Of repentance unto life, part 1

Of repentance unto life, part 1

CONFESSION OF FAITH CHAPTER 15: OF REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE 1. Repentance unto life is an evangelical grace,1 the doctrine whereof is to be preached by every minister of the gospel, as well as that of faith in Christ.2 ---------------------------------------- 1. ZECHARIAH 12:10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. ACTS 11:18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.” (ESV) 2. LUKE 24:47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. MARK 1:15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” ACTS 20:21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. (ESV)

Of saving faith, part 3

CONFESSION OF FAITH CHAPTER 14: OF SAVING FAITH 3. This faith is different in degrees, weak or strong;1 may be often and many ways assailed, and weakened, but gets the victory:2 growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance, through Christ,3 who is both the author and finisher of our faith.4 ---------------------------------------- 1. HEBREWS 5:13-14 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. ROMANS 4:19-20 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, MATTHEW 6:30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? MATTHEW 8:10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. (ESV) 2. LUKE 22:31-32 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” EPHESIANS 6:16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 1 JOHN 5:4-5 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (ESV) 3. HEBREWS 6:11-12 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. HEBREWS 10:22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (ESV) 4. HEBREWS 12:2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (ESV)

How doth faith justify a sinner in the sight of God?

LARGER CATECHISM Q 73. How doth faith justify a sinner in the sight of God? A. Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God, not because of those other graces which do always accompany it, or of good works that are the fruits of it,1 nor as if the grace of faith, or any act thereof, were imputed to him for his justification;2 but only as it is an instrument by which he receiveth and applieth Christ and his righteousness.3 ---------------------------------------- 1. GALATIANS 3:11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” ROMANS 3:28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. (ESV) 2. ROMANS 4:5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, ROMANS 10:10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (ESV) 3. JOHN 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, PHILIPPIANS 3:9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— GALATIANS 2:16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. (ESV)

Of saving faith, part 2

CONFESSION OF FAITH CHAPTER 14: OF SAVING FAITH 2. By this faith, a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word, for the authority of God himself speaking therein;1 and acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the commands,2 trembling at the threatenings,3 and embracing the promises of God for this life, and that which is to come.4 But the principal acts of saving faith are accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.5 ---------------------------------------- 1. JOHN 4:42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.” 1 THESSALONIANS 2:13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. 1 JOHN 5:10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. ACTS 24:14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, (ESV) 2. ROMANS 16:26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— (ESV) 3. ISAIAH 66:2 All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. (ESV) 4. HEBREWS 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 1 TIMOTHY 4:8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. (ESV) 5. JOHN 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ACTS 16:31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” GALATIANS 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ACTS 15:11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” (ESV)

What is faith in Jesus Christ?

SHORTER CATECHISM Q 86. What is faith in Jesus Christ? A. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace,1 whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel.2 LARGER CATECHISM Q 72. What is justifying faith? A. Justifying faith is a saving grace,3 wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit4 and Word of God,5 whereby he, being convinced of his sin and misery, and of the disability in himself and all other creatures to recover him out of his lost condition,6 not only assenteth to the truth of the promise of the gospel,7 but receiveth and resteth upon Christ and his righteousness, therein held forth, for pardon of sin,8 and for the accepting and accounting of his person righteous in the sight of God for salvation.9 ---------------------------------------- 1. EPHESIANS 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ROMANS 4:16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, (ESV) 2. JOHN 20:30-31 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. GALATIANS 2:15-16 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. PHILIPPIANS 3:3-11 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (ESV) 3. HEBREWS 10:39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. (ESV) 4. 2 CORINTHIANS 4:13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, EPHESIANS 1:17-19 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 1 CORINTHIANS 12:3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. 1 PETER 1:2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. (ESV) 5. ROMANS 10:14-17 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. 1 CORINTHIANS 1:21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. (ESV) 6. ACTS 2:37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” ACTS 16:30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” JOHN 16:8-9 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; ROMANS 6:6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. EPHESIANS 2:1 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ACTS 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (ESV) 7. EPHESIANS 1:13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, HEBREWS 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. (ESV) 8. JOHN 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ACTS 16:31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” ACTS 10:43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” ZECHARIAH 3:8-9 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch. For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave its inscription, declares the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. (ESV) 9. PHILIPPIANS 3:9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— ACTS 15:11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” (ESV)