Our New Doctrinal Basis

1.The only true God, the almighty Creator of all things, existing eternally in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—full of love and glory.

In stating what we believe as Christians, our tendency might be to begin with ourselves, or with what we can perceive with our five senses, or with something in creation. But it is best to start with God himself as the Creator. Life only makes sense in relation to God. Most people, directly or indirectly, worship something or someone—there are many gods that would plead for our allegiance. But Christians worship “the only true God,” the very One who has created all that has been or ever will be.

Almighty God is one and three. There never has been, nor will there ever be, a time when God was not both one and three. There is only one God (Christians are monotheists, not tritheists) and yet God is three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Christians are trinitarian, not unitarian). This is a profound mystery, a divine reality beyond understanding.

This almighty, eternal, triune Creator God is full of love and glory.

2.The unique divine inspiration, entire trustworthiness and authority of the Bible.

Our doctrinal basis, then, begins with God. But who is God? What is God like? What is his will, what brings him pleasure, how does he relate to people? Thankfully, God is not silent but reveals himself and speaks truth to us. There are a number of ways in which God makes himself known to us, but a primary way is through the Bible. The Bible is unique because, though it was written by sinful, finite people, God guided their writing so that we can speak of the Bible, unlike any other book, as “God’s Word.” And since God is the Author behind all the human authors, we can have confidence that the Bible is trustworthy and carries the full authority of God himself. What the Bible says, God says.

As Christians we desire to know and obey our great and loving heavenly Father, so we are zealous to read and study the Bible and to hear it preached. Approaching the Bible with reverence and humility, we can expect to meet God in its pages and respond to God as is fitting. We never worship the Bible, but it honors God to know well everything that he has told us.

3.The value and dignity of all people: created in God’s image to live in love and holiness, but alienated from God and each other because of our sin and guilt, and justly subject to God’s wrath.

Two important truths need to be said about people. First, we have all been created in God’s image. This truth sets us apart from the rest of all that God has made. (We should honor and respect animals and the environment as part of God’s creation, but we should also distinguish them from human beings made in God’s image.) We have been commanded by God to love others and reflect God’s holiness. And since every human being in some way is a reflection of God himself, every person is of great value and dignity, and should be treated accordingly.

Second, we have all sinned and incurred guilt before a holy God. Our sin has separated us from God; in fact, we justly deserve God’s wrath. Every human being (with the exception of Jesus), shares the same fundamental sin problem. This spiritual cancer within us is something that not one of us can ever root out or overcome on our own.

So there is truth about us here to encourage the most downhearted and humble the most proud. We are created in God’s image and are of incomparable value and dignity, deeply loved by God, and we are guilty sinners, deserving to be punished by a holy God who hates sin.

4.Jesus Christ, fully human and fully divine, who lived as a perfect example, who assumed the judgment due sinners by dying in our place, and who was bodily raised from the dead and ascended as Savior and Lord.

Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, is both fully human and fully divine. We err any time we either celebrate his divinity by downplaying his humanity or celebrate his humanity by downplaying his divinity. Jesus was the greatest, most fully “alive” human being who has ever existed and is completely worthy of all our emulation.

Because of our sin, we deserve to die. But Jesus Christ died as our substitute. Since Jesus was fully human, he could legitimately represent us in his death; since he was fully divine, he could satisfy the penalty that our sins deserve.

But Jesus Christ did not only die for us. He also conquered death by being raised from the dead (and not merely in a spiritual way but bodily, in his full humanity) and ascending into heaven. In doing so, Jesus shows he is both our Savior and our risen Lord.

5.Justification by God’s grace to all who repent and put their faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.

If God gave us what we deserved, we would all be condemned. God must take the initiative in making things right. There is only one Savior, only one Reconciler, and that is Jesus Christ. People who turn from their sins and throw themselves upon Jesus Christ by faith will be saved.

Salvation is a broad word that encompasses many different facets. One aspect of salvation is justification—being made right with God. Our sins are forgiven, the barrier that stood between us and God is removed, and we are reconciled. Once we have been justified, we know that whenever God sees us, he sees us “in Christ.” All the righteousness that we need in order to stand before a holy God is ours in Christ.

6.The indwelling presence and transforming power of the Holy Spirit, who gives to all believers a new life and a new calling to obedient service.

While we need to be made right with God, our sinful inclinations also need to be changed. We need to be transformed. God the Son died for us; God the Holy Spirit lives in us. God the Son did away with the penalty of our sin; God the Holy Spirit weakens the power of our sin.

When we believe upon Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, we are “born again,” able to make a fresh, new start. We are truly free to joyfully obey the God who has created and redeemed us.

7.The unity of all believers in Jesus Christ, manifest in worshiping and witnessing churches making disciples throughout the world.

We are not alone in our new relationship with God. All other believers in Jesus Christ have become our spiritual brothers and sisters. We have a unity with them based not in a denomination or tradition, nor in the amount of theology we know or the education we have, nor in the type of worship music we prefer, but in our common faith in Jesus Christ.

Believers in Jesus Christ are involved in churches throughout the world, and are marked by their worship of Christ and their efforts to help others know and obey him. Christians are not individualists but are actively involved in local churches.

8.The victorious reign and future personal return of Jesus Christ, who will judge all people with justice and mercy, giving over the unrepentant to eternal condemnation but receiving the redeemed into eternal life.

The same Jesus Christ who came to earth to live and die for sinful people now reigns victoriously and will one day return to earth. At his Second Coming all people will be judged with perfect fairness, and either brought home into eternal life or given over to eternal condemnation. Life with God in heaven or separation from him in hell are the only two destinations for all people.

The prospect of Jesus’ return to earth fills us with great hope and joy as we anticipate the end of all suffering and look forward to never-ending fellowship with God and the redeemed brothers and sisters of every nation, tribe and tongue.

To God be glory forever!

—Kevin Offner works with InterVarsity’s Graduate Student Ministry.

^[This version (bolded text only) was adopted by the Board of Trustees, October 20, 2000.^]