SALVATION FROM SIN’S PENALTY
We believe that salvation is wholly of God by His grace alone on the basis of the redemption of Jesus Christ, the merit of His shed blood, and not on the basis of human merit or works (John 1:12; Romans 3:24-25, 28, 4:5, 11:6; Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
We believe that when an unregenerate person exercises personal faith in Christ alone he passes immediately out of spiritual death to spiritual life, and from the old creation into the new. We believe in justification by God’s grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone, and for the glory of God alone. Each believer in Christ is now justified from all things before God, accepted as Christ His Son is accepted, loved as Christ is loved, having his place and portion as linked to Him as one with Him forever. Though the saved one may have occasion to grow in the realization of his blessings and to know a fuller measure of divine power through study of God’s Word and the yielding of his life more fully to God, he is, however, in no way required by God to seek a so-called "second blessing, " or a "second work of grace." He is positionally complete in Christ (John 5:24, 17:23; Acts 13:39; Romans 3:24-25, 28, 5:1; Ephesians 1:3; Colossians 2:10; 2 Peter 1:3-4; 1 John 4:17, 5:11-12).
We reject the many contemporary phrases that are often stated as necessary responses or conditions to the Gospel for someone to be saved. Such statements include: “make a commitment to Christ,” “turn over the controls of your life to Christ,” “believe plus be baptized,” “believe and keep the Ten Commandments,” “submit to Christ’s mastery /lordship in your life,” “repent of or confess your sins,” “pray the sinner’s prayer,” “come forward,” “ask Jesus into your heart,” etc. We believe the only right response to the Gospel of grace is faith alone in Christ alone based on His cross-work alone (Acts 16:30-31; John 3:16-18, 5:24, 6:32-40, 8:24; Romans 3:28, 4:5).
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