1689 London Baptist Confession
1. Although temporary believers, and other unregenerate men, may vainly
deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favour of God
and state of salvation, which hope of theirs shall perish; yet such as truly believe in
the Lord Jesus, and love him in sincerity, endeavouring to walk in all good conscience
before him, may in this life be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace, and
may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, which hope shall never make them ashamed.
( Job
8:13, 14; Matthew
7:22, 23; 1
John 2:3; 1
John 3:14, 18, 19, 21, 24; 1
John 5:13; Romans
5:2, 5 )
2. This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable persuasion grounded upon a
fallible hope, but an infallible assurance of faith founded on the blood and righteousness
of Christ revealed in the Gospel; and also upon the inward evidence of those graces of the
Spirit unto which promises are made, and on the testimony of the Spirit of adoption,
witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God; and, as a fruit thereof,
keeping the heart both humble and holy.
( Hebrews
6:11, 19; Hebrews
6:17, 18; 2
Peter 1:4, 5, 10, 11; Romans
8:15, 16; 1
John 3:1-3 )
3. 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 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 Spirit,
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.
( Isaiah
50:10; Psalms
88; Psalms
77:1-12; 1
John 4:13; Hebrews
6:11, 12; Romans
5:1, 2, 5; Romans
14:17; Psalms
119:32; Romans
6:1,2; Titus
2:11, 12, 14 )
4. True believers may have the assurance of their salvation divers ways shaken,
diminished, and intermitted; as by negligence in preserving of it, by falling into some
special sin which woundeth the conscience and grieveth the Spirit; by some sudden or
vehement temptation, by God's withdrawing the light of his countenance, and suffering even
such as fear him to walk in darkness and to have no light, yet are they never destitute of
the seed of God and life of faith, that love of Christ and the brethren, that sincerity of
heart and conscience of duty out of which, by the operation of the Spirit, this assurance
may in due time be revived, and by the which, in the meantime, they are preserved from
utter despair.
( Song
of Solomon 5:2, 3, 6; Psalms
51:8, 12, 14; Psalms
116:11; Psalms
77:7, 8; Psalms
31:22; Psalms
30:7; 1
John 3:9; Luke
22:32; Psalms
42:5, 11; Lamentations
3:26-31 )
For further study:
"Baptist Roots in America: The Historical Background of Reformed Baptists in America", Samuel E. Waldron, Simpson Publishing Co. (1991)
"A Modern Exposition of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith", Samuel E. Waldron, Evangelical Press, 1989
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