1689 18.3

18.3. Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation

This infallible assurance doth not so belong to the essence of faith, but that a true Believer, may wait long and conflict with many difficulties before he be partaker of it; yet being enabled by the Spirit to know the things which are freely given him of God, he may without extraordinary revelation in the right use of means attain thereunto: and therefore it is the duty of every one, to give all diligence to make their Calling and Election sure, that thereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the holy Spirit, in love and thankfulness to God, and in strength and chearfulness in the duties of obedience, the proper fruits of this Assurance; so far is it from inclining men to looseness.

Proof texts

• Isaiah 50:10 — [10] Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.
• Psalms 88 — [1] O LORD, God of my salvation, I cry out day and night before you. [2] Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry! [3] For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. [4] I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength, [5] like one set loose among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, like those whom you remember no more, for they are cut off from your hand. [6] You have put me in the depths of the pit, in the regions dark and deep. [7] Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves. <i>Selah</i> [8] You have caused my companions to shun me; you have made me a horror to them. I am shut in so that I cannot escape; [9] my eye grows dim through sorrow. Every day I call upon you, O LORD; I spread out my hands to you. [10] Do you work wonders for the dead? Do the departed rise up to praise you? <i>Selah</i> [11] Is your steadfast love declared in the grave, or your faithfulness in Abaddon? [12] Are your wonders known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? [13] But I, O LORD, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you. [14] O LORD, why do you cast my soul away? Why do you hide your face from me? [15] Afflicted and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am helpless. [16] Your wrath has swept over me; your dreadful assaults destroy me. [17] They surround me like a flood all day long; they close in on me together. [18] You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me; my companions have become darkness.
• Psalms 77:1-12 — [1] I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me. [2] In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted. [3] When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. <i>Selah</i> [4] You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. [5] I consider the days of old, the years long ago. [6] I said, “Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.” Then my spirit made a diligent search: [7] “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? [8] Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? [9] Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” <i>Selah</i> [10] Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.” [11] I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. [12] I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.
• 1 John 4:13 — [13] By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
• Hebrews 6:11, 12 — [11] And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, [12] so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
• Romans 5:1, 2, 5 — [1] Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. [2] Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. [5] and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
• Romans 14:17 — [17] For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
• Psalms 119:32 — [32] I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!
• Romans 6:1, 2 — [1] What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? [2] By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
• Titus 2:11, 12, 14 — [11] For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, [12] training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, [14] who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Isaiah 50:10 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 10 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WLC Q79 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. WLC Q80 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

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WLC Q79 · WLC Q80 · WLC Q81 · WCF 18.1 · WCF 18.2 · WCF 18.3 · WCF 18.4 · CD 4.1 · SD 18.1 · SD 18.2 · SD 18.3 · SD 18.4