Westminster Confession of Faith Adult Sunday School Chapters 14-15

1. Theology of the
Westminster Confession
Adult Sunday School
2017

2. Saving Faith
Salvation
WCF
14

3. 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]
WCF
14.1
Salvation

4. 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
WCF
14.1
Salvation

5. 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,
WCF
14.1
Salvation

6. 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"
WCF
14.1
Salvation

7. 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]
WCF
14.2
Salvation

8. 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
WCF
14.2
Salvation

9. 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
WCF
14.2
Salvation

10. 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
WCF
14.2
Salvation

11. 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!
WCF
14.2
Salvation

12. 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]
WCF
14.3
Salvation

13. 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
WCF
14.3
Salvation

14. Repentance Unto Life
Salvation
WCF
15

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]
WCF
15.1
Salvation

16. 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
WCF
15.1
Salvation

17. 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]
WCF
15.2
Salvation

18. 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
WCF
15.2
Salvation

19. 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
WCF
15.2
Salvation

20. 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]
WCF
15.3
Salvation

21. 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
WCF
15.3
Salvation

22. 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]
WCF
15.4
Salvation

23. 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
WCF
15.4
Salvation
Damnation
Justly condemned
to hell forever

24. 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]
WCF
15.5
Salvation

25. 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 sins
3. Third step is turning away from
particular sin
General without particular repentance is
blindness to and tolerance of your own sins
WCF
15.5
Salvation

26. 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]
WCF
15.6
Salvation

27. 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
WCF
15.6
Salvation

28. 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
WCF
14-15
Salvation

29. 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?
WCF
14-15
Salvation

30. Memorize
The time is fulfilled, and the
kingdom of God is at hand; repent
and believe in the gospel.
Mark 1:15
WCF
14-15
Salvation

31. 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.
WCF
14-15
Salvation