We believe that salvation is made free to all who believe in Christ. The salvation of sinners is only by the grace of the Father, through the work of Jesus Christ, and the revealing work of the Holy Spirit. Because humanity is spiritually dead in sin, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless born again; that salvation is only by grace through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is sufficient to save even the greatest sinner.
Isaiah 53:4-5, 55:1; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Matthew 4:17, 11:20-24; Mark 1:15; Luke 19:10; John 1:1-14, 3:16-21, 5:40, 6:29; Acts 2:38, 3:19, 4:12, 13:46, 15:11, 17:30; Romans 1:16-17, 3:21-26, 4:25, 5:8-10, 6:23, 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 3:5-7, 15:1-3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 1:1-8, 4:14, 7:25, 9:13-15, 12:25-29; 1 John 3:23, 4:10; Revelation 22:17
God’s Grace
We believe that in God’s eternal purpose, He graciously chose some people before the foundation of the world to be regenerated and saved through the work of His Son Jesus Christ. This choosing, otherwise known as election, was not based on any good they would do, but only on His sovereign mercy and pleasure. God’s electing grace does not diminish people’s accountability before God and is perfectly consistent with man’s responsibility to believe in Christ. This grace of God exhibits His love, compassion, goodness, wisdom, holiness, power, and unchangeable character. This grace also extinguishes boasting, grants assurance, cultivates humility, promotes love, encourages prayer, fuels evangelism, and solidifies trust in God to keep those who are His.
Exodus 33:18-19; Deuteronomy 7:7-8; Jeremiah 31:3; Luke 10:22; John 1:12-13, 6:37-44, 10:16, 15:16; Acts 2:22-23, 4:27-28, 13:48, 15:14, 16:14, 18:12; Romans 3:27, 4:16, 8:28-9:24, 11:5-6, 11:28-36; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, 3:5-7, 9:22, 15:10; Galatians 1:15-16; Ephesians 1:1-2:10; Philippians 1:6, 3:12; Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4-10, 2:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; 2 Timothy 1:8-9, 2:10; Hebrews 6:11; 1 Peter 1:1-2; 2 Peter 1:10-11; 1 John 4:19; Revelation 13:8
Regeneration
We believe that in order to be saved, a sinner must be regenerated, or born again. Regeneration is a work of God’s grace whereby the Holy Spirit gives new spiritual life and replaces our rebellious heart with a heart that delights in obeying God and responding to Him by repentance and faith. This new birth occurs when the Holy Spirit of God applies the divine truth of the Gospel to a sinner’s heart, resulting in our voluntary obedience to God through faith in Jesus Christ. The new birth is evidenced by spiritual fruits of repentance, faith, and a newness of life that seeks to please God. We believe that only God can give us this new spiritual life and bring us into the blessings of the New Covenant. In this New Covenant, we receive forgiveness of sins, God’s Law written on our hearts, and the indwelling presence of God’s Holy Spirit.
Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:25-27; John 1:12-13, 3:3-7; Acts 10:44; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 2:1-5; Colossians 2:13; James 1:17-18; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 John 2:29, 3:9-10, 4:7, 5:1-4, 5:18
Justification
We believe that justification is God’s declaration of righteousness upon those who repent of their sins and believe in Christ. By faith, Christ’s righteousness is imputed to them, and they stand fully forgiven of their sins. We affirm that justification is given freely by God, not in consideration of anything we have done, but only through faith in Christ and His finished work. This justification brings all who believe in Jesus into peace and favor with God, and secures our eternal destiny with Him.
Psalm 103:12; Isaiah 53:11-12; Matthew 9:6; John 1:16; Acts 10:43; Romans 3:20-28, 4:1-5:21, 6:23, 8:30-34; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Galatians 2:15-17, 3:24; Philippians 3:7-9; Titus 3:5-7; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 2:12, 25
Repentance & Faith
We believe that salvation is made free to all who believe in Christ. We believe that repentance and faith are the right and required response of sinners to the Gospel. They are the inseparable acts of turning away from sin and turning to God through Christ alone for salvation. This response to the Gospel is brought about by the Holy Spirit who graciously convicts us of our sin, convinces us of our unrighteousness, grants us remorse for our transgressions, and reveals that we are hopeless apart from Christ. Faith and repentance mark a believer’s life from the moment of conversion until Christ calls us to be with Him in our physical death or in His return. All people everywhere are commanded to repent and believe upon Jesus.
Isaiah 55:1-7; Matthew 11:28-30; Mark 1:15; Luke 15:18-21, 24:46-47; John 1:12, 3:16, 6:37, 7:37, 16:8; Acts 2:37-38, 3:19-23, 11:18; 16:30-31, 17:30, 20:21; Romans 2:4, 10:9-11, 10:17; 2 Corinthians 7:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-10; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 4:14, 6:1, 7:25
Sanctification
We believe that sanctification is the ongoing process of being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. It begins in regeneration and is carried on in the hearts and lives of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit until they see Christ. While this growth in holiness is a gift of grace, it also requires a believer to actively, intentionally, and persistently fight sin through means such as prayer, reading and hearing God’s word, and the mutual upbuilding of Christian community.
John 17:17; Romans 6:5-6, 6:11-19; 1 Corinthians 1:2, 6:11; 2 Corinthians 3:18, 7:1; Galatians 2:20, 5:16-24; Ephesians 4:20-24; Philippians 3:13-14; Colossians 3:5-10; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 4:14, 10:24-25, 12:1, 12:14; 1 Peter 1:15; 1 John 3:9; Revelation 3:19
Perseverance of Believers
We believe that all those who are truly born again will be kept by God’s power, and that they will, by His grace, persevere in active trust and obedience to Christ until they see Him face to face. Believers may fall into sin by giving in to temptation, thereby grieving the Holy Spirit, bringing reproach on His name, and incurring God’s loving discipline; yet they will be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. This enduring faith of believers distinguishes them from those who renounce Christ and prove not to be His. A persevering faith is evidence of God’s love, which gives sure hope of eternal life with Christ.
Matthew 5:13, 24:13; John 6:38-40, 8:31, 10:27-29, 15:6; Romans 8:30, 11:22; 1 Corinthians 9:27, 10:12, 15:1; Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30; Philippians 1:6; Colossians 1:22-23; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 2:12; Hebrews 1:14, 3:12-14, 4:11, 6:12, 9:15; 1 Peter 1:4-5; 2 Peter 1:10; 1 John 2:19; 2 John 1:9; Jude 20; Revelation 2-3, 14:12, 21:7