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SALVATION
X. Christ's Sacrifice
A/114. Christ offered once and for all the one perfect sacrifice
for the sins of the whole world. No other satisfaction for sin is
necessary; none other can atone.
XI. The New Life in Christ
A/115. A new life and a right relationship with God are made possible
through the redemptive acts of God in Jesus Christ. God, by His
Spirit, acts to impart new life and put people into a relationship
with Himself as they repent and their faith responds to His grace.
Justification, regeneration, and adoption speak significantly to
entrance into and continuance in the new life.
Justification
A/116. Justification is a legal term that emphasizes that by a
new relationship in Jesus Christ people are in fact accounted righteous,
being freed from both the guilt and the penalty of their sins.
Regeneration
A/117. Regeneration is a biological term which illustrates that
by a new relationship in Christ, one does in fact have a new life
and a new spiritual nature capable of faith, love, and obedience
to Christ Jesus as Lord. The believer is born again and is a new
creation. The old life is past; a new life is begun.
Adoption
A/118. Adoption is a filial term full of warmth, love, and acceptance.
It denotes that by a new relationship in Christ believers have become
His wanted children freed from the mastery of both sin and Satan.
Believers have the witness of the Spirit that they are children
of God.
XII. Entire Sanctification
A/119. Entire sanctification is that work of the Holy Spirit,
subsequent to regeneration, by which the fully consecrated believers,
upon exercise of faith in the atoning blood of Christ, are cleansed
in that moment from all inward sin and empowered for service. The
resulting relationship is attested by the witness of the Holy Spirit
and is maintained by faith and obedience. Entire sanctification
enables believers to love God with all their hearts, souls, strength,
and minds, and their neighbor as themselves, and it prepares them
for greater growth in grace.
XIII. Restoration
A/120. Christians may be sustained in a growing relationship with
Jesus as Savior and Lord. However, they may grieve the Holy Spirit
in the relationships of life without returning to the dominion of
sin. When they do, they must humbly accept the correction of the
Holy Spirit, trust in the advocacy of Jesus, and mend their relationships.
Christians can sin willfully and sever their relationship with Christ.
Even so by repentance before God, forgiveness is granted and the
relationship with Christ restored, for not every sin is the sin
against the Holy Spirit and unpardonable. God's grace is sufficient
for those who truly repent and, by His enabling, amend their lives.
However, forgiveness does not give believers liberty to sin and
escape the consequences of sinning.
God has given responsibility and power to the church to restore
penitent believers through loving reproof, counsel, and acceptance.
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