Beliefs of ICT Church
The only basis of our faith is the Bible, the holy, inspired and inerrant written Word of God in all the 66 books that compose the Old and New Testament.
The following are the reasons for us to consider the Bible as the unique source of God’s truth revealed to man and woman:
- We believe it was uniquely, verbally and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit and that it was written without error in the original manuscripts of the Old and New Testament (2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12).
- We believe that it contains the totality of truth revealed by God, where He expresses His will for humanity and His creation. We believe that it is the supreme and final authority in all matters it mentions.
- We believe that the doctrinal teachings are simple enough that it eliminates any interpretation and dogma.
- We believe in the historicity of the Bible, and the process of Christianity through history and the different manifestations of faith by every generation.
We also accept all those doctrinal teachings in which all real Christians have agree about.
Because of the special calling of our movement, we want to allow freedom of conviction about other doctrinal aspects, provided that any interpretation is based upon the Bible alone, and the understanding that any interpretation should not become an obstacle that obstructs the ministry we were called to do.
We base our beliefs in the following basic biblical teachings. We believe that:
One true God
There is one true God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each of who has all the attributes and personality of Deity (Genesis 1:26, Matthew 3:16-17).
God is Father: Unique, eternal and true; He is the creator of everything that exists and is the source of all authority. He is the first person of the trinity, who has been manifested to man and woman, showing them his unconditional love and his sovereign purpose (John 3:16-17).
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is God the son, the Living Word, who in order to redeem humanity became flesh by a miraculous incarnation of the Holy Spirit and was begotten from a virgin; in Him two natures coexist forever (the human and the divine). Thus, Jesus Christ is truly God and truly human, the only mediator between God and humanity (Matthew 1:22-23; John 1:1; John 14:9; John 17:21; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Timothy 2:5-6).
Jesus Christ, as Son of God, lived a perfect and sinless life. Willingly, he went to Calvary where he died on the cross as a substitute for the sins of all his people. Hence, by means of His victory, He can save everyone who trusts in Him and in Him alone. On the third day he was raised from the dead victoriously with the same body he had when he died, though it was a glorified body, and forty days later, ascended into heaven where He is seated at the right hand of the Father, where He still intercedes for those who belong to Him. We believe that Jesus Christ will come again a second time, personally, visibly and in the flesh to Earth according to His promise, to fulfill the perfect plan of God (Acts 1:9-11).
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the trinity, who has all the attributes of God’s deity and personality; his main goal is to glorify Christ, to preserve his redeeming work and apply it to the Christian believer. The Holy Spirit literally comes to dwell in the life of the one who has accepted Jesus as His Lord and Savior (Matthew 28:18-20; John 15:16; John 16:7-15; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 8:15-17, 26-27; Ephesians 1:13).
The Holy Spirit’s fullness and control are received by the believers through faith in Jesus Christ. Every child of God is called to live in the power of the Holy Spirit, bearing spiritual fruit in his or her life and in others, avoiding satisfying the desires of the sinful human nature which stands against God (Acts 1:8; Romans 8:12-13; Galatians 5:16, 22-23).
Men and women
Men and women were created by God in his image, and have three basic dimensions: spirit, soul and body. Man and woman are the noblest creatures of creation, which possess God’s essential attributes: mind, emotions and will. In his and her natural condition, men and women are separated from God and are unable to have communion with God because of man and woman’s sinful nature (Genesis 1:26; Romans 3:23).
Humanity decided to live in rebellion from God, hence they live in darkness and is far from the light of God, is under judgment, condemnation and eternal judgment unless the individual accepts Jesus Christ as his or her personal Lord and Savior.
Salvation
God’s redeeming and salvific work through Jesus Christ is proof of God’s mercy and love. Salvation can only be obtained by faith alone, through grace alone, and in Jesus Christ alone. Salvation is not obtained through acts of goodness or through any religious ritual or ceremony.
The certainty of Salvation is based on an unbreakable and eternal relationship with God the Father, through Jesus Christ and with the assurance of what is said in the Word of God, that absolutely nothing can separate us from God’s love (John 3:3; John 10:28; Romans 8:38-39; Ephesians 2:8-9).
The Church
The Universal Church or the Body of Christ is composed by all those, alive or dead, who believe or have believed in Jesus Christ and have been planted in His body by the Holy Spirit.
The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is the head of the Church. It urges Christians to meet regularly, to worship God, to take part in the Sacraments (baptism, communion), to edify themselves with the Word of God and to encourage one another (Ephesians 4:15-16).
Eternity
At death, a Christian starts to enjoy the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, His eternity, consciously and seamlessly, and waits for the resurrection of his or her body for eternal blessing and glory.
When an unbeliever dies, he or she enters into an eternal and conscious separation from the Lord Jesus Christ, waits for the resurrection of the dead and, after Judgment, enters into eternal condemnation (Daniel 9:12; Matthew 25:46; 1 Corinthians 15:12-20).
The Great Commission
Until the second coming of Jesus Christ, Christians have the privilege and the duty of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ all over the world and of teaching people in every nation according to the Great Commission Jesus has given to them.
This means that all personal and mundane ambitions are subordinated to a full surrender to Jesus Christ and His cause, because “He loved us to the end”.
We also accept all doctrinal teachings about which Christians have historically agreed upon. Due to the special calling of our Church, we wish to give enough freedom about other doctrinal aspects — understanding that no interpretation should become a hindrance for our call to provide for the fulfillment of the Great Commission in this generation (Matthew 28:18-20; 2 Timothy 2:2).