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The members of Inter-City Baptist Church of Allen Park, Michigan, voluntarily subscribe
and submit themselves to the following statement of faith.
Click to read what we believe about:
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the Scriptures
We believe that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God," by which
we understand the whole of the Book called the Bible. We do not take the statement
in the sense in which it is sometimes foolishly said that works of human genius
are inspired, but in the sense that the Holy Ghost gave the very words of the
sacred writings to holy men of old. His control is not in different degrees
but extends equally and fully to all parts of these writings: historical, poetical,
doctrinal and prophetical, and to the smallest word, and inflection of the word,
provided such a word is found in the original manuscript.
2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 Cor. 2:13; Mark 12:26, 36; 13:11; Acts 1:16; 28:25; John 5:45-47; 17:17; Luke 24:44-45; Rom. 3:4; 15:4; 1 Peter 1:2-3; Rev. 22:19; Eph. 6:17; Ps. 119:105, 130, 160.
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the Trinity
We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons: the Father, the
Son and the Holy Spirit; and that these three are one God, having precisely
the same nature, attributes and perfections and worthy of precisely the same
homage, confidence and obedience.
Mark 12:29; John 1:1, 4; 4:24; 5:23; 10:20; Matt. 28:18, 20; Acts 5:3, 4;
2 Cor. 13:14; Heb. 1:1, 3; 1:8; Rev. 1:4-6;17:11; Gen. 1:26; 3:22; Is. 44:6; 48:16; 61:1; Rom. 9:5; 1 Tim. 1:17; Phil. 2:5-6; Ps. 110:1.
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the Virgin Birth
We believe that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner; born
of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of woman,
and that He is both the Son of God and God the Son.
Gen. 3:15; Is. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:14; Ps. 2:7; Mark 1:1; Gal. 4:4; 1 John 5:20; 1 Cor. 15:47.
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the Holy Spirit
We
believe that the Holy Spirit, not as an influence, but as a Divine Person, the
source and power of all acceptable worship and service, is our abiding Comforter
and Helper, that He never takes His departure from the church, nor from the
feeblest of the saints, but is ever present to testify of Christ, seeking to
occupy us with Him, and not with ourselves nor with our experiences.
John 7:38-39; 14:16-17; 15:26; 16:13-14; Acts 1:8; 5:1-4, 30-32; 11:16; Phil. 3:3; Matt. 3:11; 28:19; Heb. 9:14; Gen. 1:1-3; Eph. 1:13-19; Rom. 8:9, 14, 16, 26-27; 1 Peter 1:2.
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the Devil or Satan
We believe in the personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age,
the prince of all the powers of darkness and is destined to the judgment of
an eternal justice in the lake of fire.
Matt. 4:1-3; 2 Cor. 4:4; 11:13-15; Is. 14:12-15; Ezek. 28:14-17; Jude 6; 1 John 3:8; 4:3; Rev. 12:9-10; 13:13-14; 19:11, 16, 20; 20:1-3, 10; 2 Thess. 2:8-11.
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Creation
We accept the Genesis account of Creation and believe that man came by direct creation
of God and not by evolution.
Gen 1:2; Col 1:16-17; John 1:3; Acts 4:24; 17:23-26; Heb 11:3; Rev 10:6; Rom 1:20.
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the Fall of Man
We believe that man was created in the image of God; that he sinned and thereby
incurred not only physical death, but also the spiritual death which is separation
from God; that all human beings are born with a sinful nature, and in the case
of those who reach moral responsibility, become sinners in thought, word, and deed
Gen. 3:6, 24; Eph. 2:1, 3; Rom. 1:18, 20, 28, 32; 3:10-19; 5:12, 19; Gal. 3:22.
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Salvation
We believe that the salvation
of sinners is wholly of Grace, through the office of the Son of God as mediator,
who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Himself our nature (yet
without sin); honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death
made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted
not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution
of Himself in the sinner's place, the just dying for the unjust.
Christ the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree, having risen
from the dead, is now enthroned in heaven and uniting in His wonderful person
the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection. He is in every way qualified
to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all-sufficient Savior.
Eph. 2:8-9; Acts 15:11; Rom. 3:24-25; John 3:16; Matt. 18:11; Phil. 2:7; Heb. 2:14; Isa. 53:4-7; 1 John 4:10; 1 Cor. 15:3; 2 Cor. 5:21.
For the purpose of clarity, we include the following on atonement:
A. Necessity of New Birth
We believe that, owing to the universal depravity and death in sin, no one
can enter into the Kingdom of God unless born again; and that no degree
of reformation however great, no attainment in morality, however high, no
culture, however attractive, no humanitarian and philanthropic schemes and
society, however useful, no baptism or other ordinances, however ministered,
can help the sinner to take even one step toward heaven. A new nature imparted
from heaven, a new life implanted by the Holy Ghost through the Word, are
absolutely essential to salvation.
Is. 64:6; John 1:12, 13; 3:3, 5, 18; Gal. 5:22; 6:16; Phil. 3:4-9; Titus 3:5; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23; Acts 2:41; 16:30-33; 2 Peter 1:4; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:1; 5:9; 2 Cor. 5:19; Col. 2:13.
B. Means of New Birth
1. Salvation By Blood
We believe that our redemption has been accomplished solely by the blood
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was made to be sin, made a curse for us,
dying in our room and stead. No repentance, no feeling, no faith, no resolutions,
no sincere efforts, no submission to the rules and regulations of any
church or of all the churches that have existed since the day of the Apostles,
can add in the very least to the value of that precious blood, or to the
merit of that finished work, wrought for us by Him who united in His person
true and proper deity with perfect, sinless humanity.
Lev. 17:11; Matt. 26:28; Rom. 5:6-9; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13;
Eph. 2:1-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19.
2. Christ Received by Faith
We believe that Christ, in the fullness of the blessings He has secured
by His obedience unto death, is received by faith alone. The moment we trust
in Him as our Savior, we pass out of death into everlasting life, being
justified from all things, accepted before the Father according to the measure
of His acceptance, loved as He is loved, and having His place and portion,
as linked to Him, and one with Him forever.
John 5:24; 17:23; Acts 13:39; Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:4-6; 1 John 4:17;
5:11-12.
C. Results of New Birth
1. Justification
We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to those who
believe in Him is justification. We believe (a) hat justification includes
the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness;
(b) that it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness
which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer's blood. His
righteousness is imputed to us, not earned by us.
Acts 13:39; Is. 53:11; Titus 3:5-7; Heb. 1:4; 10:38; Rom. 1:17; 4:1-8; 5:1, 9; 8:1; Gal. 3:11.
2. Security of Believers
We believe: (a) that such only are real believers as endure unto the end;
(b) that their persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial professors; (c) that a special Providence watches over their welfare; (d) and that they are kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation.
Places in the Bible where taught: (a) John 3:31; 1 John 2:27-28; 3:9; 4:4; 5:18; (b) 1 John 2:19; Matt. 13:20-21; John 6:66-69; 13:18 (c) Rom. 8:28; Matt. 6:30-33; Jer. 32:40; Ps. 91:11-12; 121:2; (d) Phil. 1:6; 2:12-13; Jude 24:25; Heb. 1:14; 13:5.
3. Walk of Believers
We believe that we are called with an holy calling to walk, not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit that we should not fulfill the lusts of the
flesh; but the flesh being in us to the end of our earthly pilgrimage needs
to be kept constantly in subjection to Christ, or it will surely manifest
its presence to the dishonor of His dear name.
Rom. 8:13; 13:13-14; Gal. 5:16-25; Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:1-10; 1 Pet. 1:14,16;
1 John 3:5-9.
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the Church
A. Universal Church
We believe that the Church is composed of all who are united by the Holy Spirit
to the risen and ascended Son of God, and that by the same Spirit we are all
baptized into the Body, whether we be Jew or Gentile; and thus being members
one of another, we are responsible to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond
of peace, rising above all sectarian prejudices and denominational bigotry,
and loving one another with a pure heart fervently.
Matt. 16:16-18; Acts 2:32-47; Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Eph. 1:20-23; Col. 3:14-15.
B. Local Church
We believe that a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated
by covenant in faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances
of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges
invested in them by His Word: that its officers (Item II), their qualifications,
claims and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe that the
true mission of the Church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as
we have the opportunity. We hold that the local church has the absolute right
of self-government, free from the domination of any hierarchy of individuals
or organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ, through
the Holy Spirit: that it is Scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each
other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that
each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation.
1 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22-23; 4:11; 5:23-24; Col. 1:18; Acts 15:13-18; 20:17-18; 1 Tim. 3:17.
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the Ordinances of the Church
A. Baptism
We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to
show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried
and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a
new life; that it is prerequisite to the privileges of a local church membership.
Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; John 3:23; Rom. 6:3-5; Col. 2:12; Matt. 3-6; 3:16; 28:19.
B. The Lord's Supper
We believe that the Lord's Supper is the commemoration of His death till He
comes, and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination.
1 Cor. 11:23-28
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the Righteous and the Wicked
We
believe that the souls that have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation
do at death immediately pass into His presence, and there remain in conscious
bliss until the resurrection of the body at His coming, when soul and body reunited
shall be forever with Him in glory; but the souls of unbelievers remain after
death in conscious misery until the final Judgment of the Great White Throne
at the close of the Millennium, when soul and body reunited shall be cast into
the lake of fire, not to be annihilated, but to be punished with everlasting
destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power.
Luke 16:19-26; 23:43; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Rev. 20:11-15; 1 Peter 4:18; 1 Cor. 15:22; Rom. 1:17; 6:17-18, 23; 7:6; Matt. 25:34, 41.
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the Second Coming
We
believe in the imminent coming of Christ for the Church: (a) to be followed
by a period called the Great Tribulation; (b) after which He will return with
His saints to this earth, where He will sit on the throne of David, and will
subdue all enemies and reign in righteousness for a thousand years; and that
(c) after this shall be the Judgment of the Great White Throne when the wicked
dead shall be raised and condemned to eternal punishment in the lake of fire
which is the second death. The righteous shall then enjoy eternal glory with
God.
There are two distinct groups of passages in the Bible which describe the Second
Coming. They are very different. One group speaks of a secret coming of Christ
to take His Church; another group speaks of a public coming of Christ to the
earth to judge the world and to set up His Kingdom.
The first phase of the coming of Christ for His Church we call the "Rapture",
which is an old English word meaning "to snatch away upwards". The
second phase, which is His coming with His saints to reign upon the earth, we
call the "Revelation", which means "manifestation". Unless
we learn to distinguish between His secret coming in the air for His Church
before the Tribulation and His public coming for judgment after the Tribulation,
we shall never be able to understand the Biblical revelation concerning the
coming of Christ.
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