We believe that, owing to universal death through sin, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless born again; and that no degree of reformation however great, no attainments in morality however high, no culture however attractive, no baptism or other ordinance however administered, can help the sinner to take even one step toward heaven; but a new nature imparted from above, a new life implanted by the Holy Spirit through the Word, is absolutely essential to salvation, and only those thus saved are children of God. We believe, also, that our redemption has been accomplished solely by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was made to be sin and was made a curse for us, dying in our place; and that no repentance, no feeling, no faith, no good resolutions, no sincere efforts, no submission to the rules and regulations of any church, nor all the churches that have existed since the days of the apostles can add in the very least degree to the value of the blood or to the merit of the finished work wrought for us by Him who united in His person true and proper deity with perfect and sinless humanity. (Lev. 17:11; Isa. 64:6; Matt. 26:28; John 3:7–18; Rom. 5:6–9; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; 6:15; Eph. 1:7; Phil. 3:4–9; Titus 3:5; James 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:18–19, 23)We believe that the new birth of the believer comes only through faith in Christ and that repentance is a vital part of believing and is in no way, in itself, a separate and independent condition of salvation; nor are any other acts, such as confession, baptism, prayer, or faithful service, to be added to believing as a condition of salvation. (John 1:12; 3:16, 18, 36; 5:24; 6:29; Acts 13:39; 16:31; Rom. 1:16–17; 3:22, 26; 4:5; 10:4; Gal. 3:22)All humanity—male and female, whether married or single—are fallen beings. Through sin, and as a consequence of that sin, all humanity lost their spiritual life, becoming dead in trespasses and sins, and became subject to the power of the devil. We also believe that this spiritual death, or total depravity of human nature, has been transmitted to the entire human race, the Man Christ Jesus alone being excepted; and that as a result every child of Adam is born into the world with a nature that not only possesses no spark of divine life, but also is essentially and unchangeably bad apart from divine grace. (Gen. 1:26–28; 2:18–24; 3:7–8; Exod. 20:14; Lev. 18:7–23; 20:10–21; Deut. 5:18; Matt. 5:27–28; 15:19; 19:4–9; Mark 10:5–9; Rom. 1:26–32; 8:8; 1 Cor. 6:9–13; 1 Cor 7:6–8; Gal. 5:19; Eph. 4:17–19; 5:25–27, 31–33; Col. 3:5; 1 Thess. 4:3; Heb. 13:4; 21:2).
