Things we are convinced of

God has spoken through His Word, the Bible. The Bible is His “road map” that takes us from where we are, all the way into His presence! The Bible gives us the perfect tool for living a God-pleasing life. It helps us know who He is and what He wants. It gives us direction for dating, marriage and raising kids. It gives hope to those who know the heartache of a divorce or the pain of loss. It talks about how to get along at work, school and home. It shows us how to live a life of purpose, with contentment, integrity and joy.

So important is the Word of God to us, that we include it in our name. We like to say that Idyllwild Bible Church is “Where life and the Bible meet.” We are convinced that true joy in this life begins when we discover just how much the God of the Bible loves us and desires a relationship with us. He has provided a way for us to have an authentic personal relationship with Him through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ on the cross. What’s more, Christ’s resurrection guarantees that this relationship with God is possible. The Holy Spirit confirms these truths to the heart of anyone who is sincerely seeking to know God in a personal way. If our convictions are shared by you, (or perhaps new to you,) maybe IBC is the place you can pursue these truths for yourself. We’d love to share the pursuit with you!

DOCTRINE & PRACTICE

(1)  The Holy Scriptures

We teach that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the verbally inspired Word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible and God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Matt. 5:18, John 16:12-13).

(2)  The Godhead

We teach one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections (Deut. 6:4; 2 Cor. 13:14).

(3)   The Person and Work of Christ

  1. We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful mankind (John 1:1-2, 14; Luke 1:35).
  2. We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Rom. 3:24-25; 1 Peter 1:3-5, 2:24; Eph. 1:7).
  3. We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9-10; Heb. 9:24, 7:25; Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2).

(4)  The Person & Work of the Holy Spirit

  1. We teach that the Holy Spirit is a person and He convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 16:8-11; 2 Cor. 3:6; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; Rom. 8:9; Eph. 1:13-14).
  2. We teach that He is the Divine Teacher who guides believers into all truth; and, that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit (John 16:13; 1 John 2:20, 27; Eph. 5:18).

 (5)  The Total Depravity of Every Person

We teach that mankind was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and, that every person is born totally depraved, and, by their own efforts are utterly unable to remedy their lost condition (Gen. 1:26-27; Rom. 3:22-23, 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3,12).

(6) Salvation

We teach that salvation is the gift of God brought to mankind by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins (Eph. 1:7, 2:8-10; John 1:12; 1 Peter 1:18-19).

(7) The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers

  1. We teach that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever (John 6:37-40, 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1, 38-39; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; 1 Peter 1:5).
  2. We teach that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation based on the testimony of God’s Word. However, the use of a Christian’s security as license to sin is clearly forbidden. (Rom. 13:13-14; Gal. 5:13; Titus 2:11-15).

(8)  The Two Natures of the Believer

We teach that every saved person possesses two natures, with provision made for victory of the new nature over the old nature through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit; and, that all claims to the eradication of the old nature in this life are unscriptural (Rom. 6:13, 8:12-13; Gal. 5:16-25; Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:10; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 1 John 3:5-9).

(9)  Marriage and Human Sexuality

  1. We teach that in the Bible the term “marriage” is used to refer to the formal covenant relationship ordained and instituted by God, and    according to the Scriptures can only exist and be fulfilled between one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others (Gen. 2:21-24; Mark 10:2-12; Matt. 19:3-11; Eph. 5:21-33; 1 Tim. 3:2, 12). We teach that marriage is a picture of the loving relationship that exists between Christ and the Church and is to be a lifelong covenant relationship between a man and a woman based on love, respect, mutual submission and personal sacrifice (Matt. 5:31-32, 19:3-11; Eph. 5:21-33; 1 Peter 3:1-7; Mal. 2:14-16; 1 Cor. 7:8-16; 2 Cor. 5:17).
  2. We teach that God intentionally designed and created humanity male and female (Gen. 1:27; Gen. 5:1-2; Matt. 19:4; Mark 10:6), and that God intended sexual intimacy to be enjoyed only within the context of the male to female marriage relationship.  We teach that all other sexual relations outside of the male/female marriage relationship are personally destructive, sinful and forbidden by God (Heb. 13:4; Gen. 1:28, 2:24; 1 Cor. 7:2-5; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1:24-32; 1 Thess. 4:1-8; Jude 1:7).

(10) Separation

We teach that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, as well as sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded of God (Matt. 5:13-16, 2 Tim. 3:1-5; Rom 12:    1-2; 14:13; 1 John 2:15-17; 2 John 1:9-11; 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1).

(11) Church Discipline

We teach that the Lord Jesus himself outlined a God-honoring four-step procedure for   dealing with sin in the life of an individual who professes Christ as Savior and Lord and has identified with a local congregation of believers (Matthew 18:15-20; 1 Cor. 5:1-13; 2 Thess. 3:14-15; Titus 3:10-11).  The goal of all church discipline is the restoration of the professing Christian to a godly life (Gal. 6:1-2; 1 Cor. 5:5; 2 Cor. 2:6-11).

(12) Missions

We teach that it is the obligation of the saved to witness by life and by word to the truths of Holy Scripture and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind (Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:19-20; 1 Peter 3:15).

(13) Spiritual Gifts

  1. We teach that spiritual gifts, being distinct from spiritual offices and the fruit of the Spirit, are abilities for service, given by the ascended Christ through the Holy Spirit, sovereignly, on the basis of grace, to every believer, for the profit of others (Eph. 4:7-13; 1 Cor. 12:4-11)
  2. We teach that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accordance with His own will, for the sick and afflicted (John 15:7; 1 John 5:14-15).

(14) The Church

  1. We teach that the Church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all persons redeemed by grace through faith in this present age (Eph. 1:22-23, 5:25-27; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 11:2).
  2. We teach that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:27,20:17, 28-32; 1 Tim.3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11).

(15) The Personality of Satan

We teach that Satan is a person, the author of sin and the cause of the fall; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and mankind; and, that he shall be defeated by God and eternally punished in the Lake of Fire (Job 1:6-7; Isa. 14:12-17; Matt. 4:2-11, 25:41; Rev. 20:10).

(16) The Second Coming of Christ

We teach that the “Blessed Hope,” belongs to all believers; the personal, imminent, pre-tribulation and premillennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones; and in His subsequent return to earth, with His saints, to establish His Millennial Kingdom (1 Thess. 4:13-18; Zech. 14:4-11; Rev. 3:10, 19:11-16, 20:1-6; 1 Thess. 1:10, 5:9).

(17) The Eternal State

  1. We teach the bodily resurrection of all people, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Matt. 25:46; John 5:28-29, 11:25-26; Rev. 20:5-6, 12-13).
  2. We teach that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and   present with the Lord, where in conscious joy they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord (Luke 23:43; Rev. 20:4-6; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23,3:21; 1 Thess. 4:16-17).
  3. We teach that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious misery until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited they shall appear at the Great White Throne of Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment (Luke 16:19-26; Matt. 25:41-46; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Jude 1:6-7; Mark 9:43-48; Rev. 20:11-15).

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