1 CHURCH STREET ROSSMORE NSW 2557
Our Belief
KJV
Of the Holy Scriptures
Translations
We believe that the Holy Scriptures were written by men supernaturally inspired; that it is Truth without any admixture of error for its matter; and therefore is, and shall remain preserved as the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to Man; the true centre of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions shall be tried.
By the Holy Scriptures we mean that collection of sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation, which as originally written does not only contain and convey the Word of God, but IS the very Word of God.
By inspiration, we mean that the books of the Bible were written by holy men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, in such a definite way that their writings were plenary, supernatural and verbally inspired and free from error, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired.
By preservation we mean the written Word of God has been Divinely preserved in the Masoretic Hebrew Text for the Old Testament and the Textus Receptus Greek Text of the New Testament, leaving us today with God’s own Authoritative Word.
Within this local Church, we use the Authorised King James Version for all ministries, and we recommend its use in private. The superiority of this version is a product of its basis on the Masoretic Text and the stream known as the Majority Text and the quality of their translation into English.
II Tim 3:16, 17; II Pet 1:19-21; Acts 1:16; Acts 28:25; Psalm 119:105, 130, 160; Luke 24:25-27; John 17:17; Luke 24:44, 45; Psalm 119:89; Proverbs 30:5, 6; Romans 3:4; I Peter 1:23; Revelation 22:19; John 12:48; Isaiah 8:20; Ephesians 6:17; Romans 15:4; Luke 16:31; Psalm 19:7-11; John 5:45-47; John 5:39.
The Holy Trinity
We believe in the one true God, existing in three distinct persons, revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, co-eternal in Being, co-identical in Nature, co-equal in Power and Glory and having the same attributes and perfection, and worthy of all possible honour, confidence and love.
Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14; I John 5:7; Exodus 20:2-3; John 4:24; I Timothy 1:17.
God the Father
We believe in God the Father Almighty. This term designates the first Person of the Holy Trinity.
Man, whose sin has destroyed his spiritual and moral relationship to God, must be restored by gracious divine renewal through faith in Jesus Christ. This brings about a new standing (justification) and relationship (adoption) to God the Father by which man becomes a partaker of the divine nature and born into the family of God.
John 3:3; 14:6; 1:12; Romans 8:14-17.
God the son, Jesus Christ
We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ who is the second Person of the Triune God, the Eternal Word and Only Begotten Son; that without ceasing to be God, He became man having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, thus to continue forever as both true God and true Man, one person with two natures.
John 1:1,2,14,18; Luke 1:35; Hebrews 2:14; Philippians 2:5-8.
We believe that He accomplished our redemption from the guilt, penalty and power of sin through His death, by shedding His blood on the Cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal resurrection from among the dead in the same body in which He was crucified.
We believe that He physically ascended into Heaven; that He is at the right hand of the Father and is our High Priest, Mediator and Advocate.
Acts 1:9-10; Hebrews 9:24; 7:25; Romans 8:34; I John 2:1,2.
Romans 3:24, 25; I Peter 1:18, 19; Ephesians 1:7; Romans 4:25; 1:4; Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 9:12, 22-26.
God the Holy Spirit
Creation
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who is the third Person of the Trinity; that He convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment; that He regenerates, baptizes, indwells, seals and anoints all who become children of God through Christ; that He further empowers, guides, teaches, sanctifies and fills every believer who duly surrenders to Him.
John 3:5, 6, 8; 14:16-18; 16:8-11; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians
12:13; II Corinthians 3:18: Ephesians 1:13; 5:18.
We believe in the Genesis account of creation, that it is to be accepted literally, and not allegorically or figuratively; that God created the heavens and the earth in six literal days, resting on the seventh; and that man’s creation was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary change of species, or development through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms; that all animal and vegetable life was made directly by God and His established law was that they should bring forth only “after their own kind”.
Genesis 1:1; Exodus 20:11; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16, 17; Genesis 1:11; 1:24, 26, 27; 2:21-23; Romans 1:20.
Man
Salvation
We believe all men are by nature and choice sinful and lost; that man was the direct creation of God, made in His image and likeness; that by personal disobedience to the revealed will of God, man became a sinful creature, the father of a fallen race, which is universally sinful in both nature and practice, thus alienated from the life of God under the righteous judgment and wrath of God, thereby incurring not only physical death, but soulical and spiritual death, and has within himself no possible means of salvation.
Genesis 1:27; 3:6; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:10-23; 5:12, 19; 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-3.
We believe in salvation by grace through faith, that salvation is the free gift of God neither merited nor secured in part or in whole by any virtue or work of man; but received only by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom all true believers have as a present possession the gift of eternal life, a perfect righteousness, sonship in the family of God, deliverance and security from all condemnation, every spiritual resource needed for life and godliness, and the divine guarantee that they shall never perish; that this salvation affects the whole man, spirit, soul and body; that apart from Christ, there is no possible salvation.
Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; John 1:12; 3:14; 10:28, 29; Romans 8:1; Philippians 1:6; I Thessalonians 5:23.
We further believe that God is Sovereign and in His Sovereignty gave man a free will to accept or reject the salvation He has provided. It is not God’s Will that any should perish, but that they should be saved. God foreknows but does not predetermine any man to be condemned. God permits man’s destiny to depend upon man’s choice.
I Timothy 2:4; I Peter 1:2; II Peter 3:9; Romans 8:29, 30; Acts 10:34; John 3:16; Revelation 22:17.
Of Civil Government
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; those in authority are to be prayed for, conscientiously honoured and obeyed; except only in things opposed to the Will of our Lord Jesus Christ; who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming King of the kings of the earth.
Separation of Church and State
We believe in separation of Church and State, with each having definite and distinct spheres of responsibility.
Romans 13:7; II Samuel 23:3; Exodus 18:21-22; Acts 23:5; Matthew 2:21; Titus 3:1; I Peter 2:13-14, 17; Acts 4:19-20; Daniel 3:17-18; Matthew 10:28; 3:10; Philippians 2:10-11; Psalm 72:11; Revelation 9:16; Matthew 22:21; Romans 13:1-7.
The Church
We believe in the importance of the local Church; that a New Testament Church is a local assembly of born-again, baptized believers united in organization to practice New Testament ordinances, to meet together for preaching, teaching, worship, prayer, fellowship and a united testimony, and to actively engage in carrying out the Great Commission.
Acts 2:41, 42; I Corinthians 11:2; Matthew 28:19-20.
The ministry of Crossroads Baptist Church involves all the departments of the Church. We believe in the independence and autonomy of the local Church; that each New Testament Church is free to govern itself on the principles laid down in the New Testament without interference of outside organisations and should co-operate with other New Testament Churches of like faith, as the Holy Spirit leads; that it is responsible to follow the pattern of the New Testament Church and is directly accountable to its Head, Jesus Christ.
Acts 13:1-3; 15:22,23; Ephesians 1:22, 23; Revelation 1:3.
Of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion in water of the believer; in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, with the authority of the local Church, to show forth in a solemn and beartiful emblem our faith in the Crucified, buried and risen Saviour, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is a pre-requisite to the privileges of a Church relation and to the Lord’s Supper; in which the members of the Church, by sacred use of bread and the fruit of the vine are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ; preceded always by solemn self-examination.
Acts 8:36-39; 2:41-42; Matthew 3:6, 16; 28:19; 28:1, 9-20; Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12; I Corinthians 11:23-28.
Christian Living
We believe in righteous living and Godly Works; not as means of salvation in any sense, but as its proper evidence and fruit, and therefore, as Christians, we should obey the Word of God, seek the things which are above, walk as He walked, accept as our solemn responsibility the duty and privileges of bearing the Gospel to a lost world; remembering that a victorious and fruitful Christian life is possible only for those who, in gratitude for the infinite and undeserved mercies of God, have presented themselves wholly to Christ.
Ephesians 2:10; Romans 12:1; Philippians 2:16.
Members are expected to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, to honour and esteem the Pastors and those in authority over them; pray for them daily and assist them in carrying out the program of the Church. Members are expected as far as possible to live a life in conformity with Titus 2:11-14, support the meetings of the Church as they are physically able and if at any time they find themselves opposed to the doctrines of this Church or for any other reason are unable to harmonize with the others of the Church, they will not seek to disrupt its fellowship but will quietly withdraw from its membership.
We believe that separation is enjoined upon God’s people, both individually and corporately and that there are two kinds of separation: religious and personal.
Hebrews 10:25; 13:7, 17; I Thessalonians 52, 13.
Religious Separation
Separation from all religious apostasy and compromise, both locally and world-wide. This would include co-operative and inclusivistic ministries with such churches or organizations including Roman Catholicism, Seventh Day Adventism, Mormonism, Jehovah Witnesses, Christadelphianism, Armstrongism, Unity and Christian Science. It is also to include modernism, formalism, neo-orthodoxy, neo-evangelicalism, ecumenism as expressed in the World Council of Churches; signs and wonders; extra biblical revelation; being slain in the spirit; the prosperity doctrine; the doctrine of Charismatic healing; gospel rock; repetitious praise (hype-up) and ecumenical evangelism which have shown themselves to be disobedient in the matter of authority and practice of the Scriptures. This separatist position is to be maintained with an attitude of humility, compassion and love.
Romans 16:17; II Corinthians 6:14-18; Galatians 1:8; Ephesians 5:11; II Thessalonians 3:6, 15; I Timothy 6:3-5; II Timothy 3:5; II John 10, 11; Hebrews 13:1.
Personal Separation
Separation from all worldly practices, pleasures and associations as taught in God’s Word.
Romans 12:2; James 4:4; I John 2:15-17; Philippians 4:8.
Spiritual Gifts
We believe that God the Holy Spirit is Sovereign in the bestowment of His gifts and that He has given evangelists, pastors and teachers as sufficient for the edifying of the Church today; that the “sign” miracles and tongues (languages) were a manifestation of the Spirit’s power solely for the demonstration of God’s wisdom, purpose and power in the establishment of the early Church and that these “sign” gifts have now ceased.
We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith in accordance with his own will, for the sick and afflicted; but healing cannot be claimed through salvation or by self-styled “faith healers”. At times, it is God’s will for sickness not to be removed. Total physical healing will be culminated in the redemption of our bodies at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:32; II Corinthians 12:7-10; James 5:14, 16; I John 3:2.
We believe that the genuine gift of Tongues ceased in and of itself within the First Century, and therefore that which is in manifestation today is not of God and is NOT to be accepted, but rather forbidden.
More fully, we believe that the gift of Tongues was the gift whereby the recipient was supernaturally enabled by the Holy Spirit to speak in known languages, unlearned by the speaker (Acts 2:1-11). That the gift was a sign-gift, temporary in nature, a sign to unbelieving Israel, as a sign of impending judgment upon the nation for rejecting the Messiah. That this gift ceased within the First Century and most probably by 70 AD when God’s judgment culminated in the destruction of Jerusalem (I Corinthians 1:22; 14:21-22; Isaiah 28:11-12 Acts 28:24-28). That the other miraculous, apostolic sign-gifts were temporary in nature, serving no purpose after the final revelation of God’s Word to Man, the New Testament; which was completed with the Book of Revelation around 95-98 AD (Revelation 22:18-19; Acts 16:15-20).
Therefore we cannot accept into membership of this Church, anyone who is Charismatic, even though they may be in full agreement with all our other doctrinal positions.
Satan
We believe in the existence of Satan who originally was created a holy and perfect being; but through pride and wicked ambition rebelled against God, thus becoming utterly depraved in character, the great enemy of God and His people; leader of all other evil angels and wicked spirits, the “prince of the power of the air” and “god of this world”; that his powers are vast, but strictly limited by the permissive will of God who over-rules all his wicked devices for good; that he was defeated and judged at the Cross and therefore his final doom in the “Lake of Fire” is certain; that we are able to resist and overcome him only in the whole armour of God, by the Blood of the Lamb and through the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Isaiah 14:12-15; Hebrews 2:14; Colossians 2:15; Ephesians 6:12; I Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:9-11; 20:10.
The Second Coming
We believe in the Second Coming of Christ; that His coming in the air to Rapture His Church, which is our “Blessed Hope” is always imminent, and that it will be pre-tribulation and pre-millennial; that when He has first by resurrection of the dead and translation of the living removed from the earth the “in Christ” ones, He will then pour out His righteous judgments upon the unbelieving world during the seven year time period known as the Tribulation and afterwards descend with His Church (His Bride) and establish His glorious and literal Kingdom in the re-generated nation of Israel where He shall rule over all nations for a thousand years.
I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; I Thessalonians 5:9; Revelation 3:10; I Corinthians 15:51, 52; Matthew 24:21; Revelation 6:19; Zechariah 14:4-11; Daniel 7:13, 14; 9:24-27; Revelation 19:11-16; 20:1-6; Acts 1:9, 11; 15:16; Amos 9:14-15.
Resurrection
Future Life and Judgment: we believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment.
Daniel 12:1, 2; Matthew 25:46; John 5:29; Revelation 20:5, 6, 12 13.
We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the “First Resurrection” when in the totality of their manhood—spirit, soul and body—they shall appear before the “Judgment Seat of Christ” for the investigation of their works, words and motives; to be with the Lamb and glorified forever with the Lord.
II Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:21, 23; I Thessalonians 4:16, 17; II Corinthians 5:10; I Corinthians 3:13-15; Philippians 3:21.
We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain after death in conscious misery and torment in Hades until the “second resurrection” (at least 1000 years after the “first resurrection”) when, with spirit, soul and body reunited, they shall stand before the Great White Throne and shall be cast into the “Lake of Fire”, which is the second death; not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting, conscious punishment.
Luke 16:19-26; Matthew 25:41-46; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 6, 7; Revelation 20:11-15; 21:8.
