HC 88

Q88. What is the true repentance or conversion of man?

It is the dying of the old nature and the coming to life of the new.

Proof texts

• Rom. 6:1-11 — [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? [3] Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? [4] We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. [5] For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. [6] We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. [7] For one who has died has been set free from sin. [8] Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. [9] We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. [10] For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. [11] So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
• 1 Cor. 5:7 — [7] Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
• 2 Cor. 5:17 — [17] Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
• Eph. 4:22-24 — [22] to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, [23] and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, [24] and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
• Col. 3:5-10 — [5] Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. [6] On account of these the wrath of God is coming. [7] In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. [8] But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. [9] Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices [10] and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Rom. 6:1-11 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 5 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. BC 6.3 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. BC 6.4 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

BC 6.3 · BC 6.4 · BC 6.5 · WCF 13.1 · WCF 13.2 · WCF 13.3 · WLC Q75 · WLC Q76 · WLC Q77 · WLC Q78 · WSC Q35 · WSC Q36 · WCF 14.1 · WSC Q85 · WSC Q86 · WSC Q87 · 1689 13.1 · 1689 13.2 · 1689 13.3 · 1689 14.1 · 1689 14.2 · 1689 14.3 · 1689 15.1 · 1689 15.2 · 1689 15.3 · 1689 15.4 · 1689 15.5 · 1689 16.1