“…that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:3b-4

Doctrine of Salvation

God, who is the Sovereign Lord over all creation, was not surprised by man’s fall from grace and had in His plans, their redemption before the foundation of the world (Gen 3:15; Eph 1:3-7).  To the praise of His glory, God unconditionally elected (Rom 9:14-18, Eph 1:4) some of mankind to be adopted as His sons and daughters.  This salvation was made possible through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross (Eph 1:5-7; Heb 9:22) and the Holy Spirit’s work in the heart of the elect (John 10:26-27).  Because of mankind’s depravity and inability to seek after God, he is therefore unable to respond to the gospel (Matt 13:13-15; Rom 1:21) and is in need of regeneration (John 3:5-8; 1 Cor 2:14). This can only come through the mind and plan of God the Father (Eph 1:3-6), through the lavishing of His grace and mercy on humankind through God the Son (Eph 1:8-9) and the enabling and sealing work of God the Spirit (Eph 1:13-14).  This work gives him the gift of faith (Eph 2:8-9) to respond to the effectual gospel call of the Holy Spirit in repentance (John 10:3-5; 14-16).  At the same time, Christ’s righteousness is imputed to the elect as a free gift, and the believer is at that time justified by God, legally declared righteous (Rom 5:1-11; 12-20).

When the believer is saved, he is positionally sanctified to look like Christ (2 Cor 5:17) and this process will be a lifelong progressive work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer (Phil 2:12-16).  Perfect sanctification will not be complete until the resurrection of the body in the new heaven and earth (1 Cor 15:51-53).  God is working all things, good and bad, in the believer to conform him to the image of the Son (Rom 8:28-31).  Therefore, the renewed person can rejoice in sufferings and in blessings; for it is all part of God’s glorious purpose for His kingdom and the progressive sanctified life of the believer (Rom 5:3-5).  There is nothing that will separate the believer from the hand of God (John 10:29; Rom 8:38-39) and He will preserve the believer until the end of all things (1 Peter 1:3-5).  The believer has been sealed with a promise, and God will not fail to do that which He has guaranteed (Eph 1:14; Num 23:19).  This all leads to a future glorified state where the believer, in body and spirit, will be in perfect communion with their maker.  They will at this point be more fully human than in times past, even their time in the Garden of Eden (1 Cor 15:51-53; Rev 21-22).