Statement on Salvation

Adopted 12/3/06

Description of Salvation

Salvation is God's gracious plan for humans from all eternity (Ephesians 1) in which He reconciles the wicked to Himself, through Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit. He does this, not because of anything in the creature, but because of His own intention and will (John 1:12-13). God's ultimate purpose in salvation is to honor and glorify Christ. He does this by reconciling the cosmos to Himself, by defeating sin and death on the cross.

Overview of Salvation

We are justified by faith in Christ. When we trust in Christ, God attaches us to the work that Christ has done on the cross on our behalf. We are not saved by a work of faith, but by the work of Christ. Faith is the instrument of salvation; Christ is the power of salvation. God takes our sin and puts it on Christ, punishing Him for the sins we commit (Romans 3:23-26). Our justification is not a change within ourselves as sinners, but is a declaration of "not guilty" over the life of a sinner. As a result, a believer is at the same time both a saint and sinner. It is a once and for all declaration of our right standing before God.

Though justification causes no inward change in the life of the believer (it is only a legal declaration of righteousness Rom 4:5), sanctification does. Sanctification is the process whereby God begins to make those who are justified by faith in Christ to be conformed to the image of Christ. Perseverance in faith is evidence of salvation (Heb 3:12-14), not because we are left in our own power to become sanctified (Galatians 1:1-5, Romans 8:32), but because Christ now lives in us. He will most certainly begin and complete the process of sanctification (Philippians 2:6, II Corinthians 4:14, 17, II Timothy 1:12). Everyone who is justified will also be sanctified. Although we may fall away for a time and grieve God the Holy Spirit, we will certainly return. If we do not return we prove ourselves to have never been a part of the family of God (I John 2:19). From the overall perspective of our lives we will see a progressive change in ourselves towards Christlikeness. Our overall direction in life will be Godward.

Salvation is not only a declaration of our righteousness, and not merely God's work in our lives through the Holy Spirit to conform us into the image of Christ, but it is also the promise of our ultimate salvation when we will no longer struggle with sin but will be rid of our sinful nature and made perfect. The culmination of our salvation will result in our glorified bodies in heaven with the Lord where we will know and see and savor God in Christ for all eternity.

Evidence of Salvation

True saving faith will be accompanied by an appropriate feeling of guilt for sin and a desire to please Christ by turning from sin toward God. Saving faith will also include a love for God, and not just a love for the benefits of having faith in Christ. Saving faith and repentance will only be authenticated by a person's conformity to the image of Christ by displaying the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-25). Works are a necessary fruit of our salvation, but are not the ground of our salvation, since we are saved by grace alone (Ephesians 2:8-9).