Conversion, Union with Christ, and Justification

Conversion is “our willing response to the gospel call, in which we sincerely repent of sins and place our trust in Christ for our personal salvation.” Repentance: involves a heartfelt sorrow for sin, a renouncing of sin, and a sincere commitment to forsake sin and walk in obedience to Christ. What do we mean by “saving faith.” Union With Christ: Being united to Christ means that believers are personally joined to the living, incarnate, crucified, resurrected, and reigning Jesus by His Holy Spirit through faith. Union with Christ is likened to that of a building and its cornerstone (Eph. 2:20–22), a vine and its branches (John 15:1–8), the members of a human body and its head (Eph. 1:22–23; 1 Cor. 12:12), and the union between husband and wife (Eph. 5:31–32; 2 Cor. 11:2). Believers are justified in Christ, sanctified in Christ, adopted in Christ, preserved in Christ, and glorified in Christ! We possess eternal life in Christ (Rom. 6:23); we are justified in Christ (Rom 8:1); glorified in Christ (Rom. 8:30; 2 Cor. 3:18); sanctified in Christ (1 Cor. 1:2); called in Christ (v. 9); made alive in Christ (15:22; Eph. 2:5); created anew in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17); adopted as children of God in Christ (Gal. 3:26); elected in Christ (Eph. 1:4); and raised with Christ (Col. 3:1). Justification CHBC Statement of Faith: We believe that the great Gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is Justification; that Justification includes the pardon of sin, and the promise of eternal life on principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer's blood; by virtue of which faith His perfect righteousness is freely imputed to us of God; that it brings us into a state of most blessed peace and favor with God, and secures every other blessing needful for time and eternity. Justification is a legal or judicial declaration by God that we are righteous in His sight … not because of our works but because He imputes or credits the righteousness of His Son as our own. We are counted righteous in Christ. We are justified by faith alone, in Christ alone, not by our works.