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Statement of Faith of ICARE Ministries
The Scriptures
We believe the 66 books of the Holy Bible constitute the completed, inspired, and preserved Word of God, without error in all it teaches and is our authority in matters of doctrine, practice, and opinion.
The One True God
We believe in God the Father, an holy, sinless, omnipresent, omnipotent, and eternally self-existent Spirit Who is sovereign in the universe He created, worthy of all honor, praise, confidence and love; Who exists in a unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Who are equal in essence, harmonious in purpose, yet distinct in personality and function.
Our Lord Jesus Christ
We believe in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, God the Son, the second Person of the Holy Trinity, creator and sustainer of all things, Who took on Himself the nature of man by miraculous birth to a virgin while retaining His eternal essence as God; was tempted yet remains totally without sin, made complete and sufficient payment by His death on the cross for all the sins of those the Father had given Him unto eternal salvation, that He rose bodily on the third day and is our only High Priest and only Mediator between God and Man.
The Holy Spirit
We believe in God the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity Who glorifies the Son, convicts of sin, of righteousness and of judgement; is the agent of salvation, and Who calls and seals the believer at the moment of salvation and who guides, teaches, sanctifies and endows believers with gifts of service.
The Nature of Man
We believe God created man innocent in the image of the character of God, but that Adam, the first man, transgressed the law of God and thereby brought sin and death into the world so that all people born into this world are depraved sinners by nature and unable in any way to remedy their state of sin and separation from God, do not seek God, are spiritually dead and helpless in trespasses and sins, and in need of God's grace for a spiritual rebirth, repentance toward God, and faith in, the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.
Salvation
We believe that salvation is wholly a gift of God's grace for His own sovereign purposes, which He effects in particular people by His foreknowledge, election, and effectual calling unto a spiritual rebirth, and granting of both repentance and faith; which salvation is received only through faith, itself the gift of God, in Jesus Christ alone, Who made one eternal and sufficient payment for all the sins of all the Church in His death on the cross; which salvation results in the new nature, forgiveness of sins, justification, the gift of the Holy Spirit, imputation of divine righteousness, and security in Christ; which salvation is not in any manner earned by any religious, ceremonial, or other effort of mankind such as baptism, sacraments, church membership, outward signs, or because of inherent faith, ability, or worthiness of any kind in humankind.
The Church
We believe the local church is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant of faith, operating under the authority of the written Word of God to worship, work, teach, edify, discipline, observe the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper, and to go into all the world to make disciples; and is God's called out institution for the spreading of the gospel. The "church universal" is the entire body of believers in Christ, irrespective of affiliation or location.
Our Enemy Satan
We believe there is a personal devil, a fallen angel, who with his multitude of demons, seeks continually to frustrate the purposes of God, tempt, test, ensnare, and deceive mankind, but who will be cast into the lake of fire for all of eternity.
The Day of the Lord
We believe in the personal, imminent return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Who will gather the Church unto Himself, set up and rule His kingdom, resurrect the righteous unto eternal life and joy in God's presence, and the unrighteous unto the second death and everlasting punishment.
July 2007, revised May 2009
ICARE Ministries, Inc.
www.icareministry.org
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