Of saving faith, part 2

Of good works, part 1

CONFESSION OF FAITH CHAPTER 16: OF GOOD WORKS 1. Good works are only such as God hath commanded in his holy Word,1 and not such as, without the warrant thereof, are devised by men, out of blind zeal, or upon any pretense of good intention.2 ---------------------------------------- 1. MICAH 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? ROMANS 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. HEBREWS 13:21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. (ESV) 2. MATTHEW 15:9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” ISAIAH 29:13 And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men, 1 PETER 1:18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, ROMANS 10:2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. JOHN 16:2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 1 SAMUEL 15:21-23 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.” (ESV)

Of repentance unto life, part 6

CONFESSION OF FAITH CHAPTER 15: OF REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE 6. As every man is bound to make private confession of his sins to God, praying for the pardon thereof;1 upon which, and the forsaking of them, he shall find mercy;2 so, he that scandalizeth his brother, or the church of Christ, ought to be willing, by a private or public confession, and sorrow for his sin, to declare his repentance to those that are offended,3 who are thereupon to be reconciled to him, and in love to receive him.4 ---------------------------------------- 1. PSALM 51:4-5 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. PSALM 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. PSALM 51:9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. PSALM 51:14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. PSALM 32:5-6 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. (ESV) 2. PROVERBS 28:13 Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. 1 JOHN 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (ESV) 3. JAMES 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. LUKE 17:3-4 Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” JOSHUA 7:19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord God of Israel and give praise to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” PSALM 51 51:1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar. (ESV) 4. 2 CORINTHIANS 2:8 So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. (ESV)

Of repentance unto life, part 5

CONFESSION OF FAITH CHAPTER 15: OF REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE 5. Men ought not to content themselves with a general repentance, but it is every man's duty to endeavor to repent of his particular sins, particularly.1 ---------------------------------------- 1. PSALM 19:13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. LUKE 19:8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 1 TIMOTHY 1:13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 1 TIMOTHY 1:15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. (ESV)

Of repentance unto life, part 4

CONFESSION OF FAITH CHAPTER 15: OF REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE 4. As there is no sin so small, but it deserves damnation;1 so there is no sin so great, that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent.2 ---------------------------------------- 1. ROMANS 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. ROMANS 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— MATTHEW 12:36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, (ESV) 2. ISAIAH 55:7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. ROMANS 8:1 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ISAIAH 1:16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, ISAIAH 1:18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. (ESV)

Of repentance unto life, part 3

CONFESSION OF FAITH CHAPTER 15: OF REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE 3. Although repentance be not to be rested in, as any satisfaction for sin, or any cause of the pardon thereof,1 which is the act of God's free grace in Christ;2 yet it is of such necessity to all sinners, that none may expect pardon without it.3 ---------------------------------------- 1. EZEKIEL 36:31-32 Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominations. It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord God; let that be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel. EZEKIEL 16:61-63 Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you take your sisters, both your elder and your younger, and I give them to you as daughters, but not on account of the covenant with you. I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the Lord, that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord God.” (ESV) 2. HOSEA 14:2 Take with you words and return to the Lord; say to him, “Take away all iniquity; accept what is good, and we will pay with bulls the vows of our lips. HOSEA 14:4 I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them. ROMANS 3:24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, EPHESIANS 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, (ESV) 3. LUKE 13:3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. LUKE 13:5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” ACTS 17:30-31 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” (ESV)