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IBCB
International Baptist Church Berlin
Faith Statement

Our Basic Beliefs

While the Bible serves as our sole written authority for faith and practice, the following faith statement is a summary of the basic beliefs which instruct and guide our life together.

Our Faith Statement

  • In basic beliefs, we have unity.

    • “There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:4-6

  • In non-basic beliefs, we have liberty.

    • “Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters….Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls….So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God….So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves.” Romans 14:1, 4, 12, 22

  • In all our beliefs, we show charity.

    • “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:2
The Basics We Believe

About God

  • God is One and exists in three distinct persons--the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit—co-equal in essence, power, and glory.
  • God has revealed himself to be perfect in love, holiness, and righteousness.
  • God is Creator and Ruler of the universe who upholds and governs all.

Genesis 1:1, 26, 27; 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 12:25-27; 28:19; John 1:1, 2; 10:30; 14:26; 15:26; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Peter 1:2


About the Father

  • God the Father is an infinite personal Spirit, perfect in wisdom, power, and love.
  • God concerns himself mercifully in the affairs of humankind through his providence and his power.
  • God hears and answers prayer and is able to recreate all who come to him through Jesus Christ.

Genesis 1:1; Psalm 19:1; 102:25-27; Matthew 7:11; Ephesians 1:3-6


About Jesus Christ

  • Jesus Christ, God’s one and only Son, is co-equal with God both true God and true human.
  • Jesus lived a sinless life and offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross.
  • Jesus rose from the dead, ascended to heaven where he continually intercedes for his people awaiting his personal, visible return to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:22, 23; 5:17-18; John 1:1-5; 14:10-30; Acts 1:9-11; Romans 1:3, 4; 1 Corinthians 15:1-17; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Timothy 6:14, 15; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 2:4; 4:15; 7:25; 10:19-20; Titus 2:13


About the Holy Spirit

  • The Holy Spirit, also called the Spirit of God or the Spirit of Christ, is co-equal with the Father and with the Son.
  • He is present in the world to make humans aware of their need for Jesus Christ.
  • The Holy Spirit lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation providing the Christian with the power for living, understanding for spiritual truth, guidance in doing what is right, and a spiritual gift for service in God’s Kingdom.

Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:22, 23; 5:17-18; John 1:1-5; 14:10-30; Acts 1:9-11; Romans 1:3, 4; 1 Corinthians 15:1-17; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Timothy 6:14, 15; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 2:4


About the Bible

  • The Bible has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error, for its matter.
  • The Bible was written by human beings divinely inspired and is the record of God’s revelation of himself to humankind.
  • The Bible is a perfect treasure of divine instruction and is the supreme standard by which all human conduct and beliefs should be evaluated.
  • The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ.


About Human Beings

  • People are the supreme object of God’s creation, made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character.
  • Although every person has tremendous potential for good, each person is marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin.”
  • This attitude separates people from God, themselves, and from others and causes many problems in life.

Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; Romans 2:23; Isaiah 59:1-2


About Salvation

  • Salvation is God’s free gift to save human beings from their state of rebellious sin. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works.
  • Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from the consequences of sin.
  • When we admit our rebellion against God, turn from our self-ruled life, and turn to Jesus in faith, God saves us.
  • Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into their life by faith.

Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6; 1:12; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1


About Discipleship

  • All who have been baptized into Jesus Christ by water and Spirit are enabled by the Holy Spirit to obey God’s Word.
  • Each believer is Spirit-guided through faith, prayer, and spiritual giftedness to progress towards spiritual maturity in Christ and obligated to pursue a life of obedience and holiness.
  • Believers are to confess and repent when they sin. Those who persist in sin should be warned and, if merited, disciplined.

Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Romans 6:5-11; 1 John 3:4-10


About Eternal Security

  • Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in that salvation for eternity.
  • Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not the self-effort of the Christian.
  • Since the grace and keeping power of God is the source of the believer’s security, true believers endure to the end.

John 10:29; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25; 10:10, 14; 1 Peter 1:3-5


About the Church

  • The New Testament church is a local body of baptized believers who are associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of Jesus Christ.
  • The local church is the primary instrument of God for the extension of His Kingdom in the world today.
  • Jesus Christ committed two ordinances to the church—baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Though we practice believer’s baptism by immersion, we recognize the variation of practice and affirm the unity of the Body.
  • The New Testament also speaks of the church as the living, spiritual Body of Christ of which Christ is the head and all believers of all ages are members.

Matthew 16:15-19; Acts 2:41-42, 47; 5:11-14; Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 3:16; Ephesians 1:22-23; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:18


About Eternity

  • People were created to live forever and will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation.
  • To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is Heaven.
  • Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence.

John 3:16; John 2:25; John 5:11-13; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15; Matthew 1:8; Matthew 2:44-46



The official doctrinal statement to which we subscribe as a church is The Baptist Faith and Message as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention (USA) in 1963.

For other resources on Baptist doctrine and teaching, see Baptist Distinctives.