WLC 32

Q32. How is the grace of God manifested in the second covenant?

The grace of God is manifested in the second covenant, in that he freely provideth and offereth to sinners a Mediator, and life and salvation by him; and requiring faith as the condition to interest them in him, promiseth and giveth his Holy Spirit to all his elect, to work in them that faith, with all other saving graces; and to enable them unto all holy obedience, as the evidence of the truth of their faith and thankfulness to God, and as the way which he hath appointed them to salvation.

Proof texts

• Gen. 3:15 — [15] I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
• Isa. 42:6 — [6] “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations,
• John 6:27 — [27] Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”
• 1 John 5:11-12 — [11] And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. [12] Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
• John 1:12 — [12] But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
• 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.
• Prov. 1:23 — [23] If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.
• 2 Cor. 4:13 — [13] Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak,
• Gal. 5:22-23 — [22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
• Ezek. 36:27 — [27] And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
• Jas. 2:18,22 — [18] But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. [22] You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Gen. 3:15 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 11 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WCF 7.1 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. HC Q29 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WCF 7.1 · HC Q29 · BC 5.2 · BC 5.3 · BC 5.4 · BC 5.5 · BC 5.6 · 1689 7.1 · 1689 7.2 · 1689 7.3