Our Basic Beliefs
While we are a contemporary church in style,
we fully adhere to the historical Christian statements of faith. Our
roots are in the Christian Reformed
Church, a denomination that has
been in North America for over 150 years and that reaches back to
the Reformation of the 1500's.
While committed to the orthodox Christian faith, we strive to be
contemporary in our language and style. We believe that the timeless
truths of God can and need to be communicated in a language and form
that speaks to the hearts and minds of people today, and that deals
with the issues that modern Canadians are dealing with.
The
Apostle's
Creed is a basic summary of what we believe.
For a more detailed description of what we believe, the
Heidelberg
Catechism is a clear statement of our doctrine.
Together with other Christian Reformed Churches,
A
Contemporary Testimony: Our World Belongs to God is a concise
statement addressing some of the issues of the day.
The following statements summarise the basic teachings that
Crossroads adheres to.
The Bible
We believe that the Bible is the inspired and
infallible Word of God. The Bible itself contains sixty-six books
called the Old and New Testaments. God inspired chosen people to be
his instruments in writing the Bible. God used their backgrounds,
styles, vocabularies and culture in communicating the message that
He wanted to bring. We believe that the Bible is the unique, full,
and final authority on all matters of faith and practice, and that
there are no other writings similarly inspired by God.
We believe there is one true, holy God,
eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -
each of whom possesses equally all the attributes of deity. It is
the triune God who in the very beginning created everything out of
nothing. He continues to rule the universe by his power, wisdom, and
goodness. God is holy, all knowing, and is all-powerful.
Salvation
The overreaching purpose of God in revealing
himself in the Bible is to call his people back to himself in order
to bridge the gulf that separates them from himself. God originally
created mankind perfect but also with the ability to chose freely.
Since the fall into sin of Adam and Eve, people have followed the
path of sinfulness and are guilty sinners. Salvation is God's
gracious gift of grace to all those who believe in Him. He gives
this grace freely and not because people earn it or because of
anything good that we can do. This gift comes through Jesus Christ,
God's Son, who must be willingly received by people as their
personal Saviour in order to obtain life now and forever.
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ, the son of God the Father was
sent into the world to become our substitute in receiving God's
judgment on our sin. He came into the world through a miraculous
conception and virgin birth, and is both fully divine and fully
human but without sin. He lived a life of perfect obedience and died
a voluntary death so that people who believe in him could be free
and forgiven. Jesus rose from the dead and has ascended bodily into
heaven to reign with his Father over all things. It is in Christ
that the Father chose those whom he would save. Christ is the only
mediator between God and people. He alone paid the debt of our sin;
there is no other Saviour. Jesus has also promised to return to this
world to take his people to himself, and to fulfill the eternal plan
of God.
The Holy Spirit
At Pentecost the Holy Spirit was given to the
church and to all who would believe in Jesus for their salvation. It
is the Holy Spirit who, by dwelling within the hearts of believers,
assures them of faith, and unites them with believers all around the
world. Jesus stays with us in the person of the Holy Spirit, who
renews people's hearts, moves them to faith, leads them in the
truth, stands by them when in need, and makes their obedience fresh
and vibrant. He also uniquely endows each believers with spiritual
gifts for the strengthening of the church.
Final Judgement
Death seals the eternal destiny of each
person. Those who believe in Jesus Christ and who receive him into
their hearts go to live forever with God. Those who do not trust in
Jesus Christ as their Saviour will be eternally separated from God.
The Bible tells us that when Jesus Christ returns to this world as
the triumphant King, the dead will be raised, and all people will
stand before his judgment. Believers may anticipate this day without
fear. Unbelievers will be separated from God as eternal punishment
against their sin while believers will go to live with God forever.
The Church
Christ is presently continuing to gather a new
community of people called the church. All believers become members
of his body, the church. There is one universal church, made up of
all of those who believe in Jesus Christ as their Saviour. Through
God's call in the Bible, believers are to gather together regularly,
devoting themselves to worship, prayer, the teaching of the Word,
and the observance of baptism and the Lord's Supper as his ordained
sacraments, fellowship, and service to the body through the
development and use of talents and gifts, reflecting his mission and
concern for his world that he still loves and calls his own.
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