We believe that the atonement for all sins was accomplished solely through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross and his resurrection from the dead (Romans 5:9-10; Ephesians 7:1; Colossians 1:14; Hebrews 9:12; 1 Peter 1:18-19). Through his death and resurrection, Jesus paid for the sins of all humanity with the shedding of his blood (Romans 3:24-25; 1 John 1:7; 2:2; 4:10). By rising from the dead, Jesus defeated eternal death, the direct consequence of human sin (Isaiah 25:8; Hosea 13:14; Romans 5:12; 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:14, 17-21, 54-55; 1 Timothy 1:10). We affirm that Jesus voluntarily accepted physical death so that, through his victory over it, all who believe in him may also overcome death and attain eternal life (Ezekiel 37:13-14; John 3:14-16, 36; 4:14; 6:39-40, 47, 54; Romans 6:5-9; 1 Corinthians 15:22; Hebrews 2:14-15; Revelation 20:14). We assert that this atonement is available to all who believe in Jesus' redemptive work through his death and resurrection (Mark 16:16; Romans 3:22, 26; 5:1; 9:10; Ephesians 2:2).
We believe that the order of salvation is a logical sequence, not a temporal one. This sequence begins with God’s predestination and culminates in the glorification of believers (Romans 8:30). We affirm that God calls all people to salvation (1 Timothy 2:4; Titus 2:11; 2 Peter 3:9). While not all will respond positively (Acts 28:24; 2 Thessalonians 3:2), those who do respond by repenting and believing in Jesus will be converted and regenerated, acquiring a new nature (Romans 6:4; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15; Ephesians 4:22-24). We hold that those who believe in Jesus Christ, the true Son of God, become adopted children of God (John 1:12; Romans 8:15; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 1:5). As God's children, believers are justified in his sight (Romans 5:1; 8:1; Titus 3:7), made righteous and blameless not by their own merits, but by inheriting the righteousness of Jesus (Romans 10:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9).
We assert that those who believe in Christ are sanctified (John 17:17; Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2-3; 6:11; Ephesians 1:1; Hebrews 10:10; 13:12). Sanctification means being made holy and perfect, set apart for God (Matthew 5:48; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 2:9). We uphold that sanctification begins with faith in Jesus and continues throughout the believer’s life through the work of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:13).
We affirm that glorification is the ultimate goal of the believer’s journey (Philippians 3:20-21; Colossians 3:4). Glorification is the believer’s participation in the glory of Christ in the life to come (Revelation 3:12, 21). As children of God and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:16-18; 1 Peter 5:1), believers will share in Jesus' inheritance of divine glory. In this final stage of salvation, believers will achieve ultimate victory over sin, corrupt human nature, pain, suffering, and the desires of this present world (Isaiah 25:8; 35:10; 65:17-19; Revelation 7:16-17; 21:3-4).
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