Modern 1689 Confession

 Original

Reeves

Chapter 11: Of Justification

1. Those whom God effectually calleth, he also freely justifieth, not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone; not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing Christ's active obedience unto the whole law, and passive obedience in his death for their whole and sole righteousness by faith, which faith they have not of themselves; it is the gift of God.

( Romans 3:24; Romans 8:30; Romans 4:5-8; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:30, 31; Romans 5:17-19; Philippians 3:8, 9; Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12; Romans 5:17 )

2. Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification; yet it is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love.

( Romans 3:28; Galatians 5:6; James 2:17, 22, 26 )

3. Christ, by his obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those that are justified; and did, by the sacrifice of himself in the blood of his cross, undergoing in their stead the penalty due unto them, make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God's justice in their behalf; yet, inasmuch as he was given by the Father for them, and his obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead, and both freely, not for anything in them, their justification is only of free grace, that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners.

( Hebrews 10:14; 1 Peter 1:18, 19; Isaiah 53:5, 6; Romans 8:32; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 3:26; Ephesians 1:6,7; Ephesians 2:7 )

4. God did from all eternity decree to justify all the elect, and Christ did in the fullness of time die for their sins, and rise again for their justification; nevertheless, they are not justified personally, until the Holy Spirit doth in time due actually apply Christ unto them.

( Galatians 3:8; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Timothy 2:6; Romans 4:25; Colossians 1:21,22; Titus 3:4-7 )

5. God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified, and although they can never fall from the state of justification, yet they may, by their sins, fall under God's fatherly displeasure; and in that condition they have not usually the light of his countenance restored unto them, until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance.

( Matthew 6:12; 1 John 1:7, 9; John 10:28; Psalms 89:31-33; Psalms 32:5; Psalms 51; Matthew 26:75 )

6. The justification of believers under the Old Testament was, in all these respects, one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament.

( Galatians 3:9; Romans 4:22-24 )

Chapter 11

Justification

1. Those God effectually calls he also freely justifies.¹  He does this, not by infusing righteousness into them but by pardoning their sins and accounting and accepting them as righteous.² He does this for Christ's sake alone and not for anything produced in them or done by them.³  He does not impute faith itself, the act of believing, or any other gospel obedience to them as their righteousness.  Instead, he imputes Christ's active obedience to the whole law and passive obedience in his death as their whole and only righteousness by faith.⁴  This faith is not self-generated; it is the gift of God.⁵

¹Romans 3:24; 8:30. ²Romans 4:5-8; Ephesians 1:7. ³1 Corinthians 1:30, 31; Romans 5:17-19. ⁴Philippians 3:8, 9; Ephesians 2:8-10. ⁵John 1:12; Romans 5:17.

2. Faith that receives and rests on Christ and his righteousness is the only instrument of justification.⁶  Yet it does not occur by itself in the person justified, but it is always accompanied by every other saving grace.  It is not a dead faith but works through love.⁷

⁶Romans 3:28. ⁷Galatians 5:6; James 2:17, 22, 26.

3. By his obedience and death, Christ fully paid the debt of all those who are justified. He endured in their place the penalty owed to them. By this sacrifice of himself in his bloodshed on the cross, he suitably, really, and fully satisfied God's justice on their behalf.⁸  Yet their justification is based entirely on free grace, because he was given by the Father for them, and his obedience and satisfaction were accepted in their place.  These things were done freely, not because of anything in them,⁹ so that both the exact justice and the rich grace of God would be glorified in the justification of sinners.¹⁰

⁸Hebrews 10:14; 1 Peter 1:18, 19; Isaiah 53:5, 6. ⁹Romans 8:32; 2 Corinthians 5:21. ¹⁰Romans 3:26; Ephesians 1:6,7; 2:7.

4. From all eternity God decreed to justify all the elect,¹¹ and in the fullness of time Christ died for their sins and rose again for their justification.¹²  Nevertheless, they are not justified personally until the Holy Spirit actually applies Christ to them at the proper time.¹³

¹¹Galatians 3:8; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Timothy 2:6. ¹²Romans 4:25. ¹³Colossians 1:21, 22; Titus 3:4-7.

5. God continues to forgive the sins of those who are justified.¹⁴  Even though they can never fall from a state of justification,¹⁵ they may fall under God's fatherly displeasure  because of their sins.¹⁶  In that condition they will not usually have the light of his face restored to them until they humble themselves, confess their sins, plead for pardon, and renew their faith and repentance.¹⁷

¹⁴Matthew 6:12; 1 John 1:7, 9. ¹⁵John 10:28. ¹⁶Psalms 89:31-33. ¹⁷Psalms 32:5; Psalms 51; Matthew 26:75.

6. In all these ways, the justification of believers under the Old Testament was exactly the same as the justification of believers under the New Testament.¹⁸

¹⁸Galatians 3:9; Romans 4:22-24.

Original

Reeves

Chapter 10

Of Effectual Calling

1. Those whom God hath predestinated unto life, he is pleased in his appointed, and accepted time, effectually to call, by his Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ; enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God; taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them a heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and by his almighty power determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ; yet so as they come most freely, being made willing by his grace.

( Romans 8:30; Romans 11:7; Ephesians 1:10, 11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 14; Ephesians 2:1-6; Acts 26:18; Ephesians 1:17, 18; Ezekiel 36:26; Deuteronomy 30:6; Ezekiel 36:27; Ephesians 1:19; Psalm 110:3; Song of Solomon 1:4 )

2. This effectual call is of God's free and special grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man, nor from any power or agency in the creature, being wholly passive therein, being dead in sins and trespasses, until being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit; he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it, and that by no less power than that which raised up Christ from the dead.

( 2 Timothy 1:9; Ephesians 2:8; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 2:5; John 5:25; Ephesians 1:19, 20 )

3. Elect infants dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit; who worketh when, and where, and how he pleases; so also are all elect persons, who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.

( John 3:3, 5, 6; John 3:8 )

4. Others not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word, and may have some common operations of the Spirit, yet not being effectually drawn by the Father, they neither will nor can truly come to Christ, and therefore cannot be saved: much less can men that receive not the Christian religion be saved; be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature and the law of that religion they do profess.

( Matthew 22:14; Matthew 13:20, 21; Hebrews 6:4, 5; John 6:44, 45, 65; 1 John 2:24, 25; Acts 4:12; John 4:22; John 17:3 )

Chapter 10

Effectual Calling

1.  In God’s appointed and acceptable time, he is pleased to call effectually,¹ by his Word and Spirit, those he has predestined to life.  He calls them out of their natural state of sin and death to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ.²  He enlightens their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God.³ He takes away their heart of stone and gives them a heart of flesh.⁴  He renews their wills and by his almighty power turns them to good and effectually draws them to Jesus Christ.⁵   Yet he does all this in such a way that they come completely freely, since they are made willing by his grace.⁶

¹Romans 8:30; Romans 11:7; Ephesians 1:10, 11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 14. ²Ephesians 2:1-6. ³Acts 26:18; Ephesians 1:17, 18. ⁴Ezekiel 36:26. ⁵Deuteronomy 30:6; Ezekiel 36:27; Ephesians 1:19. ⁶Psalm 110:3; Song of Solomon 1:4.

2. This effectual call flows from God's free and special grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in those called.  Neither does the call arise from any power or action on their part;⁷ they are totally passive in it.  They are dead in sins and trespasses until they are made alive and renewed by the Holy Spirit.⁸  By this they are enabled to answer this call and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it.  This response is enabled by a power that is no less than that which raised Christ from the dead.⁹

⁷2 Timothy 1:9; Ephesians 2:8. ⁸1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 2:5; John 5:25. ⁹Ephesians 1:19, 20.

3. Elect infants dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit,¹⁰ who works when and where and how he pleases.¹¹   The same is true of every elect person who is incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.

¹⁰John 3:3, 5, 6. ¹¹John 3:8.

4. Those who are not elected will not and cannot truly come to Christ and therefore cannot be saved, because they are not effectually drawn by the Father.¹²  They may even be called by the ministry of the Word and may receive some ordinary working of the Spirit without being saved.¹³  Much less can any be saved who do not receive the Christian religion, no matter how diligently they live their lives according to the light of nature and the teachings of the religion they profess.¹⁴

¹²John 6:44, 45, 65; 1 John 2:24, 25. ¹³Matthew 22:14; Matthew 13:20, 21; Hebrews 6:4, 5. ¹⁴Acts 4:12; John 4:22; John 17:3.

Original

Reeves

Chapter 9:

Of Free Will

1. God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty and power of acting upon choice, that it is neither forced, nor by any necessity of nature determined to do good or evil.

( Matthew 17:12; James 1:14; Deuteronomy 30:19 )

2. Man, in his state of innocency, had freedom and power to will and to do that which was good and well-pleasing to God, but yet was unstable, so that he might fall from it.

( Ecclesiastes 7:29; Genesis 3:6 )

3. Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation; so as a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able by his own strength to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.

( Romans 5:6; Romans 8:7; Ephesians 2:1, 5; Titus 3:3-5; John 6:44 )

4. When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace, he freeth him from his natural bondage under sin, and by his grace alone enables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good; yet so as that by reason of his remaining corruptions, he doth not perfectly, nor only will, that which is good, but doth also will that which is evil.

( Colossians 1:13; John 8:36; Philippians 2:13; Romans 7:15, 18, 19, 21, 23 )

5. This will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to good alone in the state of glory only.

( Ephesians 4:13 )

Chapter 9:

Free Will

1. God has endowed human will with natural liberty and power to act on choices so that it is neither forced nor inherently bound by its nature to do good or evil.¹

¹Matthew 17:12; James 1:14; Deuteronomy 30:19.

2. Humanity in the state of innocence had freedom and power to will and to do what was good and well-pleasing to God.²  Yet this condition was unstable, so that humanity could fall from it.³

²Ecclesiastes 7:29. ³Genesis 3:6.

3. Humanity, by falling into a state of sin, has completely lost all ability to choose any spiritual good that accompanies salvation.⁴  Thus, people in their natural^a state are absolutely opposed to spiritual good and dead in sin,⁵ so that they cannot convert themselves by their own strength or prepare themselves for conversion.⁶

^awithout the spirit

⁴Romans 5:6; Romans 8:7.  ⁵Ephesians 2:1, 5.  ⁶Titus 3:3-5; John 6:44.

4. When God converts sinners and transforms them into the state of grace, he frees them from their natural bondage to sin⁷ and by his grace alone enables them to will and to do freely what is spiritually good.⁸  Yet because of their remaining corruption, they do not perfectly nor exclusively will what is good but also will what is evil.⁹

⁷Colossians 1:13; John 8:36.  ⁸Philippians 2:13.  ⁹Romans 7:15, 18, 19, 21, 23.

5. Only in the state of glory is the will made perfectly and unchangeably free toward good alone.¹⁰

¹⁰Ephesians 4:13.