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Crossroads
exists to bring
the TRUTH of God’s Word
to the CROSSROADS of Tracy,
through...
Passionate, God-Centered
WORSHIP
Creative,
Others-Focused
OUTREACH
Dynamic,
Servant-Producing
DISCIPLESHIP
Article 1 The Scriptures
We believe God
authored the Holy Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New
Testaments as originally written, by choosing, forming and controlling (by the
Holy Spirit) men to assure their every word was what God intended so it is true
and without error, the Word of God. Therefore, it is and shall remain to the end
of the age, the complete and final revelation of the will of God to man; the
true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human
conduct, creeds and opinions are to be tried.
Proverbs 30:5-6;
Revelation 22:19; II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:19-21; Acts 1:16, 28:25; Luke
24:44-45; Psalm 119:160; John 17:17; II Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15; Psalm 19:7-11,
119:89, 105, 130; Isaiah 8:20; Romans 15:4; I Peter 1:23
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Article 2 The True God
We believe the
one and only, living and true God is an infinite, intelligent, eternal Spirit,
the maker and supreme ruler of heaven and earth. He is inexpressibly glorious in
holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, reverence, worship, obedience,
confidence and love. In the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the
Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection and
executing distinct but harmonious offices.
Deuteronomy
6:4-5; Exodus 20:2-3; I Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:6; I Thessalonians 1:9;
Exodus 6:3; Psalm 8:1-4, 40:5, 83:18, 86:8-10, 90:2, 147:5; Isaiah 13:6;
Jeremiah 10:10; John 4:24; II Corinthians 6:18; Romans 11:33; Nehemiah 9:6;
Psalm 33:6-12; Isaiah 40:26-28, 42:5, 45:18; Jeremiah 10:12-16; Amos 4:13;
Exodus 15:11, 34:14; Psalm 2:11, 99:5; Mark 12:30; I Timothy 1:17; Revelation
4:11, 5:12; Matthew 28:19; John 14:9-10, 14:16-26, 15:26; Acts 2:32-33; I
Corinthians 2:10-11, 12:4-6; II Corinthians 13:14; I Peter 1:1-2; I John 5:8;
Ephesians 2:18; John 10:30, 17:5; Philippians 2:5-6
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Article 3
Christ, God the Son
We believe God the Son is of one essence and co-equal with the
Father and the Spirit from all eternity. In His incarnation He was conceived of
the Holy Spirit in Mary, a virgin, as no other person was ever or could ever be.
He is both the Son of God and God, the Son. He is one person with both human and
divine natures, as truly God as if He had never become man and as truly man as
if He had not already been God. In His self-emptying, He never ceased to be God
but partially laid aside the exercise of His divine attributes.
John 1:1-3,
1:14, 5:18, 10:30; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:25-35; Matthew 11:27;
Mark 1:1, 1:11, 9:7; John 1:14, 3:16, 8:16, 8:58, 5:21-23, 17:1, 20:28-29; I
Corinthians 8:6; Psalm 2:7; Galatians 4:4; Colossians 1:15; Titus 2:13; Hebrews
1:1-2, 1:8; I John 5:20; Mark 2:8; John 1:18; Matthew 24:36; John 4:6, 19:28,
11:35; Romans 5:15-19, 8:3: I Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 2:14, 17; Galatians 4:4-5;
Colossians 1:13-22, 2:9; Philippians 2:5-11; I John 4:2; II John 7
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Article 4 The Holy
Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is a divine person of
one essence and co-equal with the Father and the Son. He was active in the
creation. In relation to the unbelieving world, He restrains the Evil One until
God's purpose is fulfilled. He convicts of sin, of righteousness and of
judgment. He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and
testimony. He is the agent in the new birth. He seals, baptizes, empowers,
guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps every believer.
We believe the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy,
peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control) is the evidence of His indwelling.
John 15:26-27; Acts 5:30-32; John 3:5-6; Matthew
3:11; Luke 24:49; John 16:13, 14:16-17, 26; Romans 8:14, 8:16, 8:24-27;
Ephesians 1:13-14; II Thessalonians 2:13; I Peter 1:1-2; Galatians 5:22-23;
Ephesians 5:18-21; John 14:16-17; Acts 5:3-4; Matthew 28:19; Luke 1:35; Hebrews
9:14; Genesis 1:1-3; II Thessalonians 2:7; John 16:8-11
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Article 5 The
Devil, or Satan
We believe Satan is a person, an angelic being
who was once holy, but sinned and was joined in sin by a host of angels. He is
now the evil prince of the power of the air, and the unholy ruler of this world.
He is a liar and the father of lies. He holds the souls of the unsaved in his
domain. We hold him to be man's great tempter, the enemy of God, the accuser,
opponent and adversary of the saints, and the lord of the Lawless One of the
last days. He is the chief power behind religious deceivers. Nevertheless, he
disguises himself as an angel of light. It is our duty to resist him. He
exercises power over men but is presently held to certain limits by God and even
used by God to do good. He is destined to final defeat at the hands of God's Son
and an eternal justice in hell, a place prepared for him and his angels.
Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:14-17; II Peter 2:4;
Revelation 12:9; John 14:30; Ephesians 2:2; John 8:44; II Timothy 2:26; John
8:44; Luke 4:6; Acts 10:38, 13:10, 26:18; I John 3:8,10; Mark 4:15; Luke 13:16;
Matthew 4:1,3; Luke 22:3-4; I Thessalonians 3:5; II Corinthians 2:11; I
Chronicles 21:1; I Timothy 3:7; Matthew 13:25, 37-39; I John 3:8; Hebrews 2:14;
Zechariah 3:1; I Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:10; II Thessalonians 2:8-11; I John
2:22; II Corinthians 11:3-4, 12-15; I John 4:3; II John 7; II Corinthians 11:14;
II Thessalonians 2:9; I Peter 5:8-9; I Corinthians 7:5; Ephesians 4:27, 6:11,
6:13; James 4:7; Matthew 16:23; Luke 22:31-32; Acts 5:3; I Thessalonians 2:18; I
Corinthians 10:13; Job 1:12; Job 2:6; I Corinthians 5:5; II Corinthians 12:7; I
Timothy 1:20; Revelation 12:7-9, 20:10; Matthew 25:41
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Article 6 The Creation
We believe the Biblical account of the
creation of the physical universe and man. We believe in the literal, six (6),
twenty-four (24) hour days of creation described in Genesis. This account is
neither allegory nor myth, but a literal, historical account of the direct,
immediate creative acts of God without any evolutionary process. Man was created
from dust by a direct work of God and not from previously existing forms of
life. All men are descended from the historical Adam and Eve.
Genesis 1:1; Exodus 20:11; Jeremiah 10:12;
Hebrews 11:3; Genesis 1:11, 24; Romans 5:12; Genesis 1:26-27, 2:7, 2:21-23; Acts
17:23-26; Genesis 5
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Article 7 The Fall
of Man
We believe God created man in His image, innocent
and under His law. By voluntary transgression Adam fell from his sinless and
happy state, and all men sinned in him. Consequently, all people have Adam’s
fallen nature, and are sinners by nature and by conduct. They are, therefore,
justly condemned, without excuse. They are spiritually dead, unable to respond
to spiritual truth.
Genesis 1:26-31, 2:16-17; Genesis 3:1-6, 17-19,
23-24; Romans 5:12-14, 5:19; Jeremiah 17:9; Psalm 51:5; John 1:3-5; Romans
1:18-20, 1:28-32, 3:9-19; Ephesians 2:1, 2:3, 4: 17-19; Romans 8:5-8; I
Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 2:1; Titus 1:15-16
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Article
8 Christ’s Sacrifice for Sin
We believe Jesus Christ, by appointment of the
Father, voluntarily took upon Himself our nature, yet without sin, and lived a
sinless life, thus qualifying to be our Savior. Then He sacrificed Himself in
the sinner’s place, the Just dying for the unjust, Christ the Lord bearing our
sins in His own body on the tree. By shedding His blood He fully satisfied God’s
just demands regarding sin. He is the all-sufficient Savior.
Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:14, 4:15; II
Corinthians 5:21; I Peter 2:20-22; John 8:46; John 15:10; John 10:17-18; Matthew
20:28; Isaiah 53:10-12; Galatians 1:3-4; I Peter 2:24, 3:18; I Corinthians 15:3;
Isaiah 53:4-6; Romans 3:24-25; Romans 5:6-10; I Corinthians 15:3; Hebrews
9:12-15; I John 2:1-2, 4:9-10; Hebrews 5:7-10, 7:23-28, 12:2
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Article 9 Salvation
We believe God saves sinners on His own
initiation and wholly of grace. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only
condition of salvation and is a gift from God. No works we do have any part in
obtaining, nor keeping salvation. Jesus Christ did everything necessary to save
the elect. When a man adds anything to grace it is no longer grace. Without
grace there is no salvation.
Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24; Romans 8:29-30;
Ephesians 2:8; Colossians 3:12; I Thessalonians 1:4; II Timothy 1:9-10; Titus
1:1; I Peter 1:1-2; Romans 3:19-28; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 12:3; Philippians
1:29; Hebrews 12:2; John 19:30; Romans 8:33-34; II Corinthians 5:14, 19, 21;
Hebrews 9:26, 10:10-14; I John 2:2; Romans 11:6; Isaiah 55:1; Revelation 22:17;
Acts 7:51; Romans 3:10-12; Luke 14:16-20; Romans 8:29-30; I Corinthians 1:23-24;
II Thessalonians 2:13-14; Luke 14:23
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Article 10 Man’s Responsibility to Believe
We believe the offer of free salvation is made to
all through the gospel and it is the duty of all to accept it by obedient faith.
All who fail to accept the offered salvation are personally responsible and
accountable to God.
Isaiah 55:1; Matthew 11:28; Romans 10:13;
Revelation 22:17 Isaiah 55:6; Isaiah 55:7; Acts 17:30; I John 3:23-24; John
3:18; John 3:36, 5:40; Acts 28:25-28, 13:46; Romans 2:1, 4-8
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Article 11 The New
Birth
We believe everyone who has faith in Jesus Christ
is born again. The new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus, instantaneous
and not a process. In the new birth the one dead in trespasses and sins is made
a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God.
Our Sovereign God creates us anew in a manner above our comprehension, solely by
the power of the Holy Spirit.
John 3:3; Ephesians 2:8-9; II Corinthians 5:17;
II Corinthians 5:17; II Corinthians 5:17; II Corinthians 5:17; John 3:6-7; Acts
2:41, 16:30-31; I John 3:9; II Peter 1:4; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1; Colossians
2:13; John 1:12-13, 3:8, 6:44; Ephesians 1:3-9, 11
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Article 12
Sanctification
We believe God provides for and requires
sanctification, the loyalty of the believer to God and purity from the world and
sin. While God gives us a judgment of perfect sanctification as part of Christ’s
redemptive work, we must cooperate in progressive practical sanctification.
Everyone in heaven will be perfectly sanctified in fact as well as judicial
standing.
Sanctification includes not doing God’s work in
union with unbelievers and separation from believers (real and supposed) when
they persist in wrong doctrine or practice despite repeated efforts at
correction.
John 17:13-17; Romans 12:2; II Corinthians 7:1;
Gal. 5:16-24; I Thessalonians 4:3-4; Leviticus 19:2; I Peter 1:14-16; James
1:27, 4:4; I John 2:15-17; I Corinthians 1:2 with 3:1-3; II Thessalonians 2:13;
Hebrews 10:10, 14; Romans 6:12-14; 12:1; Ephesians 4:1, 20-32; 5:3-14;
Colossians 3:5-10; II Corinthians 3:18; I John 3:2-3; Ephesians 5:25-27;
Colossians 1:21-22; Jude 24; II Corinthians 6:14-7:1; II John 9-11; Matthew
18:15-17; Romans 16:17; I Corinthians 5:9-11; Galatians 6:1; II Thessalonians
3:6, 14-15; I Timothy 6:3-5, 11; II Timothy 3:1-5; Titus 3:9-11
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Article 13 The
Local Church
We believe a local church is a congregation
of believers observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws and
exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in it by His word.
Scripture designates the two offices of Pastor (also called elder and bishop or
overseer) and Deacon and defines their duties. God assigns the church the
mission to make individual disciples by baptizing them, and teaching them to do
as He commanded. He has also ordained that local churches be the pillar and
ground of the truth. Each local church operates under the authority of its Head,
Jesus Christ. Christ is pleased for His churches to work together without
compromising truth. In all decisions not preempted by Christ, the will of the
local church is final.
Acts 2:41-42 (See also Article 14); Matthew
18:18; I Corinthians 5:11-13, 6:1-3; Galatians 6:10; Hebrews 10:24-25; James
1:27; I Timothy 1:3-5,18-19, 2:1-2, 8-12, 4:1-7, 13-16, 5:1-3, 17-22, 6:11-14,
17-19; II Timothy 1:13-14, 2:2, 15-16, 24-26, 4:1-2, 5; Acts 14:23; Ephesians
4:11; I Timothy 3:1-7, 3:8-13; I Peter 5:1-4; Matthew 28:19-20; I Timothy 3:15;
Ephesians 1:22-23, 5:23-24; Colossians 1:18; Acts 15:22; II Corinthians 8:1-3,
23-24; See references for Article 12; II Corinthians 8:1-3, 7-10, 23-24
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Article
14 Baptism and the Lord's Supper
We believe God established just two ordinances of
the local church: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Christian baptism is the
immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy
Spirit. It is a solemn emblem of our union with Christ in death, burial and
resurrection as accomplished by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In Scriptural
order baptism precedes church membership. The Lord's Supper is a memorial
service in which the symbols of bread and cup represent the body and blood of
Jesus Christ and remind us of His great love in dying for our sins. This
ordinance is to be observed in anticipation of His coming and preceded by solemn
self-examination.
Matthew 28:19; Acts 8:36-39; Romans 6:4-5;
Colossians 2:12; Acts 2:41-42 (See also Article 14); I Corinthians 11:23-28
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Article 15 The Perseverance of the Saints
Only those who continue in the faith are
authentic believers (saved). Their persevering attachment to Christ
distinguishes them from superficial professors. God keeps them eternally secure
in Christ. All who are saved will show it by living example of growth in the
fruits of the spirit, which are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
John 8:30-32; Colossians 1:21-23; I John 2:18-19;
John 10:25-29; Romans 8:35-39; Philippians 1:6; I Peter 1:3-5; I John 1:6,
2:4-6, 2:9-11, 2:15, 2:29, 3:3, 3:5-10, 3:15, 3:17-19, 4:7-8
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Article 16 The Righteous and the Wicked
We believe there is radical and essential
difference between the righteous and the wicked. Only those who are justified
are righteous; all others are wicked and under the curse. This distinction
continues in and after death, in the everlasting joy of the saved and the
everlasting, conscious suffering of the lost.
Psalm 1:4-6; Proverbs 3:31-33; I John 5:18-19;
Proverbs 21:4, 27; Romans 3:9-24, 4:1-5; Galatians 3:8-11; Proverbs 10:7, 25,
14:32; Isaiah 66:23-24; Daniel 12:1-3; Matthew 7:13-14, 13:47-50, 25:34, 25:41;
Luke 16:24-26; John 3:36; II Thessalonians 1:5-12; I Peter 4:15-18; Revelation
20:11-15
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Article 17 Civil
Government
We believe God appointed civil government for the
benefit and good order of human society. We are to pray for, honor and pay taxes
to civil rulers. We are to obey them except only in things contrary to God’s
commands.
Romans 13:1-7; I Timothy 2:1-2; Titus 3:1; I
Peter 2:13-14, 17; Daniel 3:17-18; Acts 4:18-20, 5:27-29
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ArtArticle
18 Christ’s Work After the Cross
We believe Christ bodily rose from the dead. He
ascended from earth into heaven, where He is enthroned at the right hand of the
Father. He is our High Priest, the only Mediator between God and men. He is our
Advocate when we sin. Christ will return to the air above the earth to rapture
His church. He will return to the earth in great glory to set up His Kingdom.
Matthew 28:5 -7; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:26-29; I
Corinthians 15:1-6; 12-25; Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 12:1-2; I Timothy
2:5; Hebrews 2:17; I John 1:6-2:1; John 14:3; I Corinthians 15:51-53;
Philippians 3:20-21; I Thessalonians 4:16-17; Hebrews 9:28; Psalm 72:8; Isaiah
9:6-7, 11:4-5; Acts 1:11; Matthew 24:27, 25:13; Luke 1:32; Acts 2:29-31;
Revelation 19:11-16, 20:1-6
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Article 19 The
Resurrection
We believe in the resurrection of the bodies of
all the dead. Believers in the Church will be raised at the rapture. They will
be caught up with transformed living saints to meet Christ in the air. Believers
outside the Church (Abraham and David, for example) will be raised at the
glorious return of Christ to set up His Kingdom (at the end of the Tribulation).
The wicked will be raised at the end of the
Millennium to be judged by Christ at the Great White Throne and cast into Hell.
John 5:21-30; I Thessalonians
4:15-18; Daniel 12:1-3; Revelation 20:11-15
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Article 20 Human Sexuality
We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in
outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of
homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication,
adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We
believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender by
surgery, appearance or any other means. In all things we must put obeying God’s
written word, the Bible, as priority.
Gen. 2:24; Gen. 19:5, 13; Gen. 26:8-9; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1: 26-29; 1 Cor. 5:1;
6:9; 1 Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4
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Article 21 Family Relationships
Article 21 Family Relationships
We believe that
men and women are spiritually equal in position before God but that God has
ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home
and the church. Accordingly, the husband is to be the leader of the home,
Pastors and Deacons of the church must be men, and only men are eligible for
licensure and ordination by the church. (Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:18; 1 Tim. 2:8-15;
3:4-5, 12)
We believe that
God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society.
The husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The wife is to
submit herself to the Scriptural leadership of her husband as the church submits
to the headship of Christ. Children are a heritage from the Lord. Parents are
responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values and leading
them, through consistent lifestyle example and appropriate discipline.
Gen. 1:26-28;
Ex. 20:12; Deut. 6:4-9; Ps. 127:3-5; Prov. 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; Mk. 10:6-12;
I Cor. 7:1-16; Eph. 5:21-33; 6:1-4, Col. 3:18-21; Heb. 13:4; I Pet. 3:1-7
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Article 22 Divorce and Remarriage
We believe that
God disapproves of and forbids divorce and intends marriage to last until one of
the spouses dies. Although divorced and remarried persons or divorced persons
may hold positions of service in the church and be greatly used of God for
Christian service, they may not be considered for the offices of Pastor or
Deacon.
Mal. 2:14-17;
Matt. 19:3-12; Rom. 7:1-3; 1 Tim. 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6
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Article 23 Abortion
We believe that human life begins at conception and that the
unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified,
unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any
teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects,
gender selection, birth or population control, or the physical or mental well
being of the mother are acceptable.
Job 3:16; Ps. 51:5; 139:14-16; Isa. 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jer. 1:5;
20:15-18; Luke 1:44
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Article 24 Lawsuits Between Believers
We believe that
Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians
or the church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the church possesses all
the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do
believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from
another Christian’s insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without
malice or slander.
1 Cor. 6:1-8;
Eph. 4:31-32
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