beliefs
Westminster
Confession of Faith:
Chapter 11
Of Justification
I. Those whom God effectually calleth, he
also freely justifieth: not by infusing righteousness into
them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting
their persons as righteous; not for anything wrought in them,
or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone; nor by imputing
faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical
obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing
the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them, they receiving
and resting on him and his righteousness, by faith; which
faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God.
II. Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ
and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification:
yet is it not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied
with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh
by love.
III. Christ, by his obedience and death, did
fully discharge the debt of all those that are thus justified,
and did make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to his
Father's justice in their behalf. Yet, inasmuch as he was
given by the Father for them; and his obedience and satisfaction
accepted in their stead; and both, freely, not for anything
in them; their justification is only of free grace; that both
the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified
in the justification of sinners.
IV. God did, from all eternity, decree to
justify all the elect, and Christ did, in the fullness of
time, die for their sins, and rise again for their justification:
nevertheless, they are not justified, until the Holy Spirit
doth, in due time, actually apply Christ unto them.
V. God doth continue to forgive the sins of
those that are justified; and, although they can never fall
from the state of justification, yet they may, by their sins,
fall under God's fatherly displeasure, and not have the light
of his countenance restored unto them, until they humble themselves,
confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and
repentance.
VI. The justification of believers under the
old testament was, in all these respects, one and the same
with the justification of believers under the new testament.
CHAPTER XII:
Of Adoption
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statement of beliefs
apostle's creed
cambridge
declaration
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