We believe that there is only one living and true God, eternally existent in three Persons of one power, substance, and eternity — Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Without beginning and without end, eternal.
We believe in the deity and full humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and as such He is fully God and fully man. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We believe in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father and in His personal return in power and glory.
We believe in the full deity of the Holy Spirit, acknowledging Him together with the Father and the Son as Creator and Redeemer. (John 1)
We believe the Bible to be the inerrant and only true Word of God, God breathed and given by inspired of the Holy Spirit. It is our only authoritative rule for faith and practice. It is the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creed, and opinion shall be tried and is the standard of and for all truth. (2 Timothy 3:16, Psalm 138:2)
We believe that Adam was created from the dust of the ground and formed after God’s image and likeness, which was good, righteous, and holy. Because of Adam’s willful sin his sin nature was passed to all humanity and as the offspring of Adam all have inherited the Adamic sin nature. As such, all of humanity is in a state of open rebellion against God. For the salvation of such lost and sinful men, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential. (1 Corinthians 15:21-23)
We believe that God, who does not change, creates each person to reflect his image as male and female and that God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good (Genesis 1:1, Genesis 1:31, Deuteronomy 6:4, John 10:30). We believe that marriage was instituted by God, is the life-long covenant between one man and one woman, and that all forms of sexual activity outside of marriage are sin (Mark 10:6-9).
We believe that because of the fall, unregenerate man is dead to the things of God (Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13). He is in bondage to his evil nature; therefore, he will not–indeed he cannot–choose the good over evil in the spiritual realm (1 Corinthians 2:14; Romans 8:7, 8). Man, in this fallen state, is spiritually dead and estranged from God.
We believe that salvation is by grace through faith alone, and that faith without works is dead. (Ephesians 2:8)
We believe that apart from the working of the Holy Spirit through faith in the finished work of Christ no one can be saved, for there is salvation in no other than Jesus Christ. (John 14:6)
We believe that Jesus will physically return to the earth at day undetermined except to the Father God. Upon his return, he will establish the fullness of the Kingdom of God. “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Revelation 11:15)
We believe God has appointed a day when He will judge the world in righteousness through Jesus Christ. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; those who are saved to the resurrection of life, and those who are lost to the resurrection of damnation. (Acts 10:42, 1 Peter 4:5, Revelation 20:4-6, Revelation 20:12-14)
Governments
We believe that God has ordained various governments among men. The three basic governments are civil government (Romans 13:1-7), church government (Ephesians 2:19-22; Hebrews 13:7, 17; Matthew 18:15-17), and family government (Ephesians 5:22-6:4). All of these governments are dependent on the grace of God, common or special, working in individuals to bring about self-government. God has ordained the realm of each and assigned to them differing responsibilities within their separate jurisdictions.
We believe that Christian parents have the responsibility before God to provide their children with a godly understanding of the world in which they are growing up. To this end, Christian education, however administered, is essential (Deuteronomy 6:1-6). The civil government has no duty or obligation to rear or educate our children. That authority has been given to the parents, with ultimate accountability having been assigned to the father (Ephesians 6:4).
Marriage, Sexuality, and Gender
We believe God created marriage to be between one man and one woman in a “one-flesh” union for life, uniquely reflecting Christ’s relationship with his church (Gen 2:18-25; Eph 5:21-33). Marriage also serves as the foundational unit of a stable society (1 Cor 7:2). It provides the best environment for children, and the decline in life-long, heterosexual marriage relationships is a significant contributor to many negative cultural developments.
We believe gender also matters to God. God’s creation of each person as male and female is complementary within marriage and reflects the image and nature of God (Gen 1:26-27). Those who reject their biological sex reject God’s design and the person He created them to be.
We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matt 15:18-20;1 Cor 6:9-10).
We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity and that God offers redemption, forgiveness, and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin (Acts 3:19-21; Rom 10-9-10; 1 Cor 6:9-11).
We believe that to preserve the integrity of the Imago Dei Academy and to provide a biblical role model to the students and faculty, it is imperative that all persons representing Imago Dei in any capacity (employees, volunteers, etc.) agree to and abide by this Statement on Marriage, Sexuality, and Gender.
Leadership
As a matter of firm policy, it is mandatory that all board members, administrators and faculty subscribe to the above statement of faith in a manner and method prescribed by the board of directors, either by written statement or by oral testimony before the board.
The Apostle’s Creed
We believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord. Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and was born of a virgin, Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hades, and on the third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into Heaven, where He sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From Heaven He shall come to earth again to judge the living and the dead. We believe in the Holy Spirit, one holy apostolic church, the communion of all true saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the gift of everlasting life.
