We believe and teach that the salvation of sinful men ultimately depends upon the sovereign grace of God (e.g. Romans 9:16; Ephesians 2:8-9). This great truth, however, never nullifies or diminishes the sinner's responsibility to repent and believe, or the believer's responsibility to evangelize (e.g. Romans 10:8-15). As a matter of fact, the Bible always makes clear its prerequisite for true faith and repentance as substantiated by a genuine commitment and as confirmed by evidences of obedience. Biblical Christianity is discipleship (cf. Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 9:23-26, 62; 14:25-35; Acts 11:26; etc.)

God's sovereign plan of salvation was divinely drafted in eternity past (e.g. Ephesians 1:4; Revelation 13:8), including all of its provisions (e.g. the work of Christ and the Spirit) and processes (e.g. Titus 3:3-7). Furthermore, on an individual, historical basis, His gracious intervention stands behind all the stages of salvation, i.e. past, present (sanctification), and future (glorification) (Romans 8:29-30).

Some notable aspects of God's plan of salvation include unconditional election (e.g. Deuteronomy 7:6-8; Amos 3:2; John 15:16; Acts 13:48; Ephesians 1:5, 11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:10; 1 Peter 1:1-2), effectual calling (e.g. John 6:44-45; Romans 9:11; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:14), regeneration (Deuteronomy 30:6; Jeremiah 31: 31-34; John 3:1-10; Titus 3:5; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23, adoption (e.g. Romans 8:15; Ephesians 1:5), justification (e.g. Genesis 15:6; Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 3:20, 24, 26, 30; 4:1-5), faith (Genesis 15:6; Jeremiah 17:7; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8; Hebrews 11:1; James 2), repentance (e.g. 2 Kings 17:13; Lamentations 5:21; Luke 24:47; Acts 11:1; 20:21), conversion (e.g. Acts 15:19; 26:18), sanctification (e.g. Leviticus 20:22-26; John 17:17, 19; Acts 20:32; Ephesians 1:4; 5:26; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Hebrews 2:11; 10:10; 12:14), eternal security, perseverance (including all means, be they in the form of assurance or of warning; e.g., Romans 8; Philippians 1:6; 2 Timothy 2:19; Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-27), etc.

We believe that as Christians, God has saved us to be holy and consequently to do good works. This holiness has both fixed and progressive aspects. Our sanctification---the process by which we become holy---has three sequential manifestations: first, positional sanctification which describes our standing before God having been unalterably set apart unto God for eternity (Acts 20:32; 1 Corinthians 1:2, 30; 6:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 2:11; 3:1; 10:10, 14; 13:12; 1 Peter 1:2); second, progressive sanctification which describes our spiritual growth, victory over sin by means of God's grace, through the resources of the Spirit of God, the Word of God and the people of God (John 17:17, 19; Romans 6:1-22; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4; 5:23); third, glorification which describes a day when God will perfectly complete our maturity so that it corresponds to the position in Christ He has already given to us.

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