Doctrine of Salvation
(Soteriology)
We teach that salvation is all of God’s grace, thus God deserves all the glory. God has sovereignly elected a people for Himself, and this choice was made before the foundation of time. God did not make this choice because He foresaw that certain people would eventually take the initiative to choose Him. Rather, God was and is always the first cause of salvation. His choice was based exclusively on His gracious and merciful initiative. Salvation is not synergistic (God and man working together). Salvation is monergistic (God’s choice and God’s activity alone). Nevertheless, all people are commanded by God, and will be held accountable by God, to repent and trust in Christ as Savior and Lord. (Ephesians 1:4-14; Ephesians 2:1-10; Romans 3:10-12; Romans 8:6-8; Romans 8:28-30; Romans 9:6-18; Second Thessalonians 2:13; Second Timothy 2:10; First Peter 1:2; Ezekiel 18:23, 32; Matthew 4:17; Luke 13: 1-5; John 8:24)
“All those whom God hath predestined unto life, and those only, He is pleased in His appointed and accepted time, effectually to call, by His Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death, in which they are by nature to grace and salvation, by Jesus Christ; enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God, taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them a heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and, by His almighty power, determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ; yet so, as they come most freely, being made willing by His grace (Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter 10, #1).
“This effectual call is of God’s free and special grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man, who is altogether passive therein, until, being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it” (Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter 10, #2).
We teach that Jesus Christ went to the cross and laid down His life for His sheep (the elect of God). He redeemed His sheep by being punished for their sins in their place and enduring the full wrath of God in their place. He died the death they deserve, but three days later He rose in victory paying in full for the sins of His sheep in terms of that day of judgment. Christ’s offering was fully accepted by the Father, Christ’s sacrifice fully appeased the wrath of God towards the elect and their sins. (John 10:11, 14, 22-30; Matthew 25: 31-46; Ephesians 5:25; Second Corinthians 5:21; First Peter 1:18-21; First Peter 3;18; First John 2:2; First John 4:9-10; John 19:30; Romans 1:3-4; Romans 5:6-11; First Thessalonians 5:9-11)
We teach that the Holy Spirit effectually calls and regenerates the elect even while they are still dead in their trespasses and sins. The Holy Spirit makes them alive in the spiritual realm (regeneration); He gives them the gift of faith to be able to repent of their sins and to place their faith in Christ alone for salvation; God declares them righteous in His sight (justification) because of the perfect righteousness of Christ which has been credited to their account (imputation). The fruit of a regenerated soul is manifest as the Holy Spirit empowers a life of submission and good works for the glory of Christ (sanctification), a life that is increasingly being conformed into the image and likeness of Christ. (John 6:37; First Peter 1:23-24; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 2:4-9; Romans 3:21-26; Romans 4:1-8; 22-25; Ephesians 2:10; Galatians 5:22-23; Romans 8:29; Romans 12:1-2; Second Corinthians 3:17-18)
We teach that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Salvation is not a combination of Christ and our personal human merit or works. Nor is salvation a combination of Christ and an ecclesiastical institution or hierarchy. Christ’s perfect-once-for-all finished work has atoned for the sins of the elect, and all who have been chosen for salvation will be granted the gift of salvation. Not one of the elect will be lost or forgotten, nor will any of the elect reject the effectual call to salvation. All the elect will be justified, sanctified, and glorified. All the elect are eternally secure in their salvation, thus all the elect can be assured of their salvation. (Ephesians 2:1-9; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:20-26; Romans 5:6-21; Galatians 2:15-21; Galatians 3:1-14; Second Timothy 1:9-10; Titus 3:3-7; John 6:37-40, 44; John 10:27-30; Acts 13:48; Second Timothy 2:19; Romans 8:14; First John 5:10-13)
“Those whom God effectually calleth, He also freely justifieth; not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ’s sake alone; nor by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them, they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith; which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God” (Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter 11, #1).
We teach that those who have been saved by the grace of God will have a burning desire to walk by the Spirit of God and to live for the glory of God. Although believers will never be perfect on this side of heaven, those who are saved will actively pursue holiness and Christ-likeness. They will also actively reject the world and its ungodly seductions. Sanctification is synergistic, God and man working together in the process of conforming the believer into the image and likeness of Christ. (Romans 8:14; Romans 12:1-2; Second Corinthians 3:17-18; Philippians 2:12-13; Galatians 5:16-26; First Timothy 4:7-10; James 4:4; First Peter 2:1-3; First John 2:15-17; Revelation 18:4-8)
“They, who are once effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart, and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection, by His Word, and Spirit dwelling in them, the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and strengthened in all saving graces, to the practice of true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter 13, #1).
“All those whom God hath predestined unto life, and those only, He is pleased in His appointed and accepted time, effectually to call, by His Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death, in which they are by nature to grace and salvation, by Jesus Christ; enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God, taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them a heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and, by His almighty power, determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ; yet so, as they come most freely, being made willing by His grace (Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter 10, #1).
“This effectual call is of God’s free and special grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man, who is altogether passive therein, until, being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it” (Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter 10, #2).
We teach that Jesus Christ went to the cross and laid down His life for His sheep (the elect of God). He redeemed His sheep by being punished for their sins in their place and enduring the full wrath of God in their place. He died the death they deserve, but three days later He rose in victory paying in full for the sins of His sheep in terms of that day of judgment. Christ’s offering was fully accepted by the Father, Christ’s sacrifice fully appeased the wrath of God towards the elect and their sins. (John 10:11, 14, 22-30; Matthew 25: 31-46; Ephesians 5:25; Second Corinthians 5:21; First Peter 1:18-21; First Peter 3;18; First John 2:2; First John 4:9-10; John 19:30; Romans 1:3-4; Romans 5:6-11; First Thessalonians 5:9-11)
We teach that the Holy Spirit effectually calls and regenerates the elect even while they are still dead in their trespasses and sins. The Holy Spirit makes them alive in the spiritual realm (regeneration); He gives them the gift of faith to be able to repent of their sins and to place their faith in Christ alone for salvation; God declares them righteous in His sight (justification) because of the perfect righteousness of Christ which has been credited to their account (imputation). The fruit of a regenerated soul is manifest as the Holy Spirit empowers a life of submission and good works for the glory of Christ (sanctification), a life that is increasingly being conformed into the image and likeness of Christ. (John 6:37; First Peter 1:23-24; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 2:4-9; Romans 3:21-26; Romans 4:1-8; 22-25; Ephesians 2:10; Galatians 5:22-23; Romans 8:29; Romans 12:1-2; Second Corinthians 3:17-18)
We teach that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Salvation is not a combination of Christ and our personal human merit or works. Nor is salvation a combination of Christ and an ecclesiastical institution or hierarchy. Christ’s perfect-once-for-all finished work has atoned for the sins of the elect, and all who have been chosen for salvation will be granted the gift of salvation. Not one of the elect will be lost or forgotten, nor will any of the elect reject the effectual call to salvation. All the elect will be justified, sanctified, and glorified. All the elect are eternally secure in their salvation, thus all the elect can be assured of their salvation. (Ephesians 2:1-9; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:20-26; Romans 5:6-21; Galatians 2:15-21; Galatians 3:1-14; Second Timothy 1:9-10; Titus 3:3-7; John 6:37-40, 44; John 10:27-30; Acts 13:48; Second Timothy 2:19; Romans 8:14; First John 5:10-13)
“Those whom God effectually calleth, He also freely justifieth; not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ’s sake alone; nor by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them, they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith; which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God” (Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter 11, #1).
We teach that those who have been saved by the grace of God will have a burning desire to walk by the Spirit of God and to live for the glory of God. Although believers will never be perfect on this side of heaven, those who are saved will actively pursue holiness and Christ-likeness. They will also actively reject the world and its ungodly seductions. Sanctification is synergistic, God and man working together in the process of conforming the believer into the image and likeness of Christ. (Romans 8:14; Romans 12:1-2; Second Corinthians 3:17-18; Philippians 2:12-13; Galatians 5:16-26; First Timothy 4:7-10; James 4:4; First Peter 2:1-3; First John 2:15-17; Revelation 18:4-8)
“They, who are once effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart, and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection, by His Word, and Spirit dwelling in them, the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and strengthened in all saving graces, to the practice of true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter 13, #1).