Truths We Teach

The Truths we Teach

This document is a concise summary of the foundational doctrines of faith that we confess at
the International Church of Wrocław (INCW). These statements of belief have been grouped
into two categories which are:

Section A: Essential Alignment (Salvation/Gospel Issues)
These would include those doctrines most central and essential to Christian faith.

B-Level: Fellowship Alignment
These items are not “Salvation” issues, however, as a fellowship which seeks to maintain the
unity of Christ’s body, those seeking to be members of INCW and desiring to be involved in
apprentice and leadership roles within INCW will need to agree to not teach against these
positions if they hold an alternative position.

Section A: Essential Alignment

A-1 Triune God

We believe in God the Father, perfect in holiness, infinite in wisdom, measureless in power and love. We rejoice that He concerns Himself mercifully and justly in the affairs of people, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death unto everlasting life all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.

A-3 The Person and Work of Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ was born of a Virgin, fully man and fully God. As the Son of God, Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on the cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again someday to claim His church.

A-2 The Person and Work of the Father

We believe there is only one living and true God. He is the eternal, infinite, all-knowing, all-powerful, all-wise Creator and supreme Ruler of heaven and earth. He is merciful, just, and loving, governing all things according to His sovereign will for His glory alone. We believe that God the Father, who is love, purposed before the foundation of the world that all who believe should be holy and blameless before Him.” We believe that God the Father is inexpressibly glorious, infinitely holy, and worthy of all of our worship, love, and trust.

A-4 The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is present in the world to make all people aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He inspired and guided the Prophets and Apostles with the revelation of Scripture. He also dwells in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He convicts people of sin and provides Christians with the power to grow in Christlikeness, to understand spiritual truth, and serve the church with the gifts He provides. As Christians, we seek to live under the Holy Spirit’s control daily.

A-5 Holy Scripture

We believe the Bible, consisting of the 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament, is God’s word to us. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is the truth without any mixture or error. The Bible is infallible, inerrant, and absolute truth. Where it speaks, we listen and obey.

Salvation

We believe salvation is God’s free gift to us, which was made possible through Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross, but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ and God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith, we are saved and eternal life begins from that moment.

A-6 Humanity

We believe people are made in the image of God, to be like Him in character. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are born into this world with a nature of disobedience toward God; this is called “sin.” We believe that as a result of Adam and Eve’s sin, every member of the human race, at birth, inherits a corrupt nature that is opposed to God and His law. Therefore, all humans are under condemnation. The effect of sin is radical and pervasive. It extends to the mind, will, body, and affections. Unregenerate humanity lives under the dominion of sin and Satan, who is at enmity with God, hostile toward and hateful of God. This sinful nature separates people from God. This separation is caused by both our sinful nature and our personal choices.

The Church and its Mission

We believe the Church is the body and bride of Christ and also serves as the household of faith. It is a living temple where God dwells in each of His people. We believe that everyone who has been saved by Christ is a member of the invisible, universal Church. We believe that the church exists throughout the world and is witnessed and experienced in local autonomous gatherings of believers. We believe that it is the obligation of the saints to witness by life and by word to the truth of Holy Scripture and to seek to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all mankind.

Eternal State of Humans

We believe people will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or exist eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is eternal death in Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life in Heaven. We believe that Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence.

Section B: Fellowship Alignment

B-1 The Leadership Model of the Church

B-2 Baptism

International Church of Wroclaw (INCW) is a ministry of the 1st Baptist Church of Wroclaw. Although Christ is the Head of the Church, for earthly organisation, we seek to have leaders who have been recognized, chosen from among INCW members, and are responsible to carry out the Lord’s will in the local assembly of believers. (See details in Church Constitution and bylaws)

We teach that those who have believed the message of the gospel, repented, and confessed Christ as Lord and Savior will be baptised as an act of obedience in following Jesus. In the book of Acts people were immediately baptised once they accepted Christ. We want to respond with the same sense of urgency in a timely act of obedience following a confession of faith. We honor our role in obedience through the physical act of baptism in water by immersion, which is a picture of the believer’s spiritual death, burial, and resurrection with Christ. We do not believe a baby, or small child, has the ability to know the truth about God, Jesus and sin; therefore, we do not baptize infants (Matthew 18:1-6). However, upon the request of believing parents we will gladly have a dedication service for the infant and family.

B-3 Communion

We believe that Communion is a memorial, a proclamation of the new covenant. It is a sacred event for those who have a vital, biblical relationship with Jesus. We encourage frequent observance of communion both in our weekly services and, at the leader’s discretion, in our home groups as well. We leave it to the parent’s discretion to decide if their children will partake in communion.

Priesthood of Every Believer

We believe that God intends for every believer to play a role in the ministry of His Church. Though certain roles of leadership may require special qualifications, ministry is not reserved for the leaders, but instead is the obligation of every believer. God’s mission is accomplished best when every member of the Church spends time and effort in ministry. In keeping with Paul’s words to the Ephesian Church, INCW endeavours to provide modelling, mentoring, and equipping for its members to do the works of service.

B-4 Relationships

We believe that the Triune God, who is in His very nature relationship, created us for relationship with Him and with one another. We emphasize the greatest commandments, which are to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength and to love others as ourselves. It is by our primary relationship with God, through Jesus, with the Holy Spirit working in us, that love, and all godly fruit, is possible. It is by our love for one another as Christians that people will know we are true disciples of Jesus Christ. We bring glory to God by living our lives in authentic, life changing relationship with Him and with one another.

Gifts of the Holy Spirit

We believe that God describes the local church as a physical body, with Jesus Christ as the head. God gifts each of His children in unique and special ways to serve and build up the body. Therefore, spiritual gifts are not for personal benefits or glory, but to bring glory to God, as well as to encourage and build up the church. No one individual can have all the gifts. We are interdependent on each other; together we are the body of Christ, which is a clear demonstration of true diversity. There is no division as we all have equal concern and need for each other. God gives principles in His word for the use of some spiritual gifts. To preserve unity and order of INCW, we believe that these principles must be applied in any meeting such as (services/small groups)

Stewardship and Generosity

We believe that stewardship and generosity are important elements of our discipleship and the discipline of Christ followers. We will seek within these discipleship relationships to model, encourage and keep one another accountable to give generously to support the local body of Christ, as God’s Word commands with our time, our talents and our financial resources. The practice of tithing is one way to worship God as we honour Him as our provider and our regular dependence on Him. As a fellowship we encourage Biblical tithing which is to be generous giving of our first fruits to the Lord.

Eternal Security

We teach that a person is saved by grace through faith. Faith is evidenced by action. There are different perspectives regarding eternal security. Often this issue is recognized by the question “Can you or can you not lose your salvation?” Both sides of the issue believe you know a tree by its fruit (John 6:44). In our Church we will encourage those who have given their lives to Christ to grow. If they fall down in their faith, we will help them get back up and continue on with Christ. We believe that a Christian can have confidence in Christ’s perfect sacrifice being sufficient to save us. Again, either way, faith in Christ saves us. Ultimately, we have people from both backgrounds in our Church and we have decided that this is not a salvation issue.

End Times

We teach that there will be a literal and imminent return of Christ and a judgment day. How and when this will happen has been a source of great debate. We believe the details are in God’s hands.

Marriage & Human Sexuality

1. We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning and that is marriage sanctioned by God joins a man and a woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Romans 7:1-3; 1 Corinthians 7) 2. We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to only occur between a man and a woman who are married to each other. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage between a man and a woman (Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 7:1 Thessalonians 4:3) 3. We believe that any form of sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, pornography or any attempt to change one’s biological sex, is sinful and offensive to God (Leviticus 18; 20:10-26; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Colossians 3:5-7; Ephesians 5:1-3; Galatians 5:16-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8) 4. We believe God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (1 John 1:9; Titus 2:14) 5. We believe every person is to be extended compassion, love, kindness, respect and dignity (Colossians 3:12-14). Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed towards any individual are to be renounced and are not in accord with Scripture

Sanctity of Human Life

We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image (Genesis 1:26-28). Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life.

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