The 1689 London Baptist Confession Of Faith; Read by Eric Kahure

Chapter 17: Of the Perseverance of the Saints PARAGRAPH 3 And though they may, through the temptation of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins, and for a time continue therein,9 whereby they incur God's displeasure and grieve his Holy Spirit,10 come to have their graces and comforts impair...

Chapter 17: Of the Perseverance of the Saints PARAGRAPH 2 This perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election,4 flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father, upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ and union with Him,5 the oath of God,6 the abiding of His Spirit, and the seed of God withi...

Chapter 17: Of the Perseverance of the Saints PARAGRAPH 1 Those whom God has accepted in the beloved, effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, and given the precious faith of his elect unto, can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved, seeing the gifts and callings of God are without repentance, from...

Chapter 16: Of Good Works PARAGRAPH 7 Works done by unregenerate men, although for the matter of them they may be things which God commands, and of good use both to themselves and to others;19 yet because they proceed not from a heart purified by faith,20 nor are done in a right manner according to the Word,21 nor to a right end, the glory of God,22 they are therfore sinful, and cannot please God,...

Chapter 16: Of Good Works PARAGRAPH 6 Yet notwithstanding the persons of believers being accepted through Christ, their good works also are accepted in him;17 not as though they were in this life wholly unblamable and unreprovable in God’s sight, but that he, looking upon them in his Son, is pleased to accept and reward that which is sincere, although accompanied with many weaknesses and imperfect...

Chapter 16: Of Good Works PARAGRAPH 5 We cannot by our best works merit pardon of sin or eternal life at the hand of God, by reason of the great disproportion that is between them and the glory to come, and the infinite distance that is between us and God, whom by them we can neither profit nor satisfy for the debt of our former sins;14 but when we have done all we can, we have done but our duty,...

Chapter 16: Of Good Works PARAGRAPH 4 They who in their obedience attain to the greatest height which is possible in this life, are so far from being able to supererogate, and to do more than God requires, as that they fall short of much which in duty they are bound to do.13 13  Job 9:2–3 ;  Gal. 5:17 ;  Luke 17:10

Chapter 16: Of Good Works PARAGRAPH 3 Their ability to do good works is not all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ;10 and that they may be enabled thereunto, besides the graces they have already received, there is necessary an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit, to work in them and to will and to do of his good pleasure;11 yet they are not bound to perform any duty, unless u...

Chapter 16: Of Good Works PARAGRAPH 2 These good works, done in obedience to God’s commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith;3 and by them believers manifest their thankfulness,4 strengthen their assurance,5 edify their brethren, adorn the profession of the gospel,6 stop the mouths of the adversaries, and glorify God,7 whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus...

Chapter 16: Of Good Works PARAGRAPH 1 Good works are only such as God has commanded in his Holy Word,1 and not such as without the warrant thereof are devised by men out of blind zeal, or upon any pretense of good intentions.2 1  Mic. 6:8 ;  Heb. 13:21 2  Matt. 15:9 ;  Isa. 29:13

Chapter 15: Of Repentance Unto Life and Salvation PARAGRAPH 5 Such is the provision which God has made through Christ in the covenant of grace for the preservation of believers unto salvation, that although there is no sin so small but it deserves damnation,8 yet there is no sin so great that it shall bring damnation to them that repent,9 which makes the constant preaching of repentance necessary....

Chapter 15: Of Repentance Unto Life and Salvation PARAGRAPH 4 As repentance is to be continued through the whole course of our lives, upon the account of the body of death, and the motions thereof, so it is every man’s duty to repent of his particular known sins particularly.7 7  Luke 19:8 ;  1 Tim. 1:13 , 15

Chapter 15: Of Repentance Unto Life and Salvation PARAGRAPH 3 This saving repentance is an evangelical grace,4 whereby a person, being by the Holy Spirit made sensible of the manifold evils of his sin, does, by faith in Christ, humble himself for it with godly sorrow, detestation of it, and self–abhorrancy,5 praying for pardon and strength of grace, with a purpose and endeavor, by supplies of the...

Chapter 15: Of Repentance Unto Life and Salvation PARAGRAPH 2 Whereas there is none that does good and does not sin,2 and the best of men may, through the power and deceitfulness of their corruption dwelling in them, with the prevalency of temptation, fall in to great sins and provocations; God has, in the covenant of grace, mercifully provided that believers so sinning and falling be renewed thro...

Chapter 15: Of Repentance Unto Life and Salvation PARAGRAPH 1 Such of the elect that are converted at riper years, having sometime lived in the state of nature, and therein served divers pleasures, God in their effectual calling gives them repentance to life.1 1  Titus 3:2–5

Chapter 14: Of Saving Faith PARAGRAPH 3 This faith, although it be in different stages, and may be weak or strong,11 yet it is in the least degree of it different in the kind or nature of it, as is all other saving grace, from the faith and common grace of temporary believers;12 and therefore, though it may be many times assailed and weakened, yet it gets the victory,13 growing up in many to the a...

Chapter 14: Of Saving Faith PARAGRAPH 2 By this faith a Christian believes to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word for the authority of God himself,4 and also apprehends an excellency therein above all other writings and all things in the world,5 as it bears forth the glory of God in his attributes, the excellency of Christ in his nature and offices, and the power and fullness of the Holy Sp...

Chapter 14: Of Saving Faith PARAGRAPH 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,1 and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word;2 by which also, and by the administration of baptism and the Lord's supper, prayer, and other means appointed of God, it is increased and strengthened.3 1 ...

Chapter 13: Of Sanctification PARAGRAPH 3 In which war, although the remaining corruption for a time may much prevail,10 yet, through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part does overcome;11 and so the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, pressing after an heavenly life, in evangelical obedience to all the commands which...

Chapter 13: Of Sanctification PARAGRAPH 2 This sanctification is throughout in the whole man,7 yet imperfect in this life; there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part,8 whence ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war; the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.9 7  1 Thess. 5:23 8  Rom. 7:18 , 23 9  Gal. 5:17 ;  1 Pet. 2:11

Chapter 13: Of Sanctification PARAGRAPH 1 They who are united to Christ, effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection, are also farther sanctified, really and personally,1 through the same virtue, by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them;2 the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed,3 and th...

Chapter 12: Of Adoption All those that are justified, God conferred, in and for the sake of his only Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption,1 by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God,2 have his name put on them,3 receive the spirit of adoption,4 have access to the throne of grace with boldness, are enabled to cry A...

Chapter 11: Of Justification PARAGRAPH 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.18 18  Gal. 3:9 ;  Rom. 4:22–24

Chapter 11: Of Justification PARAGRAPH 5 God continues to forgive the sins of those that are justified,14 and although they can never fall from the state of justification,15 yet they may, by their sins, fall under God’s fatherly displeasure;16 and in that condition they usually do not have the light of his countenance restored to them, until they humble themselves, beg pardon, and renew their fait...

Chapter 11: Of Justification PARAGRAPH 4 God did from all eternity decree to justify all the elect,11 and Christ did in the fullness of time die for their sins, and rise again for their justification;12 nevertheless, they are not justified personally, until the Holy Spirit in time does actually apply Christ to them.13 11  Gal. 3:8 ,  1 Pet. 1:2 ,  1 Tim. 2:6 12  Rom. 4:25 13  Col. 1:21–22 ,  Titus...