IV. Salvation
Salvation involves the redemption or the whole man, and is offered freely to all
who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, who by His own blood obtained eternal
redemption for the believer. In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration,
sanctification, and glorification.
A. Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God's grace whereby believers
become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy
Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward
God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences
of grace.
Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of
Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Saviour.
Justification is God's gracious and full acquittal upon principles of His righteousness
of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ. Justification brings the believer
into a relationship of peace and favor with God.
B. Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the
believer
is set apart to God's purposes, and is enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual
perfection through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him.
Growth in grace should continue throughout the regenerate person's life.
C. Glorification is the culmination of salvation and is the final blessed and
abiding state of the redeemed.
Gen. 3:15; Ex. 3:14-17; 6:2-8; Matt. 1:21; 4:17; 16:21-26; 27:22 to 28:6; Luke
1:68-69; 2:28-32; John 1:11-14, 29; 3:3-21, 36; 5:24; 10:9, 28-29; 15:1-16; 17:17;
Acts 2:21; 4:12; 15:11; 16:30-31; 17:30-31; 20:32; Rom. 1:16-18; 2:4; 3:23-25;
4:3 ff.; 5:8-10; 6:1-23; 8:1-18, 29-39; 10:9-10, 13; 13:11-14; 1 Cor. 1:18, 30;
6:19-20; 15:10; 2 Cor. 5:17- 20; Gal. 2:20; 3:13; 5:22-25; 6:15; Eph. 1:7; 2:8-22;
4:11-16; Phil. 2:12-13; Col. 1:9-22; 3:1 ff.; 1 Thess. 5:23-24; 2 Tim. 1:12; Titus
2:11-14; Heb. 2:1-3; 5:8-9; 9:24-28; 11:1 - 12:8, 14; James 2:14-26; 1 Peter 1:2-23;
1 John 1:6 to 2:11; Rev. 3:20; 21:1 to 22:5.
[Adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention May 9, 1963]
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