Theology of theWestminster Confession

Adult Sunday School

2017

Saving Faith

Salvation

WCF 14

Of Saving Faith

The grace of faith, by which the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls, is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts, and is ordinarily produced through the ministry of the Word. This faith is increased and strengthened by the same means, and also by the administration of the sacraments and prayer. [WCF, 14.1, MESV]

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Salvation

Faith

• Who works saving faith and how

• “Objective faith" refers to a set of orthodox doctrines as laid out in Scripture itself

• "Faith" here in the common sense of the grace that enables the elect to believe

Faith is a saving gift of grace

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Salvation

The work of the Spirit

• Saving faith is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts• Titus 3:4-6 But when the goodness and loving

kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

• Ephesians 1:17 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,

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Salvation

Ordinary means

• “By the ministry of the Word" that is preaching• 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? 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

• The ministry of the Word is used by the Spirit to work saving faith to us

• Importance of attending as often as possible the preaching of the Word

Beyond preaching of the Word, sacraments and prayer collectively "the means of grace"

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Salvation

Of Saving Faith

By this faith, a Christian believes to be true whatever is revealed in the Word, because of the authority of God himself speaking in it. He also responds differently to what each particular passage contains—obeying the commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come. 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. [WCF, 14.2, MESV]

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Salvation

Faith in the Word of God

• Saving faith trusts the whole of the Bible and dos so because of the full authority of God speaking in the Bible

• Trust in the Word of God a defining mark of a Christian believer

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Salvation

Obeying, fearing, and embracing the Word

• Different passages of God's Word have different emphases

• Need to heed the Word carefully for right interpretation of the Bible

• Passages may have different emphases and may require different responses

• Saving faith accepts the whole of God's Word, seeks to act as God requires, and trusts what God promises

Principle of saving faith is to receive Christ, to believe Christ, accept Christ, rest on Christ

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Salvation

Faith in Christ

• Faith does not simply look to promises, or blessings

• Faith looks to Jesus Christ himself

• Anything less than full orbed conversion based on Christ will not do• Emotional responses based on feelings, etc.

without knowledge of depravity and Christ's work of redemption

• Knowledge and activity passing for true conversation

• Spectator religion wherein sinners possess adequate knowledge and deep feelings of contrition and conviction and yet never actually turn from death in sin to life in Christ

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Salvation

Christ: our only hope

• Good news is Jesus Himself, through the Savior all blessing flow

• Christ is our only hope• 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.

• Jesus Christ is the gospel!

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Salvation

Of Saving Faith

This faith varies in degrees. It may be weak or strong. It may often, and in many ways, be assailed and weakened, but it gains the victory. It matures in many to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ, who is both the author and the perfecter of our faith. [WCF, 14.3, MESV]

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Salvation

Faith that grows

• This confidence in Christ ought to characterize every Christian

• The one in whom we are to hope and trust and understand is Jesus

• Fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith

Saving faith in Christ may be weak or strong, immature or mature, assailed or weakened, but it will be victorious

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Salvation

Repentance Unto Life

Salvation

WCF 15

Of Repentance Unto Life

Repentance unto life is a gospel grace, the doctrine of which is to be preached by every minister of the gospel, just as is the doctrine of faith in Christ. [WCF, 15.1, MESV]

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Salvation

Repentance that leads to life

• What repentance is defined as in 15.1 and 15.2

• Repentance that leads to life

• Repentance is a gospel or evangelical grace because repentance involves believing something about ourselves and something about Christ

• Repentance is important for our salvation

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Salvation

Of Repentance Unto Life

By it a sinner—seeing and sensing not only the danger but also the filthiness and hatefulness of his sins, because they are contrary to God's holy nature and his righteous law—turns from all his sins to God in the realization that God promises mercy in Christ to those who repent, and so grieves for and hates his sins that he determines and endeavors to walk with God in all the ways that he commands. [WCF, 15.2, MESV]

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Salvation

Turning from sin and turning to God

• Repentance contemplates our sin and the cost of our sin to the Savior

• A call that every Christian should not only hear but heed

• Sinners not only see the danger but the filthiness and repulsiveness of their sins

• Sin is always personal—against God

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Salvation

Remorse vs. repentance

• Remorse for sin not the same as repentance

• True repentance not only sorrows for sin but sees a Savior

• Basic need that each one of us has

Repentance is not merely a change of life direction, but fundamentally a change of heart

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Salvation

Of Repentance Unto Life

Although repentance is not to be relied on as any payment of the penalty for sin, or any cause of the pardon of sin (which is God's act of free grace in Christ); yet repentance is so necessary for all sinners, that no one may expect pardon without it. [WCF, 15.3, MESV]

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Salvation

Repentance as “self-satisfaction” or the “cause” of pardon?

• Transformed by God

• Only appropriate response was shame for sinful ways and gratitude for the Lord's mercy

• Repentance is not the ground of our salvation, only God's free grace in Christ

• Not our new walk of life that saves us but redemption that only comes through Jesus' blood

• Forgiveness of sins is not in accordance with the quality of our repentance but in accordance with the riches of God's grace

• There is no pardon without repentance

Repentance is a saving grace, not a work that earns forgiveness

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Salvation

Of Repentance Unto Life

No sin is so small that it does not deserve damnation. Nor is any sin so great that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent. [WCF, 15.4, MESV]

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Salvation

Comfort for sinners

• Everyone is commanded to repent because "all have sinned“

• The smallest sin deserves damnation

• The greatest sin is forgivable

True repentance is a great comfort for sinners

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Salvation

DamnationJustly condemned

to hell forever

Of Repentance Unto Life

No one should be satisfied with a general repentance; rather, it is everyone's duty to endeavor to repent of each particular sin, particularly. [WCF, 15.5, MESV]

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Salvation

General and particular repentance

• What does repentance look like? (15.5, 15.6)

• Problem of “general repentance”

1. First step of repenting of particular sins is to realize that we commit individual sins

2. Second step is naming particular sins3. Third step is turning away from

particular sin

General without particular repentance is blindness to and tolerance of your own sins

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Salvation

Of Repentance Unto Life

It is the duty of each one to make private confession of his sins to God, praying for pardon (and whoever confesses his sins, prays for forgiveness, and forsakes those sins shall find mercy). Similarly, anyone who has scandalized a brother, or the church of Christ, ought to be willing by private or public confession, and sorrow for his sin, to declare his repentance to those that are offended, who are then to be reconciled to him and receive him in love. [WCF, 15.6, MESV]

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Salvation

Public and private repentance

• Private confession to God is a necessity

• A person who is truly repentant will also include others where appropriate and necessary

• Repentance to others may be private or public as the circumstances warrant

• A duty to forgive and be reconciled whether private or public

• Receive them in love

Private confession is required; public confession may be necessary

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Salvation

Summary of key points

• Faith and repentance are both saving gifts of grace

• The Word, sacraments and prayer are "the means of grace“

• Saving faith receives, believes, accepts, and rests on Christ

• Saving faith in Christ will be victorious no matter what

• Repentance is a change of life and heart

• True repentance is a great comfort for sinners

• General without particular repentance is not true repentance

• Private confession is required; public confession may be necessary

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Salvation

Consider and discuss

1. What kinds of faith will not lead to salvation?

2. Can a person cultivate faith in someone else? Can you cultivate faith in yourself? How are the means of grace “tools of faith cultivation”?

3. Faith and repentance may be distinguished but never separated. Discuss.

4. If every sin deserves the wrath and curse of God, how can it be that some sins are worse than others?

5. How can you tell the difference between worldly remorse and godly repentance?

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Salvation

Memorize

The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.

Mark 1:15

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Salvation

Going deeper

Books

• Richard, Guy. What is Faith? (Beginner)

• Sproul, R.C. What is Repentance? (Beginner)

• Spurgeon, Charles. Faith (Intermediate)

• Owen, John. Gospel Evidences of Saving Faith(Advanced)

Articles

• Murray, John. Repentance or Faith: Which Comes First?

• Articles on Faith and Repentance at Monergism.com.

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Salvation