InterVarsity longs to bring people into relationship with their Creator. We model our mission and our goal after God's clear desire to bring all people into relationship with Him. God's boundless mercy to us serves as the reservoir from which we dip in order to love and serve others.
The Bible is our primary source for understanding this mercy, as well as the very heart of God. Over the years, we have distilled our Biblical beliefs into a statement known as our "Basis of Faith." While this statement does not say all that we believe, it does contain certain doctrines that are central to the Christian faith and bind us together from diverse denominational backgrounds. All InterVarsity staff members, board members, and student leaders must confirm their commitment to:
1) The unique divine inspiration, entire trustworthiness, and authority of the Bible (II Tim. 3:16,7)
God's Word as revealed in the Bible is the final authority for what we believe and how we live. In a culture where it is often thought to be arrogant to believe there is absolute truth, we firmly believe that our message of hope and salvation is based on the truth revealed in Scripture.
2) The deity of our Lord Jesus Christ (Col. 1:15,6)
Although Jesus was fully human, He was also fully divine. He was God, yet for a short time He stooped to take on human flesh, so that we might have a better idea of His character and plan for our world. Although He was human in every way, Jesus never ceased to be God. Today, He fully deserves our worship and obedience.
3) The necessity and efficacy of the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ for the redemption of the world, and the historic fact of His bodily resurrection (Heb. 10:10; 1 Cor. 15:3-5)
InterVarsity confesses without reservation that Christ's death on the cross was the one complete and lasting act that turned aside God's judgment of the sins of those who confess Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Jesus' act allows those who trust in Him to live forgiven of all the evil that so deeply marks our disposition and lives. Jesus' resurrection defeated the power of sin and death, and testified both to His power and identity as God's Son.
4) The presence and power of the Holy Spirit in the work of regeneration (Titus 3:4-6)
As we demonstrate and proclaim the Gospel to fully enjoy God's saving work in our lives, we must always realize that only the Holy Spirit convicts people of their sin and gives them the desire to pursue the new life found by following Jesus as their Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit comforts our souls and convicts our hearts with God's truth.
5) The expectation of the personal return of our Lord Jesus Christ (Rev. 22:12)
The promise of Christ's bodily return resounds in the pages of Scripture. Until Christ's return, we are called to live lives marked by righteousness, witness, and faithfulness to God. In this current age, we look ahead confidently knowing that our Lord is coming back.
This Basis of Faith provides boundaries that characterize us as followers of Christ. These boundaries surround the arena in which God's truth sets us free.
