|
The Crossing exists to develop and promote an intimate personal relationship with Jesus Christ by making and equipping disciples. We base our belief system solely on the Bible, because we believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God.
We believe that the Bible reveals three core truths that must guide our church:
-
Jesus-Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God and the only Savior. He is the only hope this world has, and the only way to heaven – John 14:6
-
The Great Commandment—Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength; and our neighbors as ourselves is God’s expectation, not His suggestion - Matthew 22:37-40
-
The Great Commission God has given us a mission that we must embrace, to “Go into all the world and make disciples” – Matthew 28:18-20
We realize that within these truths there are some different interpretations and understandings of scripture. We preach and teach from this set of beliefs:
God is sovereign. By that we mean that He is all powerful, (Heb. 11:3, Rev. 19:6) all knowing, (Psalm 147:5) all present, (Psalm 139:7-12) and in complete control of all things. (Col.1:15-17) He created man different than the rest of creation, that is, in His own image. (Gen. 1:26) By saying “let him rule” (Gen 1:28), He chose to give man a measure of control over himself and his environment resulting in choice. (Gen.2:16-17) This gift made man’s individual destiny dynamic, based in his freely made decisions. (James 1:13-15, Gen.2:16-17) While God gave man this latitude, He has a specific will for him that man can choose to accept or reject. (Eph. 2:10) Man’s choices affects God’s will for him and those he influences (James 4:4-10) but not God’s predestined and foreknown plan for the world. (Acts 17:30-31) He has chosen to see all of us in the light of our greatest potential: conformed to Christ, called, justified, and glorified. (Rom.8:29, Rom. 2:11) However, our sinful choices coupled with the influence of all other sinful choices before us back to Adam have alienated us from God. (Rom. 1:18-32) No one is exempt from this reality. (Rom.3:23) God’s greatest desire for man is to be in intimate relationship with Him. (Heb. 4:16, 10:19-25) God loves us all the same, (John 3:16-17) but our choices and influences affect our relationship to Him. (Heb. 3:8-11)
In the wider picture, God has a sovereign plan for this world (Acts 17:26) that He has predestined (II Tim. 1:8-12) and foreknown. (Acts 1:7) Evil is not the creation of God, rather it is the natural by-product of free will, the result of ungodly choice. (James 1:13-15) God is not responsible for the results of ungodly choices, but has chosen to accept the responsibility and results in Jesus Christ. (Phil. 2:5-11) This action reflects His divine nature. (Rom 5:8, I John 4:7-8)
Man is born with a nature to make ungodly choices because of the fall, (Gal. 5:19-21) but is capable of recognizing and responding to God through Jesus Christ. (Acts 17:30, Heb. 3:12-15) The salvation found only in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12, John 14:6) is available to all who choose to accept Him. (Rev. 3:20, II Peter 3:9, John 3:16) The responsibility to deliver this good news is shared between God and us. God’s Spirit draws us (John 6:44) and convicts us (John 16:7-8) through the message shared by those who communicate it. (Rom. 10:14-15, II Cor. 5:11-20) The proper response is also shared. (Phil. 2:12-13) God initiates the relationship by offering grace (Rom. 5:12-21) to all but we must receive it by faith in Jesus Christ. (Eph. 2:8-9)
Salvation is the process God designed (Rom. 5:6) to restore intimacy between Himself and us that was lost in the fall. (Rom. 5:1-5, 9) God’s grace was extended to all mankind in the person and work of Jesus. (Eph. 1:1-14)
Jesus Christ is in nature the exact representation of God on earth. (Col. 1:15-20, Heb. 1:3) God in human form. (John 1:1-14) Virgin born ((Matt. 1:18) and without sin, (Heb. 4:15) yet human in every respect, (Gal. 4:4, I John 1:1-2, John 1:14) Jesus was the perfect substitute, taking our deserved sin upon Himself. (II Cor. 5:21, Isaiah 53:6) As our Great High Priest, He offered His perfect blood for the sins of all mankind. (Heb. 9:11-14) Grace receives its power from Christ’s finished work, namely His death, burial, and resurrection. (I Cor. 15:3-4) His resurrection declared the sufficiency of His sacrifice to take away our sins. (Acts 17: 30-31, I Cor. 15:12-20) In order for God’s grace to be personally effective, man must respond to it by faith. (Rom. 5:1, Heb. 11:6) Although faith is not defined by our works, it is evidenced by them. (James 2:14-18) Even though repentance, (Luke 13:3, Acts 2:38 confessing the name of Jesus, (Luke 12:8-9) or immersion (Acts 2:38, I Peter 3:21) do not in themselves save us, they are commanded demonstrations of heartfelt faith and Christ’s commands are not to be considered optional. (John 14:15, Matt. 7:21)
The Holy Spirit is the presence of God in every person who has received Christ by faith. (Acts 2:38) The presence of the Holy Spirit is evidenced by His displayed characteristics. (Gal. 5:22-23) He lives and works in the world, (John 16:5-11) the church, and the individual. (Rom. 8:26-27)
The Bible is the inspired word of God (II Tim. 3:16-17) without error. (John 17:17) It is the written will and authority of God and our template for life and faith. (II Peter 1:20-21)
Prayer is a means by which God releases His power to change things both in the present and the future because man’s individual destiny is dynamic. (James 5:16, Luke 11:5-8)
Heaven and Hell are eternal destinations (Rev. 20:11-15) dependant upon whether or not someone has accepted Christ by faith. (Matt. 25:31-46) They are defined by the eternal presence of God or the eternal absence of God’s presence.
The church is the representative body of Christ on earth, (I Cor. 12:12-27) His beloved bride. (Rev. 21:1-4) It is made of those who have accepted Christ by faith. As a kingdom of priests before God, (Rev. 5:9-10) they are commissioned to make disciples (Matt. 28:18-20) and commanded to love God above all else and to love all others as themselves. (Matt. 22:37-40) Christ will come again physically to earth to take His bride to His Father’s house. (John 14:1-6)
|
