What is IVDAR? Or IVDARR?

IVDAR is a word coined by my friend and colleague, Christian apologist Alex McFarland.  IVDAR, however, is not really a word.  It’s an acronym.  Each of the five letters stands for a core doctrine of Christianity that all Christians must believe.

I — Inerrancy of Scripture
V — Virgin Birth
D — Deity of Christ
A — Atonement
R — Resurrection

Remember the word IVDAR and be ready to explain each of these five doctrines.  Let’s look at each one individually.

I — Inerrancy of Scripture

In recent years skeptics have claimed that the Bible is an ancient document that has been copied so many times and therefore it can’t be trusted to be true.  That isn’t so.

It’s true that the Bible is an ancient book.  In fact, it’s 66 books, written more than 1500 years ago, and penned by about 40 different men. However, in reality, the Bible is the work of only one Author — God — and He has promised to preserve His words forever.  It is said that the Bible is God-breathed (2 Tim 3:16), meaning that human writers were simply the instrument God used to convey His thoughts in written form. That’s why the Bible is said to be inspired.  

The Bible is also inerrant, so “I” is the first letter in our acronym IVDAR.  Inerrant means that the Bible is infallible. It is incapable of being wrong. How can we know this?  In addition to the physical evidence of many thousands of manuscripts, the accuracy of the Bible has been proven over the centuries through fulfilled prophecy, archaeological finds, the Bible’s teachings of observable truths that have been consistent throughout the ages, and more.  That said, the greatest reason we have to believe the inerrancy of the Bible is that God promised He would preserve His word (Ps 12:6-7, Mat 24:35, Mark 13:31, Luke 21:33, John 10:35).  Read more on this: The Bible: Truth

KNOW that the “I” in IVDAR is true — The Bible is inerrant!

V — Virgin Birth

Unlike a popular pastor of the last decade who mused, “was a virgin birth really necessary?” we know that a virgin birth was absolutely necessarily!  The “V” in IVDAR reminds us of Jesus’ entrance into our world and His taking on human flesh. He became fully God and fully man.  Yet unlike us, Jesus was born sinless, without the imputed sin of Adam. And we know, Jesus lived a sinless life. Therefore when He died, He was the pure and spotless Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world (John 1:29).  Had Jesus been born of an earthly father, He would have been born in sin as every human being since Adam has been.  For more information on this read, How Can We Prove a Virgin Birth?  

TRUST that the “V” in IVDAR is very important! Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost (Luke 1:35) and born of a virgin (Luke 1:27, 35). 

D — Deity of Christ

Jesus is God. He is the second Person of the Trinity.  The Bible clearly teaches that our God is triune — One God in three Persons — the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  The three are coexistent, co-eternal, and co-equal.  Read more: How Can I Understand the Trinity? 

• Jesus, Himself, claimed to be one with the Father (John 10:30) and to be the Great I Am (John 8:58).
• Jesus’ disciples proclaimed Him to be the Christ, the Son of God, the King of Israel (John 1:41,49).
• Jesus declared His divinity to the woman by the well  (John 4:25-26) and publicly to the man born blind  (John 9:35-37).

For more, read:  He is Lord!  

Boldly DEFEND the “D” in IVDAR—the Divinity of Christ!

A — Atonement

Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission [of sin]. (Heb 9:22)  The Old Testament sacrificial system offered the blood of animals to remit the sins of man, but animal blood could not fully pay for man’s sins.  

• Only man’s blood could pay for man’s sins, and only Jesus’ blood was pure and sinless human blood.  
• Only Jesus could be the perfect sacrifice to pay the complete and final price to redeem man from all his sins.
• Only Jesus could atone sin and proclaim “It is finished” (John 19:30). 

Read more: Why Did It Need to Be a Blood Atonement?

Give THANKS for the “A” in IVDAR — for by the Atonement we are able to be forgiven!

R — Resurrection

Paul proclaimed, “if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; you are yet in your sins” (1 Cor 15:17).  Jesus’ death alone finished the atonement for mankind’s sins, but it did not complete God’s plan of redemption.  Three days later, Jesus’ body rose from the grave, conquering death and making it possible for all who are His to bodily rise from the grave.  

God created man (Adam) with an eternal body, soul, and spirit.  When Adam sinned, he experienced both a spiritual and physical death — he was spiritually separated from his Creator and his body began to die.  And one day his body did die.  

In Jesus’ resurrection, He conquered death completely so the soul, spirit, and body can live eternally with God.  Read more: Are we a soul? Or do we have a soul?  The “BIG” question is where will YOU spend eternity?  

REJOICE in the “R” of IVDAR — Because Christ resurrected from the grave, we have eternal life!

Adding Another “R”

The five doctrines of “IVDAR” are essential to our faith.  And there is another “R” we must add — making the acronym IVDARR. The second “R” is for “Return.”  It’s vitally important that all Christians believe in the Return of Jesus.

Jesus did not only give us spiritual eternal life so our souls will be with Him forever. He also promised to return for us, to call us to Himself in a bodily resurrection.  Just like Jesus now has a glorified body, one day we too will receive a glorified body, and we are told it will be likened unto His body (Phil 3:21). Read more: What is the Rapture?

REMEMBER the second “R” in IVDARR — Jesus will return.  He is coming again in glory and in power, and He will make all things new.

IVDARR

All Christians should memorize IVDARR. All Christians should know these core Christian doctrines and stand strong on each one! And all Christians should be ready always to defend the faith and to tell others of the hope you have in Jesus.

I — KNOW that the “I” in IVDAR is true — The Bible is Inerrant! The Bible: Truth
V — TRUST that the “V” in IVDAR is very important — Jesus was born of a Virgin! How Can We Prove a Virgin Birth?
D — Boldly DEFEND the “D” in IVDAR—the Divinity of Christ! How Can I Understand the Trinity?
A — Give THANKS for the “A” in IVDAR — for by the Atonement we are able to be forgiven! Why Did It Need to Be a Blood Atonement?
R — REJOICE in the “R” of IVDAR — Because Christ Resurrected from the grave, we can have eternal life! Are we a soul? Or do we have a soul?
R — REMEMBER the second “R” in IVDARR — Jesus will Return!  What is the Rapture?

The “Big” Question:  What Is Your Eternal Destiny?

If you have confessed your sins, trusted in Jesus’ work on the cross to pay for them, and turned to Jesus seeking forgiveness, then you know He has been faithful to save you.  You have been washed clean by His blood (Rev 1:5). You are a new creation in Him (2 Cor 5:17) and a child of God (1 John 3:2). As a child of God, you will spend eternity with God.  Stand fast on the truths of IVDARR — knowing, trusting, defending, thanking, rejoicing, and remembering all that Jesus has done for you!

If you have not trusted in Jesus, you need to do so today. It will determine your eternal destiny. Don’t wait, for “It is appointed unto man once to die, and then the judgment” (Heb 9:27). 

• You do not want to face judgment day without your sins being forgiven by Jesus. If you do, you have rejected the provision God has offered you to reconcile you with your Creator. 
• Without Jesus’ saving grace, you will not enter into the presence of God at death. Instead, you will go to Hell, a place that was created for Satan and his demons (Matt 25:41)—a place you do NOT want to go.  You will still be an eternal being, but you will be eternally in Hell.  Read more: Sheol, Hell, Torment, Abyss, Tartarus, Gehenna, Fire, Darkness? What & Where Are They?

Don’t wait.  Turn to Jesus and trust in Him. Ask Him to forgive your sins, wash you clean, and give you the righteous standing you need to be found worthy to go to Heaven.    Before you click off this page, consider your eternal destiny. Will it be Heaven or Hell?  Only you can make that choice.  Don’t flippantly click away.  Click Here NOW!

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For more teachings from Alex McFarland, visit

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