Training Hour: Justification and the Free Offer of the Gospel

VIII. Justification by Grace through Faith

We believe that the great Gospel blessing which Christ secures to believers is justification; that justification includes the forgiveness of sin and the gift of eternal life on the basis of God’s righteousness in Christ; that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of merit which we have done but solely through faith and on the basis of Christ’s obedience and death by virtue of which His perfect righteousness is imputed to us by God; that it brings us into a state of most blessed peace and acceptance with God, establishes the basis for God’s treatment of us as sons, and secures every other blessing needful for time and eternity.

Romans 3:21–31; 4:1–25; 5:1–21; 8:14–17, 31–39; 2 Corinthians 5:21

IX. The Free Offer of the Gospel

We believe that the blessings of salvation are offered freely to all without distinction by the Gospel; that it is the immediate duty of all to accept by cordial, penitent faith, and that nothing prevents the salvation of any sinner but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the Gospel, which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation.

Isaiah 55:1–2; Matthew 11:20–24, 28–30; 23:37–39; Mark 16:15–16; Acts 17:30; Romans 1:16–17; Hebrews 2:1–4; Revelation 22:17