Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 3 Section 6
I asked a friend, is it presumptuous that we proclaim God’s election? I’m not sure if it is presumptuous or not, but it should make us completely humble. Today’s confession provide a glimpse at who God is and how he operates. It should completely humble us as we affirm both God’s complete power over WHO is saved and HOW man is saved… as well as man’s complete inability to save himself.
This section of the confession teaches that God in determining the ends he intends to accomplish at the same time determines the means by which he intends to accomplish them; that God has determined that the elect shall be saved ordinarily by “effectual calling, justification, adoption, sanctification, and perseverance in grace.”
Our salvation in Christ is more than just the forgiveness of sins. Our union with Christ includes a new life in which God’s spirit is with us and sustains us, justification which is forgiveness of sins and imputation of Christ’s righteousness, we have new status as being adopted into God’s family, sanctification the process where God is continually making us holy, and finally our end is glorification with God. This all is the work of the God who will carry it on to completion.
May the elect be completely humbled when reading this portion of the confession of faith
(WCF Chapter 3 Section 6)
6. As God has appointed the elect to glory, so he has—by the eternal and most free purpose of his will—foreordained all the means to that end. Therefore, his chosen ones, all of them being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ and are effectually called to faith in Christ by his Spirit working in due season. They are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by his power, through faith, unto salvation. No others are redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, except the elect only.
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