2016 Wesleyan Discipline:Salvation

230. We believe that when one repents of personal sin and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, that at the same moment that person is justified, regenerated, adopted into the family of God, and assured of personal salvation through the witness of the Holy Spirit.

We believe that justification is the judicial act of God whereby a person is accounted righteous, granted full pardon of all sin, delivered from guilt, completely released from the penalty of sins committed, by the merit of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, by faith alone, not on the basis of works.

We believe that regeneration, or the new birth, is that work of the Holy Spirit whereby, when one truly repents and believes, one’s moral nature is given a distinctively spiritual life with the capacity for love and obedience. This new life is received by faith in Jesus Christ, it enables the pardoned sinner to serve God with the will and affections of the heart, and by it the regenerate are delivered from the power of sin which reigns over all the unregenerate.

We believe that adoption is the act of God by which the justified and regenerated believer becomes a partaker of all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of a child of God.

Justification: Hab. 2:4; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:Acts 13:38-39; 15:11; 16:31; Rom. 1:17; 3:28; 4:2–5; 5:1–2; Gal. 3:6–14; Eph. 2:8–9; Phil 3:9; Heb. 10:38.

Regeneration: 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:John 1:12-13; 3:3, 5–8; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 3:26; Eph. 2:5, 10, 19; 4:24; Col. 3:10; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:Titus 3:5; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:James 1:18; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1 Peter 1:3-4; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:2 Peter 1:4; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1 John 3:1.

Adoption: Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:5, 7; Eph. 1:5.

Witness of the Spirit: Rom. 8:16–17; Gal. 4:6; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1 John 2:3; 3:14, 18–19.

297

(1) Confession of faith in Jesus Christ as evidenced by an inner witness of new birth through the Holy Spirit and a commitment to pursue holiness in all things.

553

(1) Candidates for membership shall be examined by the local board of administration (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:782:8; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:835-837), to determine whether they meet the requirements of the Constitution concerning their experience of regeneration, Christian baptism, their willingness to be instructed in and acceptance of the Articles of Religion, Elementary Principles and the authority of The Discipline in matters of church government, and their willingness to enter into a membership and discipleship relationship with The Wesleyan Church through the local church.