Salvation
We believe ...
God is holy and just and therefore cannot allow sin to go unpunished (Romans 6:23).
All Adam’s descendants (every human) has been born in Adam’s sinful likeness (Genesis 5:3) and so possess a sin nature which is in perpetual war with God (Romans 3:10-18; 8:7; Jeremiah 17:9).
God dearly loves His image bearers (Genesis 1:26-27), and thus after the fall of man He immediately promised a redeemer (Genesis 3:15).
The way of salvation has always been through faith—or trust—in this Redeemer, who offered Himself as a blood sacrifice, paying the just penalty for the sins of all men (1 John 2:2). This redeemer we now know as Jesus the Anointed—Yeshua Ha-Meshiach—or Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:21; John 1:29).
The Scriptures depict three phases, or tenses, of salvation:
Justification - this makes the sinner legally or positionally righteous before God (John 3:16; 5:24, Acts 16:31). This phase determines the eternal destiny of the believing sinner. Belief in Jesus, who bore the sins of the world, ensures an eternity of joy in God's presence, while unbelief condemns to an eternity of separation from God and conscious punishment (John 3:36; Revelation 20:15). Belief in Christ is the single requirement for justification, as is indicated over 150 times in the Word of God. This is what Jesus describes as being "born again (John 3:3).” Rebirth is irreversible. Once born spiritually, the eternal destiny of the believer is solidified and cannot be altered (John 10:28-29; 2 Timothy 2:13).
Sanctification - this is the day by day walk of progressive growth in the life of the believer and is variable depending upon the individual's yielding to the Spirit. Justification establishes a relationship with God through the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit and impartation of a new nature which is responsive to God (John 14:16; 2 Corinthians 5:17). The new spiritual nature does not replace the old sin nature in the body of the believer; they exist side by side while physical life remains in the natural body of the believer. This creates a day-by-day choice in the living believer, to walk according to the new nature, under the power of the Holy Spirit, or to continue to follow the old nature (Romans 7:14-17). Sanctification occurs as a relationship is developed and maintained (John 15:4-5). Practically, that is carried out by reading and meditating upon Scripture (Matthew 4:4; 1 Peter 2:2) which is how the Lord communicates to us, and prayer (Luke 18:1) which is how we communicate with Him. As the Holy Spirit brings to one’s mind things that need to be corrected in our lives, we grow in grace as we submit to His guidance. Sanctification has nothing to do with heaven or hell but has all to do with fellowship and intimacy with the Lord (1 John 1:9; John 15:14-15), eternal reward (1 Corinthians 3:10-15), and authority in the coming Millennial kingdom (Rev 2:26-27; Luke 19:12-27).
Glorification - glorification is guaranteed by justification. It is a process that is wholly of the Lord (Romans 8:29-30). It is the point at which we will lose the sin nature with which we were born naturally and are resurrected in a glorified body in a sinless state (1 Corinthians 15:42-44; 1 John 3:2-3).