The doctrine and faith of the LCSA is grounded solely on God’s own Word exclusively as written in the Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament as the inerrant divine truth inspired by the Holy Spirit.
The
Lutheran Confessions are accepted as the correct and binding exposition
of Holy Scripture; these are the three ecumenical creeds of the ancient
church: The Apostle’s Creed, the Nicene Creed and the Athanasian Creed;
the unaltered Augsburg Confession and it’s Apology; the Smalcald
Articles; the Small and Large Catechism of Luther and the Formula of
Concord in both Epitome and Solid Declaration.
Accordingly,
the Church sees to it that all congregations are thoroughly instructed
in Luther’s Small Catechism, that all evangelists know and acknowledge
the unaltered Augsburg Confession as the Confession of their Church and
that all pastors bind themselves to the teachings of the Lutheran
Confessions in their Ordination Vow.
By
virtue of being bound by Scripture and Confessions, the LCSA is aware
of the unity of faith with the Church of the Apostles and orthodox
Christians of all times. The LCSA is therefore in fellowship with the
Lutheran Churches in the whole world, in so far as these churches abide
by the teachings of the Lutheran Confessions and act accordingly.
There
is no church fellowship with congregations and churches which stand on a
different foundation or, who on their part, have fellowship with those
that accept teachings contrary to Scripture.
The aim of the
Church is determined by the mandate of Christ. Accordingly the Church
dedicates herself to teach the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ to administer
the Sacraments according to Christ’s institution. This service in the
Kingdom of God is directed to all her members and to those who as yet do
not acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Church also takes care that her members as followers of Christ serve the needy and suffering fellow beings.
[Excerpt from the Constitution and Bylaws of the LCSA 1993]