| Salvation
involves the redemption of the whole
man, and is offered freely to all who
accept Jesus Christ as Lord and
Savior, who by His own blood obtained
eternal redemption for the believer.
In its broadest sense salvation
includes regeneration, justification,
sanctification, and glorification.
There is no salvation apart from
personal faith in Jesus Christ as
Lord.
A.
Regeneration, or the new birth, is a
work of God's grace whereby believers
become new creatures in Christ Jesus.
It is a change of heart wrought by the
Holy Spirit through conviction of sin,
to which the sinner responds in
repentance toward God and faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and
faith are inseparable experiences of
grace.
Repentance
is a genuine turning from sin toward
God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus
Christ and commitment of the entire
personality to Him as Lord and Savior.
B.
Justification is God's gracious and
full acquittal upon principles of His
righteousness of all sinners who
repent and believe in Christ.
Justification brings the believer unto
a relationship of peace and favor with
God.
C.
Sanctification is the experience,
beginning in regeneration, by which
the believer is set apart to God's
purposes, and is enabled to progress
toward moral and spiritual maturity
through the presence and power of the
Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Growth in
grace should continue throughout the
regenerate person's life.
D.
Glorification is the culmination of
salvation and is the final blessed and
abiding state of the redeemed.
Genesis 3:15; Exodus 3:14-17;
6:2-8; Matthew 1:21; 4:17; 16:21-26;
27:22-28:6; Luke 1:68-69; 2:28-32;
John 1:11-14,29; 3:3-21,36; 5:24;
10:9,28-29; 15:1-16; 17:17; Acts 2:21;
4:12; 15:11; 16:30-31; 17:30-31;
20:32; Romans 1:16-18; 2:4; 3:23-25;
4:3ff.; 5:8-10; 6:1-23; 8:1-18,29-39;
10:9-10,13; 13:11-14; 1 Corinthians
1:18,30; 6:19-20; 15:10; 2 Corinthians
5:17-20; Galatians 2:20; 3:13;
5:22-25; 6:15; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-22;
4:11-16; Philippians 2:12-13;
Colossians 1:9-22; 3:1ff.; 1
Thessalonians 5:23-24; 2 Timothy 1:12;
Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 2:1-3; 5:8-9;
9:24-28; 11:1-12:8,14; James 2:14-26;
1 Peter 1:2-23; 1 John 1:6-2:11;
Revelation 3:20; 21:1-22:5.
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