Chapter 15: Of Repentance unto Life

5: Man ought not to content themselves with a general repentance, but it is every man’s duty to endeavour to repent of his particular sins, particularly.^[300]

Chapter 15: Of Repentance unto Life

4: As there is no sin so small, but it deserves damnation;^[298] so there is no sin so great, that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent.^[299]

Chapter 15: Of Repentance unto Life

3: Although repentance is not to be rested in, as any satisfaction for sin, or any cause of the pardon thereof,^[295] which is the act of God’s free grace in Christ,^[296] yet it is of such necessity to all sinners, that none may expect pardon without it.^[297]

Q. 76. What is repentance unto life?
A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace,^[320] wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit^[321] and Word of God,^[322] whereby, out of the sight and sense, not only of the danger,^[323] but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins,^[324] and upon the apprehension of God’s mercy in Christ to such as are penitent,^[325] he so grieves for^[326] and hates his sins,^[327] as that he turns from them all to God,^[328] purposing and endeavouring constantly to walk with him in all the ways of new obedience.^[329]

Westminster Shorter Catechism

Q. 87. What is repentance unto life?
A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace,^[180] whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ,^[181] doth, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God,^[182] with full purpose of, and endeavor after, new obedience.^[183]

Chapter 15: Of Repentance unto Life

2: By it, a sinner, out of the sight and sense not only of the danger, but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins, as contrary to the holy nature, and righteous law of God; and upon the apprehension of His mercy in Christ to such as are penitent, so grieves for, and hates his sins, as to turn from them all unto God,^[293] purposing and endeavouring to walk with Him in all the ways of His commandments.^[294]

Chapter 15: Of Repentance unto Life

1: Repentance unto life is an evangelical grace,^[291] the doctrine whereof is to be preached by every minister of the Gospel, as well as that of faith in Christ.^[292]

Chapter 14: Of Saving Faith

3: This faith is different in degrees, weak or strong;^[287] may be often and many ways assailed, and weakened, but gets the victory:^[288] growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance, through Christ,^[289] who is both the author and finisher of our faith.^[290]

Q. 73. How doth faith justify a sinner in the sight of God?
A. Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God, not because of those other graces which do always accompany it, or of good works that are the fruits of it,^[304] nor as if the grace of faith, or any act thereof, were imputed to him for his justification;^[305] but only as it is an instrument by which he receiveth and applieth Christ and his righteousness.^[306]

Chapter 14: Of Saving Faith

2: By this faith, a Christian believes to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word, for the authority of God Himself speaking therein;^[282] and acts differently upon that which each particular passage thereof contains; yielding obedience to the commands,^[283]trembling at the threatenings,^[284] and embracing the promises of God for this life, and that which is to come.^[285] But the principal acts of saving faith are accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.^[286]

Q. 72. What is justifying faith?
A. Justifying faith is a saving grace,^[297] wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit^[298] and Word of God,^[299] whereby he, being convinced of his sin and misery, and of the disability in himself and all other creatures to recover him out of his lost condition,^[300] not only assenteth to the truth of the promise of the gospel,^[301] but receiveth and resteth upon Christ and his righteousness, therein held forth, for pardon of sin,^[302] and for the accepting and accounting of his person righteous in the sight of God for salvation.^[303]

Westminster Shorter Catechism

Q. 86. What is faith in Jesus Christ?
A. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace,^[178] whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel.^[179]

Chapter 14: Of Saving Faith

1: The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls,^[278] is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts,^[279] and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word,^[280] by which also, and by the administration of the sacraments, and prayer, it is increased and strengthened.^[281]

Q. 153. What doth God require of us, that we may escape his wrath and curse due to us by reason of the transgression of the law?
A. That we may escape the wrath and curse of God due to us by reason of the transgression of the law, he requireth of us repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ,^[990] and the diligent use of the outward means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of his mediation.^[991]

Westminster Shorter Catechism

Q. 85. What doth God require of us, that we may escape his wrath and curse, due to us for sin?
A. To escape the wrath and curse of God, due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life,^[176] with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption.^[177]

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,^[100] peace of conscience,^[101] joy in the Holy Ghost,^[102] increase of grace,^[103] and perseverance therein to the end.^[104]

Q. 77. Wherein do justification and sanctification differ?
A. Although sanctification be inseparably joined with justification,^[330] yet they differ, in that God in justification imputeth the righteousness of Christ;^[331] in sanctification of his Spirit infuseth grace, and enableth to the exercise thereof;^[332] in the former, sin is pardoned;^[333] in the other, it is subdued:^[334] the one doth equally free all believers from the revenging wrath of God, and that perfectly in this life, that they never fall into condemnation^[335] the other is neither equal in all,^[336] nor in this life perfect in any,^[337] but growing up to perfection.^[338]