Westminster Shorter Catechism2

Q. 36 What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification? A. The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification are, assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end. We are now on the last of these five benefits: perseverance in grace to the end. Remember that grace is God's help that enables us to please Him. Last week, we saw that God gives us more and more grace to grow in our faith and to meet trials, but can we be sure that we will continue in His grace? The Catechism says that those who are effectually called will persevere, but can this be defended from Scripture when see so many who fall away?

Q. 36 What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification? A. The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification, are, assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end. Our God marvellously gives grace to those He redeems. John tells us here that Christ lavishes it upon us. He was full of grace (verse 14), and we have received His fullness (1:16). Grace for grace = grace upon grace, or grace after grace—grace that keeps coming. Moses told us what we need to please God (the law); Jesus provides what we need (1:17). Jesus brought this grace into the world—and now He distributes it to us.

Q. 36 What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification? A. The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification are: assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end. So what is it that fills the believer with joy? What is the source of our joy? First of all, understand what true Christian joy is not. It is not just a feeling of euphoria without any roots. Nor is it joy from a wrong root. That kind of joy is no good. Peter says that Christians have joy because we have an amazing inheritance in heaven.

Q. 36 What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification? A. The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification are, assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end. Last week, we looked at the first of these, the assurance of God's love. God's love toward His people is manifested in sending His only Son to atone for their sins. We know that we are in His love if we have faith in Jesus and love for each other. What a great blessing it is to have this assurance of God's love! Today we are going to look at the second secondary benefit: peace of conscience. In Acts 24, Paul says that this is something he always laboured to possess.

*We apologize for the frequent skipping in the sermon. We were having audio problems and have edited out the sections with no audio. Q. 36 What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification? A. The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification are, assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end. How can you obtain the assurance of God's love? God's great love for His people is clearly seen in sending Christ to save them. John tells us plainly in verse 9 that this is how His love is manifested or revealed. In verse 10, John makes it clear that it is the Lord who initiated this love. If God did this—if God made this tremendous sacrifice for His people—there can be no question about His great love for them!

"WSC Q35: Sanctification" Q. 35 What is sanctification? A. Sanctification is the work of God's free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness. If we have been enlisted into God's service, then we are to serve Him from now on! You are to see yourself as God's servant now (v. 11). You are not working for sin anymore (v. 12). You are now to present yourself continually to the Lord, to do His will (v. 13). Verse 15 brings us back to the original question: Shall we sin because we are under grace? The answer is "Certainly not." The One we obey is our true master (v. 16).

Q. 34 What is adoption? A. Adoption is an act of God's free grace, whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God. As 1 John 3:1 exhorts us, let us: "Behold what manner of love God has bestowed on us, that we should be called the children of God!" It is a gracious loving thing for a couple to adopt a child. Here is a child that is for some reason without parents to care for him. What a wonderful thing it is for the child to be taken in to a home!

Q. 33 What is justification? A. Justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein He pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in His sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone. It is so important to us that when we are not accepted, we react. Sometimes you might react by doing things to try to become accepted. And if that fails, you might get angry with those who reject you. You might despair and become discouraged and depressed. You do all this because you want to be justified—you want people to think you are okay. But more than anything we need to be justified by God!

Q. 32 What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life? A. They that are effectually called do in this life partake of justification, adoption, and sanctification, and the several benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from them. It is true that we often lack an eternal perspective, but it is important to look at the blessing that we have from Christ in this life: So that we will look to Christ to obtain these benefits now. So that we will not be deceived by false teachers (the prosperity gospel).

Q. 31 What is effectual calling? A. Effectual calling is the work of God's Spirit wherein, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, He doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ freely offered to us in the gospel. Ezekiel 36 shows you that it is God who gathers us to Christ for salvation. It is He who not only calls us, but who effectually calls those who are saved.