Statement of Faith - Crossway Bible Church SA

Episode 12 - Things to Come

We believe in and expectantly await the glorious, visible, personal, return of the Lord Jesus Christ. The blessed hope of His return has vital bearing on the personal life, service, and mission of the believer. We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost. The lost will be raised to judgment and experience eternal wrath in hell. The saved will be raised to eternal joy in the new heaven and new earth in the manifested presence of God (Acts 1:9-11 [https://www.esv.org/verses/Acts%201%3A9-11/]; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11 [https://www.esv.org/verses/1%20Thessalonians%204%3A13-5%3A11/]; Matthew 25:31-46 [https://www.esv.org/verses/Matthew%2025%3A31-46/]; Revelation 20:11-21:8 [https://www.esv.org/verses/Revelation%2020%3A11-21%3A8/]).

Episode 11 - Missions

We believe it is the aim, duty, and privilege of every believer and local church fellowship to glorify God by responding as active participants in the Great Commission call of Jesus Christ to go and make disciples of all nations. (Matthew 28:18-20 [https://www.esv.org/verses/Matthew%2028%3A18-20/]; 2 Timothy 2:2 [https://www.esv.org/verses/2%20Timothy%202%3A2/]; Titus 1:5 [https://www.esv.org/verses/Titus%201%3A5/]; Acts 15:40-16:5 [https://www.esv.org/verses/Acts%2015%3A40-16%3A5/]).

Episode 10 - Baptism and Communion

We believe that Christian baptism is a public declaration of the believer’s salvation in Christ, identifying with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection symbolized by immersion in water. The Lord’s Supper is the united commemoration by believers of Christ’s death until He comes and should be preceded by a careful self- examination (Acts 2:41 [https://www.esv.org/verses/Acts%202%3A41/]; Romans 6:3-6 [https://www.esv.org/verses/Romans%206%3A3-6/]; 1 Corinthians 11:20-29 [https://www.esv.org/verses/1%20Corinthians%2011%3A20-29/]).

Episode 9 - The Church

We believe that upon placing one’s faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, the believer is made part of the Body of Christ, the one universal Church, of which Jesus Christ is the Head. The Scriptures command believers to gather locally in order to devote themselves to worship, prayer, teaching of the Word, fellowship, the ordinances of baptism and communion, service to the local body through the development and use of talents and spiritual gifts, and outreach to the world to make disciples. Wherever God’s people meet regularly in obedience to this command, there is the local expression of the Church under the watchful care of a plurality of elders. A church’s members are to work together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23, 4:15-16 [https://www.esv.org/verses/Ephesians%201%3A22-23%2C%204%3A15-16/]; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, 12:12-13, 14:26 [https://www.esv.org/verses/1%20Corinthians%2011%3A23-26%2C%2012%3A12-13%2C%2014%3A26/]; Hebrews 10:24-25 [https://www.esv.org/verses/Hebrews%2010%3A24-25/]; Acts 2:42-46, 14:23 [https://www.esv.org/verses/Acts%202%3A42-46%2C%2014%3A23/]; Titus 1:5 [https://www.esv.org/verses/Titus%201%3A5/]; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 [https://www.esv.org/verses/2%20Thessalonians%201%3A11-12/]; Matthew 28:18-20 [https://www.esv.org/verses/Matthew%2028%3A18-20/]).

Episode 8 - Salvation

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, as the substitutionary atonement in our place, and that salvation is found in none other than Jesus Christ. Before Creation, God chose those who would be saved and granted this unearned grace solely based on His sovereign good pleasure. Jesus Christ’s death on the cross was the sole and complete payment for sins, fully satisfying God’s righteous wrath, for each person that turns from sin in repentance and places his/her faith in Christ alone by grace alone. At salvation each person is made a new creation by the Holy Spirit, declared righteous before God, and secured as an adopted child of God forever. Genuine faith continues in obedience and love for Jesus Christ with a life eager to glorify God and persevere to the end (1 Corinthians 12:13, 15:3 [https://www.esv.org/verses/1%20Corinthians%2012%3A13%2C%2015%3A3/]; Isaiah 53:4-10 [https://www.esv.org/verses/Isaiah%2053%3A4-10/]; Acts 4:12, 26:16-18 [https://www.esv.org/verses/Acts%204%3A12%2C%2026%3A16-18/]; Romans 1:18, 3:21-26, 8:29-30, 37-39; Ephesians 1:5, 2:8-9 [https://www.esv.org/verses/Ephesians%201%3A5%2C%202%3A8-9/]; 1 Peter 3:18 [https://www.esv.org/verses/1%20Peter%203%3A18/], Hebrews 3:14, 7:27 [https://www.esv.org/verses/Hebrews%203%3A14%2C%207%3A27/]; 2 Timothy 1:8-9 [https://www.esv.org/verses/2%20Timothy%201%3A8-9/]; 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21 [https://www.esv.org/verses/2%20Corinthians%205%3A17%2C%2021/]; Titus 3:5 [https://www.esv.org/verses/Titus%203%3A5/]; John 14:15 [https://www.esv.org/verses/John%2014%3A15/]; James 2:14-26 [https://www.esv.org/verses/James%202%3A14-26/]).