Confessional Moments

No Sin Too Small, No Sin Too Great Westminster Confession of Faith 15.4 “As there is no sin so small, but it deserves damnation; so there is no sin so great, that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent.” Episode Summary Are some sins simply too small to worry about? And are there sins so terrible that we might wonder whether God could ever forgive them? In this episode, we continue Cha...

Repentance Is Necessary Westminster Confession of Faith 15.3 “Although repentance be not to be rested in, as any satisfaction for sin, or any cause of the pardon thereof, which is the act of God's free grace in Christ; yet it is of such necessity to all sinners, that none may expect pardon without it.” Episode Summary If forgiveness is entirely by God's grace in Christ, why is repentance necessary...

More Than Feeling Sorry Westminster Confession of Faith 15.2 “By it, a sinner, out of the sight and sense, not only of the danger, but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins, as contrary to the holy nature, and righteous law of God; and upon the apprehension of His mercy in Christ to such as are penitent, so grieves for, and hates his sins, as to turn from them all unto God, purposing a...

Repentance: A Gift of Grace Westminster Confession of Faith 15.1 “Repentance unto life is an evangelical grace, the doctrine whereof is to be preached by every minister of the gospel, as well as that of faith in Christ.” Episode Summary What is true repentance? Is it simply feeling guilty about our sin, regretting its consequences, or promising to do better? In this episode, we begin Chapter 15 of...

Faith Assailed, Yet Victorious Westminster Confession of Faith 14.3 “This faith is different in degrees, weak or strong; may be often and many ways assailed, and weakened, but gets the victory; growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance, through Christ, who is both the author and finisher of our faith.” Episode Summary What happens when your faith feels weak? Do struggles with doubt,...

Resting Upon Christ Alone Westminster Confession of Faith 14.2 “By this faith, a Christian believes that everything revealed in God's Word is true because it is God Himself who speaks in Scripture. Saving faith responds appropriately to the different parts of God's Word: it obeys His commands, trembles at His warnings, and embraces His promises for this life and the life to come. Above all, the pr...

Saving Faith: God's Gift to the Soul Westminster Confession of Faith 14.1 "The grace of faith, whereby 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 wrought by the ministry of the Word; by which also, and by the administration of the sacraments and prayer, it is increased and strengthened." Episode Summary Wher...

The Regenerate Shall Overcome Westminster Confession of Faith 13.3 "In which war, although the remaining corruption, for a time, may much prevail; yet, through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part doth overcome: and so, the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." Episode Summary How can Christians know they are truly cha...

The Christian's Ongoing War Westminster Confession of Faith 13.2 "This sanctification is throughout, in the whole man; yet imperfect in this life, there abiding still some remnants of corruption in every part; whence ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war, the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh." Episode Summary Why do Christians continue to struggle with sin af...

Confessional Moments – Westminster Confession of Faith 13.1 Sin Dethroned, Holiness Begun Westminster Confession of Faith 13.1 "They, who are once effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart, and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection, by His Word and Spirit dwelling in them: the dominion of the...

Westminster Confession of Faith 12 “All those that are justified, God vouchsafeth, in and for His only Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption: by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God; have His name put upon them; receive the Spirit of adoption; have access to the throne of grace with boldness; are enabled to cry,...

Westminster Confession of Faith 11.6 “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.” In this episode of Confessional Moments, we conclude our study of Westminster Confession of Faith chapter 11 by examining the unity of justification across both the Old and New Testaments. The Confess...

Westminster Confession of Faith 11.5 “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...

Westminster Confession of Faith 11.4 “God did, from all eternity, decree to justify all the elect; and Christ did, in the fulness 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.” In this episode of Confessional Moments, we continue our study of the Westminster Confes...

Westminster Confession of Faith 11.3 “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 jus...

Westminster Confession of Faith 11.2 “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.” In this episode of Confessional Moments, we continue our study of the Westminster Confession of Faith chapter...

Westminster Confession of Faith 11.1 “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, t...

Westminster Confession of Faith 10.4 “Others, not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word, and may have some common operations of the Spirit, yet they never truly come unto Christ, and therefore cannot be saved: much less can men, not professing the Christian religion, be saved in any other way whatsoever, be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the lig...

Westminster Confession of Faith 10.3 “Elect infants, dying in infancy, are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who worketh when, and where, and how He pleaseth. So also are all other elect persons who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.”   In this episode of Confessional Moments, we continue our study of Westminster Confession of Faith chapter 10 by...

Westminster Confession of Faith 10.2 “This effectual call is of God’s free and special grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man; who is altogether passive therein… Others, not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word… yet they never truly come unto Christ…” In this episode of Confessional Moments, we continue our study of the Westminster Confession of Faith cha...

Westminster Confession of Faith 10.1 “All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, He is pleased, in His appointed and accepted time, effectually to call…” In this episode of Confessional Moments, we begin our study of Westminster Confession of Faith chapter 10 by examining the doctrine of effectual calling. The Confession teaches that those whom God has eternally chosen for sa...

Westminster Confession of Faith 9.5 “The will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to good alone in the state of glory only.” In this episode of Confessional Moments, we conclude our study of Westminster Confession of Faith chapter 9 by examining the final state of the human will in glory. While believers in this life experience both renewal and conflict — loving Christ yet still battling r...

Westminster Confession of Faith 9.4 “When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace, He freeth him from his natural bondage under sin; and by His grace alone enables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good; yet so as that, by reason of his remaining corruption, he doth not perfectly nor only will that which is good, but doth also will that which is evil....

Westminster Confession of Faith 9.3 “Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation: so as, a natural man being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able by his own strength to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.” In this episode of Confessional Moments, we continue our study of Chapter 9 of...

Westminster Confession of Faith 9.2 “Man, in his state of innocency, had freedom and power to will and to do that which was good and well-pleasing to God; but yet mutably, so that he might fall from it.” In this episode of Confessional Moments, we continue in Chapter 9 of the Westminster Confession of Faith by considering the will of man in his original state. Before sin entered the world, Adam wa...