Key Beliefs of TIBI

Key Beliefs of TIBI

  • God is the Father, the creator and sovereign over all in all.(Gen. 1; 14:19; Job 38-41; Is. 40:28)
  • Jesus:
    1. Jesus is the Christ, the only Son of God, fully divine and fully human, one with the Father in nature and purpose. (Jn. 1:1-3, 14, 3:16, 10:30; 20:28; Col. 2:9; Heb. 1:3, 8; 1 Jn. 4:9)
    2. He came to earth in human form (Phil. 2:5-11); born of a virgin (Mt. 1:23), the firstborn son of Mary, conceived by the Holy Spirit (Lk. 2:35).
    3. He lived a perfect life, without sin (Heb. 4:15), and died on the cross for our sins (Rom. 5:6-8).
    4. He rose on the third day (Mt. 28:5-7, 1 Co. 15:3-4) and was taken up to heaven (Lk. 24:50-51).
    5. He is seated at the right hand of God, from whom He has received all authority and all power. (Phil. 2:5-11; Mk. 14:62; 16:19; Lk. 22:69; Acts 2:33; 5:31; Rom. 8:34; Eph. 1:20; Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3)
    6. He is the only Savior—through Him and in Him we are saved (Jn. 3:17, 10:9, 12:47, 14:6; Acts 2:21, 4:12; 15:11, 16:31; Rom. 5:9-10, 10:9, 13; Eph. 2:5, 8; Titus 3:5, Heb. 7:25).
    7. He is the head of the body which is the church (Eph. 5:23-32; 1 Co. 12:12-27, Heb. 12:22-24; Eph. 1:22-23; 3:10, 21). The church is not a human institution but the living body of Christ, composed of all believers in all places and times. Christ exercises His authority directly over each believer and over the community of believers as a whole.
    8. He is our Lord (1 Co. 12:3; Phil. 2:5-11; Col. 2:6; 1 Tes. 1:3, 2:19, 3:13, 5:9; 2 Pe. 1:8, 3:18).
    9. He is our intercessor (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25) and mediator (1 Tim. 2:5).
    10. All of Scripture points to Christ as the center of everything we believe and teach.
      1. In Christ many prototypes of the Law are fulfilled (Gen. 12:7; Ex. 12:21-23; Ex. 16:15; Num. 21:8-9; Lev. 16:3-25, Dt. 18:15; and more)
      2. The prophets announce who He is and what He will do (Is. 7:14; 9:6-7; 40:3-5; 42:1-4; 53; 61:1-3; Dan. 7:13-14; Hos. 11:1; Mic. 5:2; Zac. 9:9-11; Mal. 3:1, and more)
  • The Psalms and Scriptures speak of Him (Ps. 2:7; 16:8-10; 22; 69:9; 110:1-4; 118:22-23, and more)
  1. The 4 gospels describe His ministry and how He fulfilled the mission God gave Him. Jesus Himself establishes that all Scripture speaks of Him, establishing this as a hermeneutical principle (Luke 24:27, 44-45).
  2. All the letters of the New Testament and Revelation point toward Christ, and deepen understanding of what Christ is, did, does, and will do in the church, the world, and the universe.
  • The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God who is received after believing, and works to teach, instruct, guide, remind, comfort, and empower the believer to follow God in their life (Jn. 14:17, 26; 15:26; 16:13, 15; Acts 1:8; 2:4; 4:31; Rom. 5:5; Rom. 8). It is this Spirit who provides gifts to Christians so they may use them and thus build up the church (1 Co. 12:4-13). The fruit of the Spirit is evidence of His presence. (Gal. 5:22-23)
  • The Bible is the inspired Word of God (Is. 55:10-11; Mt. 4:4; 2 Tim. 3:16-17); its principles and/or practices are applicable throughout all times. (Ps. 119)
  • Salvation is by grace through faith, and not by works (Eph. 2:8-9, Titus 3:5, 2 Tim. 1:9). The process of salvation includes several points, which sometimes occur in different orders, and the main ones are:
    1. Hearing the Word (Rom. 10:14)
    2. Believing (Rom. 10:9-10, Jn. 20:31, Acts 16:31-34)
    3. Repenting of sins (Acts 2:38)
    4. Confessing Christ (Rom. 10:9-10)
    5. Being baptized by immersion (Acts 2:41; 8:12, 38; 10:47-48; 16:33; Rom. 6:3).

This baptism is a public and symbolic response of the believer’s faith and obedience, through which he participates in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:12). The New Testament associates it with the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38, Col. 2:13-14, 1 Pet. 2:24, Heb. 9:26, 10:10-14, 1 Jn. 1:7), putting on Christ (Gal. 3:27), and salvation (1 Pet. 3:21)—not as a meritorious work, but as an expression of faith in the work already accomplished by Christ, and as a moment in which God acts by grace according to His promise.

The NT also associates the Holy Spirit with baptism (Acts 2:38, 8:17; 10:47; 19:6), but He comes at different moments and in various ways.

    1. Living a life of faithfulness to God and His Word. (Col. 3; Eph. 2:10; 4:17-5:21; Jas. 2:14-26)
    2. Additional points:
      1. t is worth noting that none of the passages given contain all six points mentioned.
      2. God Himself is who reconciles us to Himself, regenerates us, and saves us in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17-19). Faith, repentance, confession, baptism, and obedient life are responses that the Holy Spirit produces in the believer, not merits that we earn.
  • The Church is formed by people who have believed and obeyed according to the biblical pattern shown above, being added by God to His Church when saved by Him (Acts 2:42-47). Each member seeks to live under the grace and forgiveness of Jesus, following God, Christ, and His Word, remembering the principles of Matthew 22:37-40, Romans 14, 1 John 1:7-9, and other texts.
  • Christ will return in glory to resurrect the dead and judge all (Jn. 5:28-29; Acts 17:31; 2 Co. 5:10). Those who have persevered in faith, not by their own perfection but by God’s sustaining grace, will spend eternity in His presence (Phil. 1:6; Jud. 1:24; Mt. 25:31-46; 1 Tes. 4:13-18; Rev. 21:1-4; 22:3-5). Those who have rejected Christ will face eternal separation from God (Mt. 25:41, 46; 2 Tes. 1:8-9; Rev. 20:11-15).

 

Final Note: As a biblical educational institution, all our beliefs are open to serious study, respectful dialogue, and continuous examination in light of Holy Scripture. We affirm the importance of loving one another even when there is not total agreement, according to the attitude expressed in Romans 14.