1689 7.2

7.2. Of God's Covenant

Moreover Man having brought himself under the curse of the Law by his fall, it pleased the Lord to make a Covenant of Grace wherein he freely offereth unto Sinners, Life and Salvation by Jesus Christ, requiring of them Faith in him, that they may be saved; and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto eternal Life, his holy Spirit, to make them willing, and able to believe.

Proof texts

• Genesis 2:17 — [17] but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
• Galatians 3:10 — [10] For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”
• Romans 3:20, 21 — [20] For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. [21] But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it —
• Romans 8:3 — [3] For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,
• Mark 16:15, 16 — [15] And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. [16] Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
• John 3:16 — [16] “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
• Ezekiel 36:26, 27 — [26] And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. [27] And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
• John 6:44, 45 — [44] No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. [45] It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me —
• Psalms 110:3 — [3] Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours.

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Genesis 2:17 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 9 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WSC Q20 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. WLC Q30 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WSC Q20 · WLC Q30 · WCF 7.1 · HC Q29 · BC 5.2 · BC 5.3 · BC 5.4 · BC 5.5 · BC 5.6 · SD 7.1 · SD 7.2 · SD 7.3 · SD 7.4 · SD 7.5