The 1689 London Baptist Confession Of Faith; Read by Eric Kahure

Chapter 16: Of Good Works

PARAGRAPH 5

We cannot by our best works merit pardon of sin or eternal life at the hand of God, by reason of the great disproportion that is between them and the glory to come, and the infinite distance that is between us and God, whom by them we can neither profit nor satisfy for the debt of our former sins;14 but when we have done all we can, we have done but our duty, and are unprofitable servants; and because they are good they proceed from his Spirit,15 and as they are wrought by us they are defiled and mixed with so much weakness and imperfection, that they cannot endure the severity of God’s punishment.16

14 Rom. 3:20; Eph. 2:8–9; Rom. 4:6
15 Gal. 5:22–23
16 Isa. 64:6; Ps. 43:2

Chapter 16: Of Good Works

PARAGRAPH 4

They who in their obedience attain to the greatest height which is possible in this life, are so far from being able to supererogate, and to do more than God requires, as that they fall short of much which in duty they are bound to do.13

13 Job 9:2–3; Gal. 5:17; Luke 17:10

Chapter 16: Of Good Works

PARAGRAPH 3

Their ability to do good works is not all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ;10 and that they may be enabled thereunto, besides the graces they have already received, there is necessary an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit, to work in them and to will and to do of his good pleasure;11 yet they are not bound to perform any duty, unless upon a special motion of the Spirit, but they ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in them.12

10 John 15:4–5
11 2 Cor. 3:5; Phil. 2:13
12 Phil. 2:12; Heb. 6:11–12; Isa. 64:7

Chapter 16: Of Good Works

PARAGRAPH 2

These good works, done in obedience to God’s commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith;3 and by them believers manifest their thankfulness,4 strengthen their assurance,5 edify their brethren, adorn the profession of the gospel,6 stop the mouths of the adversaries, and glorify God,7 whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto,8 that having their fruit unto holiness they may have the end eternal life.9

3 James 2:18,22
4 Ps. 116:12–13
5 1 John 2:3,5; 2 Pet. 1:5–11
6 Matt. 5:16
7 1 Tim. 6:1; 1 Pet. 2:15; Phil. 1:11
8 Eph. 2:10
9 Rom 6:22

Chapter 16: Of Good Works

PARAGRAPH 1

Good works are only such as God has commanded in his Holy Word,1 and not such as without the warrant thereof are devised by men out of blind zeal, or upon any pretense of good intentions.2

1 Mic. 6:8; Heb. 13:21
2 Matt. 15:9; Isa. 29:13

Chapter 15: Of Repentance Unto Life and Salvation

PARAGRAPH 5

Such is the provision which God has made through Christ in the covenant of grace for the preservation of believers unto salvation, that although there is no sin so small but it deserves damnation,8 yet there is no sin so great that it shall bring damnation to them that repent,9 which makes the constant preaching of repentance necessary.

8 Rom. 6:23
9 Isa. 1:16–18, 55:7

Chapter 15: Of Repentance Unto Life and Salvation

PARAGRAPH 4

As repentance is to be continued through the whole course of our lives, upon the account of the body of death, and the motions thereof, so it is every man’s duty to repent of his particular known sins particularly.7

7 Luke 19:8; 1 Tim. 1:13,15

Chapter 15: Of Repentance Unto Life and Salvation

PARAGRAPH 3

This saving repentance is an evangelical grace,4 whereby a person, being by the Holy Spirit made sensible of the manifold evils of his sin, does, by faith in Christ, humble himself for it with godly sorrow, detestation of it, and self–abhorrancy,5 praying for pardon and strength of grace, with a purpose and endeavor, by supplies of the Spirit, to walk before God unto all well–pleasing in all things.6

4 Zech. 12:10; Acts 11:18
5 Ezek. 36:31; 2 Cor. 7:11
6 Ps. 119:6,128

Chapter 15: Of Repentance Unto Life and Salvation

PARAGRAPH 2

Whereas there is none that does good and does not sin,2 and the best of men may, through the power and deceitfulness of their corruption dwelling in them, with the prevalency of temptation, fall in to great sins and provocations; God has, in the covenant of grace, mercifully provided that believers so sinning and falling be renewed through repentance unto salvation.3

2 Eccles. 7:20
3 Luke 22:31–32

Chapter 15: Of Repentance Unto Life and Salvation

PARAGRAPH 1

Such of the elect that are converted at riper years, having sometime lived in the state of nature, and therein served divers pleasures, God in their effectual calling gives them repentance to life.1

1 Titus 3:2–5