. Nothing short of perfection is good enough for God. That’s why God sent His only, perfect, and sinless son to do what we couldn’t. He died for our sins and paid the price for them once and for all. All that we need to do is have faith in Him. By faith, the righteousness of Jesus becomes ours as well. By faith, we become children of God. By faith alone we are saved. Do we still do good works? Of course! But not in order to be saved, but rather because we have already been saved!

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5:1–2)

Scripture Alone

Though written by men, we believe that God breathed, or, inspired, every word through its authors. That’s why we hold the Bible as the only standard of truth. God’s word cannot be wrong, it does not change, it has authority over us, it has the power to work saving faith in us, and it tells us all we need to know God and live a life that pleases and honors Him. That’s why we trust in Scripture above everything, even our own human reasoning and understanding.

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16–17)

Christ Alone

We believe that salvation can only be found by faith in Jesus Christ, the God of Christianity. No other so-called “god”, no other religion, no philosophy, no accomplishment, no possession, no status in life, can provide what Jesus can: Freedom from sin, victory over death, and eternal life forever in God’s presence.

"This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:11–12)

God is with Us

The Hebrew word Immanuel literally means “God is with us.” And we believe He truly is. God is, of course, everywhere — but He reveals to us that He is present and accessible to His Christian people in a real and personal way.

The ways in which God graciously comes to us

Christ

God is present with us in an unmistakable way. Rather than being a distant God, He took on human flesh and became man. He dwelt among us, revealed God’s kingdom to us, died for our sins, and was raised again to overcome death itself and give us eternal life!

Baptism

Jesus died over 2000 years ago to save us. But how is that saving actually applied to us? Through Holy Baptism. In Baptism, God gives His Holy Spirit to bring us faith, wash our sins away, adopt us as sons and daughters, and lead us in His ways for the rest of our lives.

Communion

A meal that isn’t just bread and wine, but also the presence of Christ’s body and blood. So as we receive all four, we are forgiven our sins, strengthened in our faith, and united to one another.

Scripture

God does not leave it to us to figure everything out ourselves. Instead, He uses His true and powerful word in the Bible to reveal who He is, what He has done for us, and who He has called us to be. But God’s Word doesn’t just refer to the Bible, but also to the pastor’s preaching and declaration of forgiveness in worship.

The Church

We are never alone. One of the ways God is present with us is through our fellow Christians. As we celebrate our joys, shoulder our burdens, serve one another, encourage each other, and hold each other accountable, God’s work is done in us and through us.

bottom of page