A Faith to Confess: The Baptist Confession
of Faith of 1689
Rewritten in Modern English
©1975, Carey Publications, Ltd.,
75 Woodhill Road, Leeds, U.K., LS16 7BZ
ALTHOUGH temporary believers and other unregenerate
persons may be deceived by erroneous, self-engendered notions
into thinking that they are in God's favor and in a state of
salvation-false and perishable hopes indeed!-yet all who truly
believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and love Him in sincerity,
endeavoring to conduct themselves in all good conscience
according to His will, may in this life be certainly assured that
they are in a state of grace. They may rejoice in hope of the
glory of God, knowing that such a hope will never put them to
shame.
Job 8:13,14; Matt. 7:22,23; Rom. 5:2,5; 1 John 2:3; 3:14,18,19,21,24; 5:13.
The certainty of salvation enjoyed by the saints of God is not
mere conjecture and probability based upon a fallible hope, but
an infallible assurance of faith based upon the blood and
righteousness of Christ revealed in the gospel. It also results from the
inward evidences of the graces of the Holy Spirit, for to those
graces God speaks promises. Then again, it is based upon the
testimony of the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of adoption, for He
bears His witness with our spirits that we are the children of God.
Such witness results in the keeping of our hearts both humble and
holy.
Rom. 8:15,16; Heb. 6:11,17-19; 2 Pet. 1:4,5,10,11; 1 John 3:1-3.
The infallible assurance of salvation is not an essential part of
salvation, for a true believer may wait for a long time, and
struggle with many difficulties, before he attains to it. It is not
a matter of extraordinary revelation, for if he makes a right use
of the means of grace, and is enabled by the Spirit to know the
things that believers receive freely from God, he may well attain
to it. It therefore becomes the duty of every one to be as diligent
as possible in making his calling and election sure. By doing this
he will experience greater peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
greater love and thankfulness to God, and an increased strength
and cheerfulness in dutiful obedience. These things are the
natural outcome of the assurance of salvation, and they constitute
strong evidence that assurance does not lead men into loose living.
Ps. 77:1-12; Ps. 88; 119:32; Isa. 50:10; Rom. 5:1,2,5; 6:1,2; 14:17; Titus
2:11,12,14; Heb. 6:11,12; 1 John 4:13.
True believers may find that their assurance of salvation
fluctuates; sometimes more, sometimes less. They may prove
neglectful in preserving it, as for example, if they give way to some
particular sin that wounds their conscience and grieves the Spirit;
or a strong temptation may suddenly spring upon them; or God
may see fit to withdraw 'the light of His countenance' and cause
darkness to envelop them, a course He sometimes takes even with
those who fear His name. Yet, whatever happens, certain things
inevitably remain with them-the new nature which is born of
God, the life of faith, the love of Christ and the brethren, sincerity
of heart and conscience of duty-and by reason of these and
through the work carried on by the Spirit within them, the
assurance of salvation may in due time be revived. In the
meantime the same influences preserve them from utter despair.
Ps. 30:7; 31:22; 42:5,11; 51:8,12,14; 77:7,8; 116:11; Song 5:2,3,6; Lam.
3:26-31; Luke 22:32; 1 John 3:9.
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