SD 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 ordinary means attain thereunto. And therefore it is the duty of every one to give all diligence to make his calling and election sure; that thereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, in love and thankfulness to God, and in strength and cheerfulness in the duties of obedience, the proper fruits of this assurance; so far is it from inclining men to looseness.

Proof texts

• 1 John 5:13 — [13] I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
• Isa. 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.
• Mark 9:24 — [24] Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
• Ps. 88 throughout
• Ps. 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. [13] Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? [14] You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples. [15] You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph. <i>Selah</i> [16] When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; indeed, the deep trembled. [17] The clouds poured out water; the skies gave forth thunder; your arrows flashed on every side. [18] The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook. [19] Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen. [20] You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
• 1 Cor. 2:12 — [12] Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.
• 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.
• Heb. 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.
• Eph. 3:17, 18, 19 — [17] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith — that you, being rooted and grounded in love, [18] may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, [19] and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
• 2 Pet. 1:10 — [10] Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
• Rom. 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.
• Rom. 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.
• Rom. 15:13 — [13] May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
• Eph. 1:3, 4 — [3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, [4] even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
• Ps. 4:6, 7 — [6] There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O LORD!” [7] You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.
• Ps. 119:32 — [32] I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!
• 1 John 2:1, 2 — [1] My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. [2] He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
• Rom. 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?
• Tit. 2:11, 12, 14
• 2 Cor. 7:1 — [1] Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
• Rom. 8:1, 12 — [1] There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. [12] So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
• 1 John 3:2, 3 — [2] Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. [3] And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
• Ps. 130:4 — [4] But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.
• 1 John 1:6, 7 — [6] If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. [7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited 1 John 5:13 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 24 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WCF 18.1 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. WCF 18.2 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WCF 18.1 · WCF 18.2 · WCF 18.3 · WCF 18.4