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FAITH
Like our justification, sanctification is a work of God accomplished in the believer through the work of the
Holy Spirit and faith in the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13-16). The Holy Spirit, as the Lord and giver of
life, works Christ's redemptive graces in the sinner. This work includes regeneration and the gift of faith
(John 3:1-6; Ephesians 2:8). The regeneration is not inferior in power to the original
creation and the raising of the dead. All those in whose heart the Holy Spirit works are certainly,
unfailingly, and effectually regenerated and do actually believe. The Holy Spirit-given new life and faith
overflow into the good works that God has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).
There is also a corporate element to sanctification. While God has promised to present each believer
before Him holy and blameless, He is also actively preparing for his Son a bride, which is the church. When
the Holy Spirit unites us to Christ in the new birth, He also unites us to His church. "For by one spirit we
were all baptized into one body…for the body is not one member, but many" (1 Corinthians 12:13a,14). It is in the context of the community of
believers that God causes us to grow up "into the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:11-16).
PRACTICE
Therefore, believing God's promise that Christ is our sanctification, we
desire to make diligent use of God's ordinary means of grace for the making progress in the fruits of our
sanctification in our daily lives.
The believer is no longer under the law as a curse and never again needs to fear its condemnation. Yet, in
His law, God shows us His will for our lives and shows us areas of our lives that are in need of repentance.
However, because of our new disposition given to us in regeneration, the righteous commands of God's holy law
are the great delight of our hearts. Our burden is no longer the law of God but the daily struggle with the
remains of sin in our bodies. This spiritual struggle causes us all the more to seek those gifts of Christ's
redeeming work.
We also believe that God has ordained the office of elder for the purpose of teaching and equipping the
people of God to bring them to maturity in Christ. It is, therefore, the elders' responsibility to know and
love God's people, seeking to understand the unique needs of each individual and household (Ephesians 4:11-16; Hebrews 13:17; Titus 1:9).
Finally, committed loving relationships in the local church are vital to our maturity and growth. It is
within the relationships of the church, through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit, that we grow "with
a growth that is from God" (Colossians 2:19). Both the personal and the corporate elements of
sanctification are vital for joyfully realizing all the riches of Christ's redemptive graces in daily living.
Therefore, we seek opportunities for households to serve and recreate together, exercising individual gifts
and talents to encourage the pursuit of excellence in all things to the glory of God.
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