What we Believe
We exist to encourage each other as a body of believers to grow in Christ
We do this three ways
Encouraging each other to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with those we meet.
Providing faithful Christian fellowship opportunities for our members and community.
Creating a Christian culture by encouraging service to God through service to others.
Purpose
We are a community of God’s people; called, sustained, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. As the body of Christ, we are obedient to Him, who is the Head, in proclaiming the kingdom of God both in words and actions.
Mission
To make disciples of all people, through baptizing and teaching in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Vision
We are servants in a Christ-centered, sharing community. We see Christus Victor Lutheran Church as a growing family of Christ, maintaining traditional Lutheran confessions of faith, while providing an expanding outreach ministry.
Outreach
We are a church of the American Association of Lutheran Churches (TAALC): Bible based, Christ centered and mission driven. Where scripture is our foundation, the cross is our hope and Jesus Christ is our Savior. We journey in faith and all are welcome.
Need something more precise?
Below you’ll find our beliefs in detail, with Scriptural citations, on a number of topics that we consider essential to fellowship and church life.
What is The Bible?
We believe that the 66 books of the canon of scripture are the Inspired, Infallible, and Inerrant Word of God. We call this collection of books The Bible. We believe that scripture alone is fount and measure of all doctrine.
Who is God?
We believe and confess with the church in all times and places the Doctrine of The Trinity. That is, we believe in one God who has revealed Himself to us in three Divine Persons—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. But there are not three Gods. There is one God who is eternally existent as three Persons. This doctrine is a mystery and is known to us through Divine Revelation in the Holy Scriptures.
What is Humanity?
We believe that man was initially created perfect and sinless, in the image of God. However, through his disobedience to God’s command, Adam sinned fell from his state of perfection. From then on, Adam’s sons were born “in his own likeness,” resulting in humanity being fallen and sinful.
Citations
The problem of Sin
We believe that all people are naturally born in sin and with a sinful nature. This is Original Sin, that is, we as humans are born without an innate desire to fear, love, or trust God. This sinfulness runs to our very core, such that our wills are bent and we are concupiscent – that is, our very desire is towards sin. We cannot outwork our sin with good deeds, because even our best work is done out of sinful desire. We cannot provide a lasting sacrifice for our sin. We cannot even desire to turn away from our sin in our natural state.
Who is Jesus?
Jesus Christ is the only-begotten Son of God. A Divine Person – that is, a hypostasis of a fully divine and fully human nature – who was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary. He lived the perfect life, was crucified for the sins of the world, suffered death you were owed, and after 3 days in the tomb was resurrected bodily from the dead. By His resurrection, He defeated sin, death, and the devil. He ascended into Heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father, where He will come again in Glory to judge the living and the dead.
The Resurrection
We believe that just as Jesus was raised from the dead, so to will all of mankind be raised physically from the dead. Some will be raised to live eternally body and soul in the New Creation, and others will be raised for judgment.
What is Salvation?
Man cannot outwork his sin, or achieve everlasting life by his own merit or strength. Rather, left to our own devices, all of us can only expect to receive judgment and condemnation for our sins. Salvation, therefore, is when we are granted forgiveness of our sins and eternal life for Christ’s sake. Salvation is justification before God based on the freely given merit of Christ. This forgiveness and justification is given by grace alone, and received through faith alone.
Citations
Romans 3:20, Romans 5:1, Romans 6:23, Galatians 2:16, Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5-7, John 3:16
What is Baptism?
We teach and confess with the Scriptures, Fathers, and Apostles that Baptism is a means of Grace. That is to say: It is not merely symbolic. It is a real, God-powered act of the Holy Spirit, and the way in which God delivers His salvation to His people. We believe and confess with the whole church that baptism saves you by washing away your sins and raising you to new life in Christ. The gift of baptism imparts what it promises: Faith, forgiveness, and salvation.
What is Communion?
Communion (also called The Lord’s Supper and the Eucharist) is another means of Grace that God has given to His people. Communion is not merely a memorial meal, or a time of remembrance. Rather, when we eat the bread and drink the wine, we are eating the very real flesh and drinking the very real blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in, with, and under the bread and wine. We believe in the *Real Presence* of Christ in the Sacrament because of His own words, “This is my body… This is my blood.”
In this meal, we are confessing that we are in one accord together, and in one accord with our savior. By eating His body and drinking His blood, we receive His life into ourselves, have our sins forgiven, and have our faith strengthened. We eat this holy meal together every week.
What are the Creeds?
We believe, teach, and confess the three ecumenical creeds as the correct and historic exposition of the Christian Faith:
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Nicene Creed
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again with glory to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified; who spoke by the Prophets. And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Athanasian Creed
Written against the Arians.
Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith. Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.
And the catholic faith is this, that we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is all one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Ghost uncreated. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal. And yet they are not three Eternals, but one Eternal. As there are not three Uncreated nor three Incomprehensibles, but one Uncreated and one Incomprehensible. So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Ghost almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties, but one Almighty. So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods, but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords, but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by Himself to be God and Lord, So are we forbidden by the catholic religion to say, There be three Gods, or three Lords.
The Father is made of none: neither created nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created, but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son: neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is before or after other; none is greater or less than another; But the whole three Persons are coeternal together, and coequal: so that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshiped. He, therefore, that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity.
Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe faithfully the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right faith is, that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God of the Substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and Man of the substance of His mother, born in the world; Perfect God and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, and inferior to the Father as touching His manhood; Who, although He be God and Man, yet He is not two, but one Christ: One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking the manhood into God; One altogether; not by confusion of Substance, but by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation; descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead; He ascended into heaven; He sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty; from whence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies, and shall give an account of their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire.
This is the catholic faith; which except a man believe faithfully and firmly, he cannot be saved.
What are the Confessions?
The Last Things
What about Missions?
Who is the AALC?
Why don’t you give us a visit?
Stop by for Divine Service, every Sunday, 10am sharp, at 1201 Hope Mills Road. You’ll find a warm and inviting family who are excited to have you experience the Love and Mercy of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.