God and His Revelation - Creation, Man and Sin - Christ and Redemption - Justification by Faith - Good Works and Prayer - The Means of Grace - The Church and its Ministry - The Church and the State - Jesus' Return and the Judgment


Justification by Faith

  1. We believe that God has justified, that is, declared all sinners righteous in His eyes for the sake of Christ. This is the central message of Scripture upon which the very existence of the Church depends. It is a message relevant to people of all times and places, of all races and social strata, for "the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men" (Romans 5:18). All need justification before God, and Scripture proclaims that all are justified, for "the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men" (Romans 5:18).

  2. We believe that the individual receives this free gift of forgiveness through Christ, not by works, but only by faith (Ephesians 2:8,9). Justifying faith is trust in Christ and His redemptive work. This faith justifies, not because of any inherent virtue, but only because of the salvation prepared by God in Christ, which it embraces (Romans 3:28) (Romans 4:5) On the other hand although Jesus died for all, Scripture tells us that "whoever does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:16). The unbeliever loses the forgiveness won for him by Christ.

  3. We believe that man cannot work this justifying faith, or trust, in his own heart, because "the man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him" (1 Corinthians 2:14). In fact "the sinful mind is hostile to God" (Romans 8:7). It is the Holy Spirit who moves the heart trustingly to recognize that "Jesus is Lord" (1 Corinthians 12:3). This the Holy Spirit works by means of the Gospel (Romans 10:17). We believe, therefore, that man's conversion is entirely the work of God's grace. Rejection of the gospel is, however, wholly man's fault.

  4. We believe that already in eternity God chose those individuals whom He would in time convert through the Gospel of Christ and preserve in the faith to eternal life (Ephesians 1:4-6; Romans 8:29,30). This election to faith and salvation in no way was caused by anything in man, but shows how completely salvation is ours by grace alone (Romans 11:5,6).

  5. We reject every teaching that man in any way contributes to his salvation. We reject all efforts to present faith as a condition man must fulfill to complete his justification. We likewise reject any teaching which says that it does not matter what one believes so long as one has faith.

  6. We reject any suggestion that the doctrine of justification by faith can no longer be meaningful to modern man, together with all attempts of man to justify himself or his existence before God.

  7. We reject the false and blasphemous conclusion that those who are lost were elected by God to damnation, for God "wants all men to be saved" (1 Timothy 2:4).
This is what Scripture teaches about justification by faith.
This we believe, teach and confess.


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