5. We believe that man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is therefore lost and only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit can salvation and spiritual life be obtained.
Articles 5 and 6 of the EFCA Doctrinal Statement clearly define the Gospel of Jesus Christ. At the heart of the Gospel is the story of God’s love of humankind, our sinful rebellion against Him, Jesus Christ’s gracious self-sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sin, and His call to respond in faith, receiving Him as Savior and Lord. This Gospel is that preached by the apostles and which every person in the world needs to hear for rescue from their sin (1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Galatians 1:8). In a nutshell, this is the Gospel that I would share with any individual to direct them to Christ. What follows is a more detailed explanation.
Humankind
Man is both a frail and an amazing creature. We were created in the image of God, which is traditionally thought of as emotion, will, and intellect in a moral sphere (Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 9:6, James 3:9). We are like God in these ways and many more (including creativity, conscience, relationality, etc.). Unlike another creature, we were created to have a personal fellowship with God.
Our Sin Problem
But man, in Adam, sinned (Romans 5:12-14). And since Adam, we have been born into and continue in rebellion against a holy God. No one is exempt (Romans 3:10b-11). This sinful rebellion introduces a separation between God and us which the Bible calls death (Romans 6:23). We are totally depraved which means that though we do not do everything we can to be bad, nothing we do is totally good or able in any way to restore that fellowship with God. This is humankind’s greatest problem.
6. We believe that the shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provide the only ground for justification and salvation for all who believe, and only such as receive Jesus Christ are born of the Holy Spirit, and thus become children of God.
The Answer
In the Gospel is the answer to humankind’s greatest problem–the person and work of Jesus Christ. In Jesus, God became flesh–not just because we need an example (and we do)–but because we need a Savior (John 1:14, Luke 19:10, Mark 10:45). Jesus lived a sinless life and then died on the Cross as the sacrifice for the sin of the world (John 1:29). He paid the penalty for the great sin debt that we have accrued and will accrue in human history (2 Corinthians 5:21). Because He is God, His death could pay (atone for) so great a penalty, and because He is Man, He could take on the sin of the world. As a substitutionary sacrifice (like the Old Testament lamb), He took the wrathful punishment for sin necessitated by God's holy nature and satisfied (propitiated) God’s holy demands. This work of Christ is what theologians call the Atonement.
Proof
The great historical fact of Christ’s resurrection proves His claims of Deity and saviorhood. He predicted it (Matthew 16:21), and it marks God’s triumphant victory over the last enemy of death (1 Corinthians 15:1-58). The resurrection secures our salvation presently and for eternity (Romans 4:25, 8:11, 8:34, Philippians 3:10&21).
Means
The way to gain this great salvation is to believe in Jesus Christ (John 1:12). This sole condition means that one must place his faith in Christ alone. Saving faith is not merely intellectual assent to the facts concerning Christ’s death, but it also involves emotions and an act of the will to trust Christ as Savior and Lord (Acts 16:31, Romans 10:9-13). Saving faith includes repentance: turning from one’s sin and changing one’s mind about who Christ is (Acts 2:38). Salvation is by grace (the unmerited favor of God) alone through faith (Ephesians 2:8). Faith itself is not a work; it is only a channel for God’s work (and another gift from Him!). God does the real work in redemption (Romans 8:29-30). God imparts new eternal life (regenerates) and adopts those who believe into His family (2 Corinthians 5:17, Titus 3:5, 1 Peter 1:3, John 1:12). Once a real part of that family, one’s salvation cannot be taken away. Loving fathers do not get rid of their children (Romans 8:35-39). In fact, God has committed Himself to bringing all His true children safely to glory (1 Peter 1:4-5, Hebrews 2:10, John 10:28-29).
Uniqueness
The way of salvation, outlined above, is unique and necessary for justification (being declared righteous in God's sight: Romans 3:28) and eternal life (spending eternity with God: John 3:16, John 17:3). The Scriptures teach that there is no salvation outside of Jesus Christ. Christ must be the conscious focus of all saving faith (John 14:6, Acts 4:12). The clearest teaching of Scripture is that those who have never heard the Gospel are destined for hell (Romans 10:14-15).
Extent
In one sense, salvation is potentially provided for all people. Christ’s death was sufficient for all (1 Peter 3:18). There is no one who is outside of the offer of salvation (John 3:16, John 6:37) and we are called to take it to the world with no distinctions (Matthew 28:19-20, Galatians 3:28). However, because of the hardness of their hearts and the sovereign, inscrutable will of God, not all people receive Christ and His free gift of salvation. Therefore, it is not practically provided to (efficient for) all people. In that sense, it seems to me that Christ’s death was savingly particular and definite in its scope–limited in benefit to the elect (those chosen by God for salvation before the foundation of the world) (Ephesians 1:3-5, Romans 8:32-33, Ephesians 5:25).
Sanctification
The working out of our salvation in holy living is sanctification. Sanctification is the process by which God makes us holy and sets us apart for Him. Ultimately, it is God’s work–in which we actively participate (Philippians 2:12-13). It is helpful to think of sanctification as having three parts. Positional Sanctification involves the believer’s standing or position before God, based on the death of Christ (this occurs at our justification (when we were declared righteous before God because of the imputed righteousness of Christ) (2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 3:21-26, Hebrews 10:10). Experiential Sanctification is the fluctuating experience of holiness that develops throughout the believer’s life after conversion (1 Thessalonians 5:23, Hebrews 12:14). Ultimate Sanctification is the transformation of the believer into the likeness of Christ which will occur when we all see Him (also called glorification) (Ephesians 5:26-27, Isaiah 40:5, 1 John 3:2, 1 Corinthians 13:12).
Articles 5 and 6 of the EFCA Doctrinal Statement clearly define the Gospel of Jesus Christ. At the heart of the Gospel is the story of God’s love of humankind, our sinful rebellion against Him, Jesus Christ’s gracious self-sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sin, and His call to respond in faith, receiving Him as Savior and Lord. This Gospel is that preached by the apostles and which every person in the world needs to hear for rescue from their sin (1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Galatians 1:8). In a nutshell, this is the Gospel that I would share with any individual to direct them to Christ. What follows is a more detailed explanation.
Humankind
Man is both a frail and an amazing creature. We were created in the image of God, which is traditionally thought of as emotion, will, and intellect in a moral sphere (Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 9:6, James 3:9). We are like God in these ways and many more (including creativity, conscience, relationality, etc.). Unlike another creature, we were created to have a personal fellowship with God.
Our Sin Problem
But man, in Adam, sinned (Romans 5:12-14). And since Adam, we have been born into and continue in rebellion against a holy God. No one is exempt (Romans 3:10b-11). This sinful rebellion introduces a separation between God and us which the Bible calls death (Romans 6:23). We are totally depraved which means that though we do not do everything we can to be bad, nothing we do is totally good or able in any way to restore that fellowship with God. This is humankind’s greatest problem.
6. We believe that the shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provide the only ground for justification and salvation for all who believe, and only such as receive Jesus Christ are born of the Holy Spirit, and thus become children of God.
The Answer
In the Gospel is the answer to humankind’s greatest problem–the person and work of Jesus Christ. In Jesus, God became flesh–not just because we need an example (and we do)–but because we need a Savior (John 1:14, Luke 19:10, Mark 10:45). Jesus lived a sinless life and then died on the Cross as the sacrifice for the sin of the world (John 1:29). He paid the penalty for the great sin debt that we have accrued and will accrue in human history (2 Corinthians 5:21). Because He is God, His death could pay (atone for) so great a penalty, and because He is Man, He could take on the sin of the world. As a substitutionary sacrifice (like the Old Testament lamb), He took the wrathful punishment for sin necessitated by God's holy nature and satisfied (propitiated) God’s holy demands. This work of Christ is what theologians call the Atonement.
Proof
The great historical fact of Christ’s resurrection proves His claims of Deity and saviorhood. He predicted it (Matthew 16:21), and it marks God’s triumphant victory over the last enemy of death (1 Corinthians 15:1-58). The resurrection secures our salvation presently and for eternity (Romans 4:25, 8:11, 8:34, Philippians 3:10&21).
Means
The way to gain this great salvation is to believe in Jesus Christ (John 1:12). This sole condition means that one must place his faith in Christ alone. Saving faith is not merely intellectual assent to the facts concerning Christ’s death, but it also involves emotions and an act of the will to trust Christ as Savior and Lord (Acts 16:31, Romans 10:9-13). Saving faith includes repentance: turning from one’s sin and changing one’s mind about who Christ is (Acts 2:38). Salvation is by grace (the unmerited favor of God) alone through faith (Ephesians 2:8). Faith itself is not a work; it is only a channel for God’s work (and another gift from Him!). God does the real work in redemption (Romans 8:29-30). God imparts new eternal life (regenerates) and adopts those who believe into His family (2 Corinthians 5:17, Titus 3:5, 1 Peter 1:3, John 1:12). Once a real part of that family, one’s salvation cannot be taken away. Loving fathers do not get rid of their children (Romans 8:35-39). In fact, God has committed Himself to bringing all His true children safely to glory (1 Peter 1:4-5, Hebrews 2:10, John 10:28-29).
Uniqueness
The way of salvation, outlined above, is unique and necessary for justification (being declared righteous in God's sight: Romans 3:28) and eternal life (spending eternity with God: John 3:16, John 17:3). The Scriptures teach that there is no salvation outside of Jesus Christ. Christ must be the conscious focus of all saving faith (John 14:6, Acts 4:12). The clearest teaching of Scripture is that those who have never heard the Gospel are destined for hell (Romans 10:14-15).
Extent
In one sense, salvation is potentially provided for all people. Christ’s death was sufficient for all (1 Peter 3:18). There is no one who is outside of the offer of salvation (John 3:16, John 6:37) and we are called to take it to the world with no distinctions (Matthew 28:19-20, Galatians 3:28). However, because of the hardness of their hearts and the sovereign, inscrutable will of God, not all people receive Christ and His free gift of salvation. Therefore, it is not practically provided to (efficient for) all people. In that sense, it seems to me that Christ’s death was savingly particular and definite in its scope–limited in benefit to the elect (those chosen by God for salvation before the foundation of the world) (Ephesians 1:3-5, Romans 8:32-33, Ephesians 5:25).
Sanctification
The working out of our salvation in holy living is sanctification. Sanctification is the process by which God makes us holy and sets us apart for Him. Ultimately, it is God’s work–in which we actively participate (Philippians 2:12-13). It is helpful to think of sanctification as having three parts. Positional Sanctification involves the believer’s standing or position before God, based on the death of Christ (this occurs at our justification (when we were declared righteous before God because of the imputed righteousness of Christ) (2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 3:21-26, Hebrews 10:10). Experiential Sanctification is the fluctuating experience of holiness that develops throughout the believer’s life after conversion (1 Thessalonians 5:23, Hebrews 12:14). Ultimate Sanctification is the transformation of the believer into the likeness of Christ which will occur when we all see Him (also called glorification) (Ephesians 5:26-27, Isaiah 40:5, 1 John 3:2, 1 Corinthians 13:12).
Part of an ongoing series about what I believe about basic biblical teachings. “Credo” is Latin for “I Believe.”
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