Theological confessions do not always contain much practical help for our spiritual journey. However, we wanted to state clearly that healthy doctrine ought to lead to healthy living. Christian doctrine is not meant to be a game for speculative philosophers. We must be able to actually apply doctrine to life. We must be able to walk away from instruction asking, “How then should we live?”

Jesus does not merely offer us salvation from the penalty of sin. He works to bring us freedom from the power of sin. The effects of sin have affected every area of individual and human life, and God works to bring healing to each of these areas. He works not only to forgive us but to completely restore us to His original purpose for us.

Suppose a man sees a car in a junk yard heading toward the compactor on a conveyor belt. At the last moment the man yells at the proprietor to take the car off the belt, regardless of price. If the proprietor agrees, the car will be “saved.” It is no longer in danger of destruction. The car is still unfit to use, and the reason it was slated for destruction has not changed. If, however, the buyer takes all the dents out, repaints it, repairs the upholstery, and brings the automobile up to mechanical standards, that car becomes useful again.

The car has been “redeemed.” The effects of redemption, just like the effects of sin, touch every conceivable area of human life. As a community of faith grows to be a viable portion of a culture, it even touches the communities in which we live.