Litchfield Hills Bible Church
Salvation
Is a totally-free gift of mercy and grace from God the Father, through the finished work of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, on the cross at Calvary. Therefore,
- It cannot be earned, repaid, merited, or bought.
Is available when one recognizes that a perfect God can accept only a perfect person in that perfect locale – Heaven. Therefore,
- We receive the perfection of Christ (clothed in His righteousness) when
we:
- Face up to our sin and rebellion against our Creator, and agree with God that we have no right to His presence.
- Cast ourselves, past, present, and future, utterly on the finished work of Christ, depending on God the Father to accept us on that basis.
- Trust in Christ, and Christ alone, for this.
With this new spiritual connection with God, we then seek to know Him (through His revealed Word), and to live in harmony with Him and His Word, by the power of the indwelling Spirit.
We are placed by the Holy Spirit into the true church, the Body of Christ, immediately, receiving a new spiritual nature and capacity, called the new birth.
This new relationship is permanent, although fellowship with Him may be interrupted by ensuing sin, until turned over to Christ.
Sanctification:
Is an ongoing, cooperative process between God and each one of us, as we become holy by obeying the Word of God.
This is a lifelong venture, and will be completed by God at the Day of Christ.
Glorification:
Following the resurrection of the body, we will be glorified; we shall be like we were originally intended to be: body, soul, and spirit, living in harmony with God.
We will experience the Bema Seat of Christ, where we shall be rewarded for those things we have built on the foundation of Christ.
We shall live with God and Christ forevermore, in Heaven, and in the new Heaven and Earth to come.