The prebyterty of San Diego publishes a document outlining the essential tenets of the Reformed faith. Here's what they say about Salvation by Grace through Faith.
Salvation is God’s gracious work through Jesus Christ to reclaim humankind and
all creation from sin and its consequences. Salvation is a gift of God’s grace received
by faith. Christ’s righteousness and atonement are the sole basis for human
salvation. Faith in Christ is the only instrument by which this righteousness is
received by individual believers, resulting in their justification.
Justification is the righteousness of Christ imputed to a sinful woman or man
through faith alone in Christ. Their faith appropriates Christ’s atonement, resulting
in their sins atoned for and forgiven and God reckoning them to be righteous.
Scripture also describes salvation as a ransom or redemption from slavery (Mark
10:45); a sacrificial substitution (Christ’s death for our death); reconciliation of
sinners with a holy God; our sins being sacrificially expiated, satisfied, covered over,
forgiven, and removed. All of these ways describe how God has given us “the
forgiveness of sins, everlasting righteousness and salvation out of sheer grace solely
for the sake of Christ’s saving work.” (Heidelberg, 4.021)
Faith is (1) accepting the message of salvation as true and (2) trusting God to apply
this salvation to us. Faith is “certain knowledge” and “wholehearted trust,” that is
created in us by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. In faith we accept, receive,
and rest “upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by
virtue of the covenant of grace.” (Westminster, 6.080)
Scripture
Mark 10:45; John 3:16; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:22-26; 5:1; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9
Confessions
Second Helvetic Confession 5.107-109, 5.112-113
Heidelberg Catechism 4.021, 4.060
Westminster Confession of Faith 6.080
Brief Statement of Faith 10.4
What is Not Affirmed
Any doctrine—
• that asserts that salvation can be obtained through other religions or that other
religions have equally valid solutions to the human problem, or that there is
salvation in some other name besides Jesus Christ
• that denies the radical sinfulness of human beings, their condemnation before a
holy God, that denies that human beings are lost apart from Christ, or denies their
need for a Savior
• that teaches that God saves or will save everybody (or nearly everybody)
regardless of their faith in Jesus Christ or whether they hear the gospel or not or
whether they put their faith explicitly in Jesus Christ or not.
