STATEMENT OF FAITH

Bible

These statements of faith reflect our devotion to the Bible’s first place in matters of faith and practice.

The following statements of faith do not contain everything we believe at IBC Alicante, but everything we teach agrees with the doctrine presented in this section.

  • We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired by the Holy Spirit and without error in the original manuscripts. We believe that it is the exclusive, final, and complete revelation of God for all people and is the ultimate authority in all matters of faith and daily life. We believe that the Bible communicates God’s plan of salvation through Jesus Christ without confusion or distortion. (Galatians 1:8–9; Ephesians 3:4–5; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; Hebrews 1:1–2; 2 Peter 1:19– 20)

  • We believe there is one God who exists in three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). He is creator of heaven and earth. We believe that before its fall into a state of sin, God’s creation was perfect in all things. As creator, God rules over His creation and is the only One who may judge between good and evil. He is righteous, holy, sovereign, all-knowing, all-powerful, and ever-present. In perfect love, He concerns Himself mercifully and graciously in the affairs of all people. He hears and answers prayer. He forgives sin and saves from condemnation all who by His grace come to Him through Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1–3; Exodus 34:6–7; Deuteronomy 4:25, 30, 31; Psalm 139; Psalm 145; Isaiah 6:3; John 4:24; Ephesians 2:8–9, 4:6; Titus 3:4–5)

  • We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s one and only begotten Son, fully God and fully man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. We believe that salvation from sin and to a new life in God is only possible through the gracious self-giving of Jesus Christ and must be received by faith. We believe in His sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe that He died in our place for our sin, that He rose again, and that He ascended into heaven. We believe He continually intercedes for His people and will personally and bodily return to earth. (Genesis 3:15; Luke 1:27– 28; John 1:1–2; Romans 5:8–10; 1 Corinthians 15; Philippians 2:5–8; Hebrews 4:15, 7:25; Luke 24:36–43; Acts 1:11; Ephesians 2:8–9; John 3:16)

  • We believe in the Holy Spirit, sent to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He restores, sets apart for God’s purpose, and empowers all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit is present with and in every believer in Christ. Having sealed the believer in Christ, He remains an abiding helper, teacher, and guide. (Genesis 1:2; John 14:1– 16:33, 16:8–9; Romans 8:26; 1 Corinthians 12; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 1:13–14)

  • We believe that both men and women are created in God’s image. Therefore, men and women, although distinct, are equal in dignity, honor, worth, and are together co-heirs with Christ. We believe that all people are sinners by nature and by choice and are, therefore, under condemnation from which they are incapable of saving themselves. We believe that God, by His grace alone, has provided the only means for salvation through the sacrificial, atoning, and substitutionary death of Jesus Christ and His resurrection. We believe that God justifies and sanctifies those who by grace have faith in Jesus. (Genesis 1–3; John 1:12; Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:23, 10:9–13; 1 John 1:9; Isaiah 53:1–12

  • We believe in the global Church, the living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all followers of Jesus Christ are members. We believe in the local church, accountable to God alone where we unite by the Spirit for worship, work, learning, and fellowship as a community of believers in Jesus Christ. We believe that we, in response to the Great Commission, have been sent out and given the task of making disciples (committed followers of Jesus Christ) from among all peoples. (Matthew 28:19–20; Mark 16:15; Acts 2:42–47; Romans 1:11)

  • We believe the Holy Spirit indwells and gives spiritual gifts to each believer to love, serve, and edify the Church according to the biblical definition, order, and function of those gifts for the glory of God. Each believer has a spiritual gift, and therefore has a ministry to be exercised within the local church. (Ephesians 1:13–14, 4:16; 1 Corinthians 12–14; Hebrews 2:4; Romans 12:4–8)

  • We believe that Christ has, according to the Scriptures, instituted two church ordinances for believers:

    a. Baptism is an act of obedience and a joyful, public expression of previous, personal commitment to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ. It is connected with the entrance into the new covenant community. The baptism of the believer “in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit” is symbolic of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, the end of an old way of life and the beginning of a new life in Christ. (Matthew 28:19–20; Romans 6:3–4)

    b. The Communion of the theLord’s Table is a proclamation, celebration, and a repeated reminder of Christ’s death, resurrection, and future return. (Matthew 26:17–30; Mark 14:12–26; Luke 22:7–20; 1 Corinthians 11:17–26)

  • We await the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth in his full glory and power and the establishment of his eternal kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment of all humanity, the eternal joy in God’s kingdom for those who are made righteous through faith in Jesus Christ alone, and the endless suffering in hell of those who do not place their faith in Him. (Matthew 24:1–25:46; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; 1 Corinthians 3:10–15, 15:50–54; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:16–18; Revelation 20:11–15, 21:1–4)

For more details about our beliefs,
we refer to the
Confessional Statement of
The Gospel Coalition:
TGC-Foundation-Documents-2020-Final-5-20.pdf