What We Belive

Preamble

We, the Immanuel Myanmar Church (Chicagoland, Illinois), are a church established to unite Christians and families who have come from Myanmar to live here, so that together we may worship and glorify God.

Our faith is firmly rooted in accepting the Holy Bible as the supreme and final authority. We strongly believe that Jesus Christ** is the Son of God; that He died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and on the third day rose again bodily from the dead. We proclaim that salvation is available by God's grace through faith alone.

Our purpose is to declare the boundless love of God and to share with everyone the great salvation that is available through Jesus Christ. We gather together in unity, strengthened by faith and hope.

These beliefs are written based entirely on the Holy Scriptures. We, the members of this church, accept and practice them in unity, and by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, we continue to proclaim the Gospel and worship to exalt the glory of God.

1. The Holy Bible

We believe that the Bible, consisting of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, is the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God, given by the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme and final authority in all matters of faith and practice.

(2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20–21)

2. The One True God

We believe in one eternal God who exists in three co-equal and co-eternal Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—one God in Trinity and Trinity in unity.

(Deuteronomy 6:4; John 10:30; Genesis 1:26; 1 Timothy 2:5; Matthew 3:16–17; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

3. The Deity of the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is fully God, the third Person of the Trinity.

(Acts 5:3–4)

4. The Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ

We believe in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ as fully God and fully man.

(Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:31–35)

5. The Person and Work of Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who took on human flesh, lived a sinless life, died on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice for sinners, rose bodily from the dead on the third day, and ascended into heaven.

(Matthew 16:16; John 9:35; John 1:14; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4)

6. The Fall of Man

We believe that all humanity is sinful by nature and by choice as a result of Adam’s fall, and therefore under the just condemnation of God and deserving of eternal death.

(Romans 3:23; 5:12; 6:23)

7. Salvation by Grace Through Faith

We believe that salvation is the free gift of God’s grace, received by faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ, apart from any human works or merit.

(Ephesians 2:8–9)

8. The Eternal Security of the Believer

We believe that those who are truly saved are eternally secure in Christ and will persevere to the end.

(Ephesians 1:13; 4:30)

9. The Blessed Hope – The Rapture of the Church

We believe in the imminent, personal, and pre-tribulation return of Christ to rapture (catch up) His Church, taking believers to be with Him forever.

(1 Thessalonians 4:17)

10. The Second Coming and Millennial Kingdom

We believe that Christ will return visibly and bodily to the earth as King of kings and Lord of lords to establish His righteous reign and judge the world.

(Revelation 19:11–16)

11. The Lord’s Supper

We believe that the Lord’s Supper (Communion) is a memorial ordinance to be observed by true believers in remembrance of Christ’s death until He comes again.

(1 Corinthians 11:23–29)

12. Church Leadership and Governance

We believe the local church is to be led by a pastor/elder(s), assisted by deacons and other mature leaders, under the headship of Christ and the authority of God’s Word.

(1 Timothy 3:1–13; Titus 1:5–9)

13. The Nature of the Church

We believe the church is the body of Christ, consisting of all true believers in Him, called to worship, fellowship, discipleship, and mission.

(Ephesians 1:22–23; 1 Timothy 3:14–15)

14. The Resurrection and Rapture

We believe in the bodily resurrection of all believers at Christ’s return—those who have died in Christ will be raised first, and living believers will be transformed and caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

(1 Corinthians 15:50–55; 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17)

15. The Final Judgments

We believe in two separate judgments: the Judgment Seat of Christ for believers (to evaluate rewards) and the Great White Throne Judgment for unbelievers (to determine eternal destiny).

(2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10; Revelation 20:11–15)

16. Marriage and Human Sexuality

We believe that God’s design for marriage is the lifelong union of one man and one woman, and that human sexuality is a sacred gift to be expressed only within this covenant relationship.

(Genesis 2:21–24; Matthew 19:5; Mark 10:7; Ephesians 5:31)

17. The Sanctity of Human Life

We believe that human life is sacred from the moment of conception until natural death, and that every person is created in the image of God.

(Psalm 139:13–16; Isaiah 59:1; Jeremiah 1:5)

18. God’s Design for Gender and Identity

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female, and that rejecting one’s biological sex is a rejection of God’s good design and creative purpose.

(Genesis 1:26–27; Mark 10:6; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Deuteronomy 22:5)

19. The Great Commission

We believe that every believer is called to live a holy life that glorifies God and to proclaim the Gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ to all people.

(Matthew 28:19–20; Acts 1:8)

These truths form the foundation of our faith, our teaching, and our life together as a church family. We gladly affirm them and invite all who share these convictions to join us in worship and service to our Lord Jesus Christ.

To God be the glory!