Our Beliefs: Salvation


Salvation is offered to man through the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to His glory alone. 

It involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all are drawn by God and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.

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.

B. 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 unto a relationship of peace and favor with God.

C. 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 maturity through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Growth in grace should continue throughout the regenerate person's life.

D. Glorification is the culmination of salvation and is the final blessed and abiding state of the redeemed.

Scripture References:

Genesis 3:15; Exodus 3:14-17; 6:2-8; Matthew 1:21; 4:17; 16:21-26; 27:22-28:6; 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; Romans 1:16-18; 2:4; 3:23-25; 4:3ff.; 5:8-10; 6:1-23; 8:1-18,29-39; 10:9-10,13; 13:11-14; 1 Corinthians 1:18,30; 6:19-20; 15:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Galatians 2:20; 3:13; 5:22-25; 6:15; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-22; 4:11-16; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 1:9-22; 3:1ff.; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; 2 Timothy 1:12; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 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 1:6-2:11; Revelation 3:20; 21:1-22:5.


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God cares & so do we

River of Life is here to share God's love with our community and our world.  We love Him because He first loved us.  God wants to be your Heavenly Father, and we want to be your brothers and sisters in Christ.  If you are in Portage, or near the area, please come make friends today at River of Life.

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Ever wonder why churches make such a fuss over this Jesus?  Why was He so important?  Ever wonder if the Bible and Christianity were really real or not?  If it is real, it's an incredibly big deal.
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Seeing Clearly

Have you ever tried to read the Bible but didn't understand it?  Why would the Word of God be so difficult to read?  His Word is spiritual language, and we simply need an interpreter (or decoder) to help us understand it.  That is where we ask the Spirit of God to apply the Word of God to our hearts.  I know sometimes it seems almost impossible to understand, kind of like trying to open your eyes under water.  However we can see clearly, when we are looking through the right goggles.

River of Life - Portage, Wisconsin     Pastor Robert M. Turner  (608) 617-5765