“Doctrinal Statement on Soteriology”

Pastor John – 2023 

My Doctrinal Statement on Soteriology

I. Atonement

I believe that salvation is a divine act, that returns a believer to a personal relationship with God, through the atonement of Christ, who overcame sin and death, on our behalf (1 Pet. 2:24). This substitutionary atonement was accomplished though God’s one and only Son, Jesus Christ (John 3:16) who died in our place (Rom. 5:6; Isa. 53:4-6). Jesus (who is sinless) became sin on our behalf (2 Cor. 5:21). His sacrificial death was a legal substitution for mankind (1 John 2:2; John 19:30; 1 John 3:4). In that way, God’s justice was fully and completely satisfied, releasing believers from eternal punishment, obtained by God’s grace alone, by faith alone (1 Pet. 3:18; Matt. 1:21; 25:46; John 2:2) – in Christ alone (Rom. 3:28; 5:1) fully eliminating our sin debt (Col. 2:14).

II. The order of salvation (calling, conversion, faith, repentance, adoption, and glorification)

I believe that there is an order of salvation. This is based solely on God’s unconditional election, which is His sovereign choice (Eph. 1:5). Hereby, the order is based on the work and power of the Person of the Holy Spirit (John 3:8), interceding on our behalf and calling us – despite our inability to save ourselves (Acts 2:38) – leading to conversion. As such, we turn away from sin (Ezek. 33:7-11; Acts 3:19).

From Scripture we understand, that faith and repentance go hand-in-hand, and are related to God’s grace. Repentance is a conscious decision to turn our backs on sin (Exod. 32:14; Job 42:5-6; 2 Chron. 7:14), which does not make us sinless, but sin less, since we are truly sorry and no longer want to sin (Matt. 3:2; Acts 2:38; Luke 24:46-47). Faith, enables us to receive God’s grace, seek His divine will for us and acting out His God-given plan and purpose for our lives (1 John 4:1; Matt. 8:13; Mark 5:36; Eph. 2:10). 

Since we are now in union with Christ, our identity is in Him and we are adopted into His family, as His children (Rom. 8:14-17; 2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 1:3-4; John 15:4-5). Our glorification as completed transformation into the likeness of Christ, is established after our physical death and resurrection (1 Thess. 4:16; 1 Cor. 15:22).

III. Justification

I believe that justification means to have been declared legally righteous by God (Phil. 3:9; Rom. 4:5). As a gift from God (Rom. 3:24) we are justified by faith, without any works of the Law (Rom. 3:28; Gal. 2:21). Hereby, no man-made ‘good deed,’ ceremony or baptism is required (Rom. 4:1-6). We receive justification by faith alone (Rom. 4:5) in Christ alone (Acts 4:12). The basis for this is the complete and perfect work of Christ on the cross (1 Pet. 2:24; Col. 2:14). 

IV. Sanctification

I believe that sanctification is a lifelong process, as a result of salvation, and neither a cause, nor a constituting factor to it. As believers, God sees us as holy, set apart as saints (Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:2; Heb. 10:10). We grow in our experience of this process (1 Thess. 5:23; Rom. 6:13; Ps. 119:9-16). The future ultimate sanctification is completed at the final transformation into Christ’s likeness (Eph. 5:26-27). By God’s grace, it is the Holy Spirit at work in and through us, enabling us to resist and repent from sin (1 Thess. 4:7; 1 Tim. 4:4; 1 Pet. 3:15).

V. Glorification

I believe that glorification is the culmination of the salvation process (Rom. 8:29-30). This is manifested when believers receive a new, real, and physical resurrection body – affirming God’s goodness, grace and eternal love (Gen. 1:31; 2 Pet. 3:13). Hereby, Christ’s redemptive work is completed when He returns (Rom. 8:17). Death will be destroyed (1 Cor. 15:25-26) along with the elimination of sin and all evil (1 Cor. 15:54-55) finalizing our Lord’s complete victory, just as He promises us (John 5:28-29; 6:39-40; 2 Cor. 5:1-10; Phil. 3:20-21). Amen.