Chapter 14 of Saving Faith, I'll read the paragraphs and then we'll look at the teaching of this section. The grace of faith, whereby

Faith as Gift of the Spirit

the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls, is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts, and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word, by which also, and by the administration of baptism in the Lord's Supper, prayer, and other means appointed of God, it is increased and strengthened. By this faith a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word for the authority of God Himself, and also apprehendeth an excellency therein above all other writings and all things in the world, as it bears forth the glory of God in His attributes, the excellency of Christ in His nature and offices, and the power and fullness of the Holy Spirit in His workings and operations, and so is enabled to cast his soul upon the truth thus believed. and also acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth, yielding obedience to the commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come. But the principal acts of saving faith have immediate relation to Christ, accepting, receiving, and resting upon Him alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life by virtue of the covenant of grace. this faith, although it be different in degrees, and may be weak or strong, yet it is, in the least degree of it, different in the kind or nature of it, as is all other saving grace, from the faith and common grace of temporary believers. And therefore, though it may be many times assailed and weakened, yet it gets the victory, growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ, who is both the author and finisher of our faith.

Amen. Well, as we look at this particular section of the Confession, we see its connection to the preceding. We've had cause to reflect many times before that confession is a systematic document, and it builds gradually upon chapters that are previous to it, and we will see how that works out this morning. But I think paragraph one sets forth the origin and development of saving faith.

The second paragraph sets forth the object of saving faith. And then, with reference to the third paragraph, we have the nature of saving faith. Now, this sort of goes along with our studies in James, or in the book of James, specifically James chapter 2, verses 14 to 26. But if you look back at chapter 11, with reference to justification, Chapter 11 of Justification, it highlights that faith is the instrumental means by which sinners are rightly connected to God through Jesus Christ.

But notice in paragraph 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." That's not really the emphasis in terms of chapter 14. It certainly reminds us that one of the principal acts or one of the One of the objects of saving faith is not only the Word, but to respond according to the Word, but this is just an overall treatment specifically of faith. Chapter 15 will set forth repentance, and these are the means by which, as I said, sinners come to God.

It's by His grace, for His glory, He grants us the gifts of faith and repentance, and it is that by which or how we close with Christ. So let's look at the origin and development.

Origin of Saving Faith

Note in the first place the origin of saving faith. It's not of ourselves. We are reminded early on that it's a grace. Now grace is a gift.

Faith is not, saving faith, is not something that the sinner has in and of himself. The Bible is very clear. No one can come to me except the Father who sent me draws him. The Bible is very clear concerning the gift nature of faith, that it's not something that we can conjure up.

It's not something that we develop, it's not something that we bring to the table, but rather it is a gift from God, and the Confession highlights that. The grace of faith. Notice as well, it says, whereby the elect. And that's the statement that connects us to the preceding sections in the Confession.

Chapter 3, dealing with the decree, talks about predestination unto eternal life. Chapter 10 sets forth the effectual call. Those predestinated by God are effectually called by God unto the Lord Jesus Christ. Those persons are justified by grace through faith.

Chapter 11, those persons are adopted by God. Chapter 12, they are sanctified by the Word and Spirit, according to chapter 13. They are the ones alone who have this saving faith. So the grace of faith whereby the elect, now notice, are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts.

So if we find ourselves in the place of having saving faith, the congratulations does not go to us. We don't pat ourselves on the back, we don't parade ourselves to others as those who are perhaps wiser or more intelligent or responded favorably to the gospel presentation. If we find ourselves with saving faith, we are to praise and glorify the God of heaven and earth. That is the reality that is set forth here.

Now notice specifically the elect are enabled to believe. Again, it reiterates the gift nature of faith, but it's specifically by the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts. And as I've already referred to John chapter 6, notice also Ephesians chapter 2. Ephesians chapter 2, John 6, 44, Christ highlights the total inability of man to come to Him.

No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him. Ephesians 2, verses 1 to 3 highlight that reality as well. Ephesians 2 verse 1, you who were dead in trespasses and sins in which you once walked, according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. So you see the problem with man, and this has been carefully delineated, are delineated in chapter 9 with reference to free will and the confession of faith.

The problem with man is not that he's a little bit hindered, or that he's a little bit maimed, or that he has a few problems. The problem with man spiritually is that he is dead in trespasses and sins, as Paul Paul describes man's condition before the grace of God in verses 1 to 3. He highlights that man is lifeless. We are dead.

We need to understand that condition. I think we need to appreciate that condition when it comes, say, to the Lord's Day and we're going to pray for God to bless the preaching of the Word. We must have the Holy Spirit or sinners don't get saved. We must have the Holy Spirit or men continue in rebellion against God because their problem is they are dead in their trespasses and sins. hopeless in and of themselves.

There's nothing they can do, there's nothing that they can undertake to put themselves in a place of favor with God. And as well, they are hopeless. And he highlights this further, specifically, let's see in verse 11. when he's talking about the Gentiles prior to their inclusion in the covenant promises of God. Notice, therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh, were called on circumcision by what is called the circumcision made in the flesh by hands, that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

That is man's condition before a holy God. Again, sin isn't just something that gives us a little bit of a problem, or a little bit of a hindrance, or a little bit of a difficulty. If we take seriously the Apostles' statements here in chapter 2, verses 1 to 3, and then 11 to 13, or 11 to 12, specifically concerning man before the grace of God, his condition is wretched. We see the biblical testimony concerning the inability of man, and so this chapter highlights the reality that if man is to come into a state of acceptance with God, it must be by God's grace, and that is what is highlighted.

Now, in terms of the biblical testimony concerning faith as a gift specifically, there are a couple of passages that should come to mind quickly, but just a couple of others we ought to reflect on. Notice in Acts chapter 13. highlighting the gift nature of faith, and that comes from the Holy Spirit, specifically as stated in the Confession. It is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts. Notice in Acts 13.48, now when the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.

Now the order there is conspicuous. It's not the case that they had believed and therefore they had been appointed to eternal life. They believed as a result of the prior decree of God in terms of choosing a great multitude that no man can number. So they are, as many as had been appointed to eternal life, believed.

And then in the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, Peter's testimony, specifically at verse 8. Acts 15, 8. just showing the gift nature of faith that it's connected to the power of the Holy Spirit, it is not something original with man. Verse 8, So God who knows the heart acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. You see, man doesn't purify his own heart by faith, God purifies the heart by faith.

God gives the graces of faith and repentance so that we close with Christ. Notice as well Ephesians 2, 8-10. Probably the passage your mind went to when I mentioned that faith is a gift, certainly it should go there. Ephesians 2, 8-10.

Paul's whole point in chapter 2 is to set forth the depravity, the inability, the wickedness of man in verses 1 to 3, and then that verse 4 glorious statement, but God. He shines the light upon the grace of God to demonstrate that their present condition of blessedness is owing to God himself. I'm sure I've mentioned before you ought to listen to Martin Lloyd-Jones' sermon on the but God there. It is classically beautiful Lloyd-Jones preaching.

But notice in verse 8, he says, "...for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." You see, it is the gift of God. And I take it to mean the salvation that is by faith. That whole package is a gift of God. And then notice in Philippians chapter 1, And the emphasis in Philippians 1.29 is not on the fact that faith is a gift.

That's almost incidental to the Apostles' argument in Philippians 1.29. The point in Philippians 1.29 is that you will suffer for the sake of Christ. And he parallels that to the fact that God also has given you the gift of faith. Notice in 29, for to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me and now here is in me.

So the point is, is to suffer for His sake. But the parallel or the analogy is, it's not only been granted on behalf of Christ to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake. So the idea is very clear, set forth by the Confession, reflecting the truth of Scripture, that faith is a gift. So if you have saving faith, if you finish chapter 14, and you realize that this is something that does exist in your heart, glory belongs to God.

Glory belongs to the Father, Son, and Spirit, with specific emphasis, according to paragraph 1, upon the Spirit of Christ. Now notice, or now notice, the means by which the Spirit works. He doesn't just cause us to see an image of Jesus up in the sky. He doesn't just cause us to awaken one day from our sleep and say, I have decided to follow Jesus.

Notice the Confession's emphasis. It is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word. In other words, without the Word, we are depriving sinners of that chief means by which the Spirit brings them to salvation. Your testimony of conversion is a good and encouraging thing when you talk to unbelievers.

But brethren, you need to set forth the Word of Truth. It is the Word of Truth that God uses, the Spirit uses, to bring the conviction of sin and to bring that blessed knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what it means. It is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word.

There are several passages that we ought to reflect on here. Go back to Romans chapter 1. Certainly if you think about the connection of or the ordinary ministry of the Word by the power of the Holy Spirit as being the means by which sinners come to God through Christ, I think Romans 10 suggests itself even, you know, first But I think Romans chapter 1, specifically verses 16 and 17, ought not to be disregarded. Notice he says, I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

For in it, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. As it is written, the just shall live by faith. I don't think it would be a stretch to read Paul this way, for in it alone In other words, apart from the gospel of Jesus Christ, apart from that gospel revealed in Old and New Testaments, apart from that gospel there is no salvation. But it's because of the gospel under the power of the Holy Spirit, the message of Christ's life, death, and resurrection, it is that means by which there is salvation.

But turn over to Romans chapter 10. Romans 10, beginning in verse 14. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?

And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things. But they have not all obeyed the gospel, for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our report?

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. You see, the ordinary means by which the Holy Spirit brings us to this place of saving faith in Christ is the word of God. And I think this is a very instructive section as well. Notice specifically in verse 14, how then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?

And we could read this next statement this way, and how shall they believe Him whom they have not heard? How shall they believe Him they have not heard? The second Helvetic confession of faith says the preaching of the Word of God is the Word of God. Paul the Apostle, if we would have continued reading there in Ephesians chapter 2, says that Christ came and preached peace to you.

Now, Jesus never went to Ephesus in his earthly ministry. But when Paul went to Ephesus and Paul accurately preached the truth, it could be said that Christ preached peace to them. And I think that's the emphasis here. The true preaching of the Word of God is the Word of God.

How shall they believe Him whom they have not heard? The idea being is that by the power of the Holy Spirit, the prophet Christ from the right hand of God Most High speaks to sinners and saints in the preaching of the Word. But notice as well the instrumentality or rather the necessity of the church, the people of God. How shall they hear without a preacher?

Certainly, we need to pray that men are going into gospel ministry. We ought to praise God for Mike. I know that's going to put you on the, oh yeah, praise God for Mike. No, the fact that the brother went to seminary, he's been given those gifts, hopefully to assist and aid him in the gospel ministry. with a view to engage in this Bible study and then to plant a local church.

We need preachers. We need men of God who fear God, who are clothed in the power of the Holy Spirit, who will stand before fellow sinners and call them to repentance and faith. They will also be a means by which the people of God are strengthened and brought to maturity. The church needs preachers.

How shall they hear without a preacher? But then notice the church's role in verse 15. In other words, it's not to be the case that a man wakes up and says, wow, I want to be a preacher today. He goes online, he finds a degree, he has it sent to him, he hangs it on his wall, and now he's a preacher, he's a minister.

This is not the biblical way. with reference to the missionary enterprise. In Acts chapter 13, where does the Holy Spirit come with reference to finding Paul and Barnabas for the work of gospel missions? He comes to the church. The church is uniquely involved in identifying her ministers, ordaining her ministers, and then sending out those ministers.

That's the biblical means, and that's the biblical way. It's not something that, you know, the later church, you know, developed and put into place to try and, you know, squelch people's dreams and aspirations. No, it's reflective of what Scripture says in terms of the church's role with reference to her ministers. This is the emphasis, but of course, the point salient to our study this morning.

That was a little bit of a tangent there. Verse 17, so then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Notice in Ephesians chapter 1, Ephesians chapter 1, making the point that it's ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word. Ephesians chapter 1, beginning in verse 13.

You also trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. You see, there is a conspicuous order involved here. In him you also trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory. We saw James 1.18 several weeks ago.

A lot of people teach that the apostle Paul and that James, little a apostle James, have a different view concerning salvation. We've seen that's patently false. James 1.18 highlights the reality that James affirms sovereign grace, selection, predestination. Chapter 118 is as much Pauline as anything you'll find in Romans or in Ephesians.

He says, of his own will, he brought us forth by the word of truth that we might be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. You see, it is of his own will, but the ordinary means is rather by the word of truth. And then Peter emphasizes this in 1 Peter 1, verses 22 to 25. I think this bears emphasis because as the people of God, we ought to be praying for the preaching of the Word of God.

We ought to be praying for it in our own local church, to be sure. We ought to be praying for it in terms of gospel missions. If we understand the biblical doctrine of total depravity and total inability, we get John 6.44, we get Ephesians 2.1-3, we get the gift nature of faith itself, and that the ordinary means by which the Spirit brings that to pass is through the proclamation of the truth, it really ought to energize us at the throne of grace to pray specifically for the prosper of the gospel. We ought to have the mindset of the Apostle Paul and Thessalonians, pray that the Word of God would run swiftly and be glorified, if sinners will perish and end up in hell, apart from the gospel, apart from the power of the Holy Spirit, then we as God's people ought to seek to fetch those blessings for them.

We ought to certainly fetch them on behalf of our children, our friends, unconverted people that we know, but as well, every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. But notice in 1 Peter, I'm sorry, chapter 1, verses 22 to 25. Now, this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you. You see this emphasis upon the word of God.

So, you know, not to bang the drum over and over again, but it's not the case that you're going to see a picture of Jesus on your bathroom mirror through the fog, and that's what's going to lead you to Christ. You're going to hear the truth of Christ crucified, risen, ascended on high. You're going to hear the truth of His life, death, and resurrection. That's the ordinary means by which the Holy Spirit uses to bring sinners unto Christ.

But then notice what the confession goes on to say. And this bears some emphasis as well. It's ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word. So we have all the vital elements that we need.

Faith is a grace. It's a gift from God. The elect are enabled to believe, and they're enabled to believe by the power of God. And this results in the saving of their souls.

It is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts. It is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word. Now notice, by which also? and by the administration of baptism in the Lord's Supper, prayer, and other means appointed of God, it is increased and strengthened." This is what's called the means of grace. Now, it's not a formula that if you put in ten hours of prayer, you get out ten hours of blessing.

You listen to, you know, several hours of preaching. And that's not going to happen today, but if you listen to several hours of preaching, then you'll get several hours of blessing. It's not formulaic. Yahweh's not Baal.

We don't sort of do something and then he responds in kind. But the Reformed tradition, the Bible sets forth this idea of the means of grace. And specifically this. You can have fond meditations of God while you're mowing your lawn.

I have no doubt about that. You can have good meditations concerning the Word of God in your shower. I have no doubt about that. But the means by which God ordinarily blesses His people are the things stated here.

The administration of baptism, the Lord's Supper, prayer, and other means appointed of God. It's the means of grace. So don't approach it in a formulaic manner. Well, I prayed for eight minutes, God, you need to come through with my blessing.

We saw on Wednesday night in 1 Kings 18 and 19, in chapter 18 at the end of the contest at Carmel, Elijah prays. It takes about a verse and a half, and God consumes his sacrifice with fire. When he comes to pray for the end of the drought, he has to tell his servant to go seven times to see if there's clouds in the sky. God doesn't always answer prayer in the same way.

In fact, God doesn't always answer prayer according to our mind, as we saw in 19.4. Elijah wants God to kill him. Elijah wants God to take him. Thankfully, God didn't answer his prayer.

So we need to make sure we don't approach it as sort of a formula, but we need to prize and value the means of grace. Notice, by which also and by the administration of baptism and the Lord's Supper, prayer, and other means appointed of God, it is increased and strengthened. Now, you've probably heard me say, and I'll probably say it again, that I don't want to nag you to come to the Lord's Supper. I don't think Pastor Cam wants to nag us to come to the Lord's Supper.

I don't want to nag you to come to church. But it's kind of akin to your mother who nags you about eating your broccoli and your Brussels sprouts. She knows what's good for you. She knows that if you eat Twinkies and Ding Dongs and cupcakes, you're going to be extremely unhealthy.

It's just not a good path to pursue. So she is going to nag you, maybe not nag you, maybe encourage you with some zeal to eat those things you wouldn't normally eat or don't like to eat or prefer to eat. I think pastors find themselves in that particular role at times. Pastors who have served for any amount of time realize that the Christian faith and the Christian life, it's not magic.

It's not hocus pocus. It's not you go to bed a sinner, you wake up Paul. It's just not that way. It is those who typically use the means of grace.

Those who feed upon the things that God has provided for the, notice, increase and strengthen of faith, those are the persons that typically mature in the Christian life. Pastors, like mothers, see that happen in the children of God. And so they want to encourage the people to use those means. At times it feels self-serving.

Come to the evening sermon, because you get to hear me. I genuinely tell you, it is not that. I really don't care. where you go, as long as you go, and they're preaching the truth of the gospel. Because this is the means by which persons grow.

Their faith is increased and it's strengthened. You absent yourself from the table, you absent yourself from the public preaching of the Word of God, you absent yourself from the corporate prayer meetings of the Church of God, typically persons who do that find it very easy in their private lives to cut the same corners, to engage in the same sort of shoddiness, and they resist the Word, or they neglect it rather, and they resist times of prayer. Guess what doesn't happen to you? It's not the case that your faith is increased and strengthened.

It's not magic. If you indeed put in the time and use the means of grace, it may be imperceptible, you may not discover it after, you know, four months, But just stick with it. The path or the way to Christian growth and maturity is to do what God says. It's a really beautiful thing.

The Christian life, I think we complicate it so much. But in essence, it's pretty simple. Just do what God says. So we don't like that, and we want to rework it, and we want formulaic approaches and all that.

Just use the means. And make it so your pastors don't have to nag you. That's not fun for anybody. I can see somebody leaving our church.

The pastors always nag us. Well, why did they nag you? Because I never went to church. Well, you'd be like your mom, never nagging you because you didn't eat your broccoli.

Of course she's going to nag you. Don't put her in that position. Eat your broccoli. Now notice in paragraph 2, the object of saving, faith.

It moves from the general to the specific. Note first the general. By this faith, again we're discussing this particular genus, saving faith. By this faith, a Christian believes to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word for the authority of God Himself.

You see, someone with saving faith does not pick and choose what part of the Bible they're going to believe. Someone with saving faith receives the Word of God. in its entirety. Now that doesn't mean they can work out every difficulty, they can solve every apparent puzzle, that they have the mind of Calvin or Spurgeon with reference to how all the pieces and parts work. But they accept the Bible.

You know, this attitude of resistance to the truth or a rejection of the truth is not what we find here in this definition or description, rather, of saving faith. By this faith, a Christian believes to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word. It's a beautiful thing. You know, prior to your conversion to Christ, prior to that saving faith, you might have looked at the Bible and it might have looked like a phone book to you.

I mean, you know, you read through the phone book, you might as well be more edified than reading through the Bible. But when saving faith comes, when the Spirit brings it about in your heart, it's a living word, isn't it? It makes sense, it's beautiful, it speaks to you. That's what the Confession is highlighting.

There's a modern edition of the shorter Catechism, it's a Baptist version, but they add a question to sort of combat the prevailing tendencies in our day, because there's a lot of that. You know, we don't believe what the Bible says about creation, we don't believe what the Bible says about sovereignty, we don't believe what the Bible says about God. We believe that He's just like us, and He has the same sorrows and the passions. You know, there's a lot of rejection concerning the Scriptures.

So I think this particular addition to the Westminster Shorter Catechism is very helpful. It asks, are the Scriptures trustworthy in all that they affirm? It's a good question for us to pose to ourselves and then seek to answer accordingly. And the answer is the scriptures of both the Old and New Testaments being God-breathed.

It's that 2 Timothy 3, 16 emphasis. The scriptures are given by inspiration of God. And inspiration there doesn't mean the apostles had some warm thoughts and went out and composed the New Testament. It means that God breathed through them.

The very word of God comes through Paul, comes through Peter, comes through James. So it says, the Scriptures of both the Old and New Testaments, being God-breathed, are infallible and inerrant. Both those words are helpful today, because there's been a debate concerning inerrancy. And one of the charges has been, well, the Confessions don't use the word inerrant.

The Confessions use the word infallible. So this edition says infallible and inerrant. But what persons engaged in this debate fail to understand is simply this. Inerrant means the Bible does not lie.

Infallible means it cannot lie. So it stands to reason that if the Bible is infallible, it is necessarily inerrant. So when chapter 1, say, in our confession uses the word infallible, certainly it means inerrant. Nobody should come along and say the 17th century confessions didn't say inerrant, so they didn't think it was inerrant.

If it's infallible, it is certainly inerrant, like we learned in the impassibility debate. If he's immutable, then he is certainly impassible. It is a subset of immutability. Inerrancy is a subset of infallibility.

Back to this particular catechism. Are infallible and inerrant in all their parts and are, therefore, trustworthy, in all that they affirm concerning history, science, doctrine, ethics, religious practice, or any other topic. Again, I think in our theological landscape, this is a good addition because it stresses and highlights in particular details some of the things that have happened in terms of Scripture in our day. But as well, I think that this chapter by definition, I'm sorry, paragraph 2 in chapter 14, shows us that Christianity is in a blind leap of faith.

You may have heard that representation, oh you Christians are idiots, you just jump off a mountain and believe. No! This is objective. Now, obviously, the atheist, the pagan, the heathen is going to say that's not true, but you cannot say it isn't there.

It's not a blind leap. There is objective data. There is propositional revelation. It begins in Genesis.

It ends in Revelation, the book of Revelation. There are over 31,000 verses. That's not a blind leap of faith. You may not agree with our belief in it, but you cannot accuse us of engaging in a blind leap of faith.

We believe that the history of Israel, as recorded in the Old Testament, is accurate and true. That's fact. It's data. It's there.

It's not a blind leap. And I think the Confession substantiates that reality that is often asserted against us. But then notice what it goes on to say. By this faith, a Christian believes to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word for the authority of God Himself.

And this harkens back to chapter 1. You can turn there in chapter 1 in the Confession, paragraph 4. Chapter 1, paragraph 4, the authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, depends not upon the testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God, who is truth itself, the author thereof. Therefore, it is to be received because it is the Word of God, the self-attesting authority of God's Word.

Now, the pagan will say, well, that's reasoning in a circle. Pagans reason in a circle, too. They just don't include God. The same sort of a thing.

We need to point out, yes, of course we reason in a circle, but God is in our circle and He gave us that Word. You do the very same thing, you just exclude God. Now back to chapter 14, paragraph 2. And again, this incorporates some of the things in chapter 1, paragraph 5.

Notice, with this saving faith, He also apprehends an excellency therein above all other writings and all things in the world. I think we'd all affirm and say, yeah, the Bible's the best book in the world. Is it the best thing in the world? That's what the Confession seems to be suggesting here.

When we have this saving faith, we receive as true the Word of God by the authority of God Himself. We also apprehend an excellency therein, therein the Word of God, above all other writings and all things in the world. In other words, I value the Bible more than anything, is what the divines seem to be suggesting here. And I think as the people of God who have this saving faith, we ought to make sure our sort of desires align with what we find in Scripture.

I don't think this is an outlandish statement, say, in light of Psalm 119. Psalm 119 is 176 verses of praise to God for the Word of God. That's what he does, much more desirable than much fine gold. In other words, it's not only the best of books, it's the best of things.

That preaching by John Rogers, when he personifies God to the people and then the people to God, and God comes and he says to the people, you've slighted my word, I'm going to take your children, I'm going to take your homes, I'm going to take your jobs, you know, probably buggies and carriages and horses at that particular time. I'm going to take all that. Rogers personifies God to threaten the people that they have not treated the Word of God properly. Then he personifies the people to God and says, forgive us, you know, take everything you've threatened, but take not thy word.

That's what's reflected here. It's excellent above all other writings and all things in the world. It's a great statement. And then notice, with reference to the various things that the believer now sees.

And Trinitarianism is certainly, you know, markedly present throughout the Confession. It's not just of God and the Holy Trinity in Chapter 2 with a statement concerning the differences or the relative properties and personal distinctions of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but rather, like the writings of the Apostle Paul, for instance, they're Trinitarian to the core. Notice what he apprehends, as it bears forth the glory of God in his attributes. Don't we find that in the Scripture?

Say, for instance, in 1 John, God is love. We see many things predicated or attributed to God throughout Scripture, as believers, as those with saving faith. Hopefully we read our Bibles with a theological mindset. We ought not to read the Bible in the first place to find ourselves.

We ought to find God in the Scripture. But then notice, with reference to the second person of the Trinity, the excellency of Christ in His nature and offices. Again, things spoken to earlier in the Confession, specifically in chapter 8 of Christ the Mediator. But the divines don't stop there.

"...and the power and fullness of the Holy Spirit in his workings and operations." And just in case you have forgotten that faith is a saving grace, they remind us again. "...and so is enabled to cast his soul upon the truth thus believed." Who enables him? It isn't him. It is God.

The Holy Spirit enables us to do this.

Faith's Response: Commands, Threatenings, Promises

Now notice the appropriate response to Scripture. In other words, as those who have saving faith, when it comes to Scripture, we realize that there is difference in terms of Scripture. There are threats, there are warnings, there are judgments, there are promises, there are commands, and the Confession highlights this. The elect yield obedience to the commands.

It's one of the things that saving faith drives the elect to do. We don't whine about it. We don't grumble about it. We don't murmur about it.

We receive the command of God, and by the grace of God, we yield obedience to it. You know, John says the commandments of God are not burdensome. If you find yourself complaining about the commandments of God all the time, then you need to be born again, most likely, because the people of God say what the psalm is, Oh, how I love your law. It is my meditation day and night.

They don't whine, they don't complain. Now, we may struggle and whine and complain at the throne of grace because we're not as faithful to keeping that law as we ought. And Lord, please supply us with increased faith, strength and faith, the Holy Spirit, so that we may comply. But the genuine Christian, the believer, has that appreciation for the Lord's words in the upper room.

If you love me, you'll keep my commandments. So, you know, one of the telltale signs that somebody has saving faith is that they yield obedience to the commands of God. Not as a condition for salvation, but as a consequence of salvation. They don't yield obedience so that God will save them.

You cannot maintain that in the confession of faith here. They yield obedience because God has saved them. And that's one of the things that saving faith drives the believer to. Notice the elect tremble at the threatenings.

The elect tremble at the threatenings. We're going to see this morning where Peter, an elect, didn't tremble at a threatening and actually asserted his ability to not succumb to the threatening. We don't want to put ourselves in that position. We need to tremble at the threatenings.

This is one of the means by which God uses to keep us on the narrow path. Some persons say, well, if you believe that God, or once saved, always saved, or the doctrine called out there, eternal security called in here, the perseverance of the saints, then whence the warning passages? Why would God have to warn us if we are safe and secure in the arms of Christ? It's one of the means that He uses to keep us safe and secure in the arms of Christ.

If I tell my little baby not to lick his finger and put it in the socket, He may never do that. One of the means by which He never did that is because He listened to my warnings. If you lick your finger and put it in the socket, not only is it going to produce some pain, but you're going to get some further repercussions as well, because you're disobeying. This is one of the means by which God uses to keep His elect in the path, and then the elect embrace the promises of God. certainly we ought to be those who embrace the promises of God." So it says, "...also acts differently upon that which each particular passage thereof contains, yielding obedience to the commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come." Notice, we move from the general to the specific in terms of saving faith.

The object of saving faith is seen in the appreciation of the Word of God in its entirety, in the appreciation of the authority of God as revealed in that Word. The excellency, the attributes, the power, the glory of God the Father, the natures and offices of Christ, the Son, the power and the glory of the Holy Spirit, all that we do appreciate and we see. But notice the last portion, but. The principal acts of saving faith have immediate relation to Christ, accepting, receiving, and resting upon Him alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life by virtue of the covenant of grace.

Now this means very specifically that as those who come into this realm, rather, or this place of saving grace, it is important to understand the dimensions of the tabernacle. It is important to understand the locations of the armies of Israel when they are readied for battle. But what's most important is the Gospel. That's the point.

But the principal acts of saving faith have immediate relation to Christ. In fact, you can go to heaven not being able to describe the tabernacle or the temple. You can't go to heaven apart from Christ. You can't go to heaven apart from the reality that He lived, He died, He rose again.

It's through His active and passive obedience. It is through His work on behalf of sinners that we are saved. There's a lot of things, in fact, that we can even be wrong about in the Bible. Now, don't go out and be wrong.

We're not supposed to be wrong, but we could differ on eschatology. I don't know how many people are here, but there's probably that many views on eschatology. Guess what? We can still go to heaven, but we cannot be wrong concerning the nature and offices of Christ.

Jesus said in John's Gospel, if you do not believe that I am, and I think behind that is the Exodus 3.14 and those passages in Isaiah where Yahweh says, I am. He says, if you do not believe that I am, you will die in your sins. That is crucial, and the Confession highlights that. The principal acts of saving faith have immediate relation to Christ.

So that means if you're witnessing to an unbeliever, and you're about to go down in an airplane, and you've got, you know, 50 seconds, you don't need to tell them the dimensions of the tabernacle. You need to tell them about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. That's the principal act of saving faith.

Metaphors for Believing in Christ

Now notice some of the metaphorical language that is employed there, which reflects Scripture. accepting, receiving, and resting upon Him. Now the Bible uses that kind of language with reference to belief. Saving faith is seen metaphorically, or by way of analogy, as accepting, receiving, and resting upon Him. Just a couple of passages to consider.

Isaiah chapter 45. Belief is viewed as looking unto Jesus Christ. Isaiah 45, 22. Look to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth, for I am God and there is no other.

Obviously, the idea of looking to me means to believe on the God of Israel. Notice this clearly in John 3, excuse me, John chapter 3. The analogy that Jesus uses concerning his coming crucifixion is that analogy of the serpent in the wilderness. The people of Israel grumbled, they complained, so God sent fiery serpents to bite them.

Once they were bitten, then God prescribes to Moses to make a brazen serpent and lift it up in the wilderness, and everyone who looked to that serpent would live. Beautiful, beautiful analogy of the Scripture. Not drag yourself over to the serpent, not suck the poison out of your arm and then go to the serpent, but rather look to the brazen serpent and you will live. That's the analogy Christ uses in John 3, 14.

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. It's belief in Him. It's not belief and suck out the poison. It's not belief and drag yourself to the cross.

It's belief on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. Scripture also speaks of us coming to the Lord Jesus Christ. We saw that in Matthew 11. Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Notice in John 6, 35 to 37, the whole idea of coming to Christ means to believe in Christ. John 6.35, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will by no means cast out. So coming to Christ means to believe on Christ, as well in John 6, an analogy or a metaphor that's used in terms of believing in Christ is to eat his flesh and drink his blood. Notice in John 6 at verse 53. John 6, 53, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.

Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. And we considered that language when we looked at Matthew 26 and the institution of the supper. Jesus is not actually telling people to bite and to devour His physical flesh. and to actually drink his physical blood. It's metaphorical language for the reality in John 6, 40.

It says, and this is the will of him who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day. This eating and this drinking is metaphorical language for believing the gospel. Augustine said, for to believe on him is to eat the living bread. He that believes eats.

That's the way to understand this language in 53 and 54. It's not potpourri. It is not a papistical view of transubstantiation. It is metaphorical language for belief in Christ.

Now notice, back to the confession. It says, the principal acts of saving faith have immediate relation to Christ, accepting, receiving, and resting upon Him. Notice, alone. That stresses and highlights what we saw when we considered those particular passages with reference to the Word of God.

It's the exclusivity of Christ alone. Robert Shaw says that the true believer receives and rests upon Christ alone for salvation. This distinguishes the true believer from such as rest their hope of salvation on the general mercy of God without any respect to the mediation of Christ. or upon their own works of righteousness, or upon the righteousness of Christ and their own works conjoined. You meet this in, you know, the modern day.

Oh, well, you know, I have this faith in God, and I think everything's going to be okay. Well, what think ye of Christ? Well, I'm not a Christian, but, you know, I do believe that there is a God, and I do believe that I'm going to find favor in His sight. Not according to the Scripture, Not according to the Bible.

There's not this concept of the universal fatherhood of God in terms of redemption. I guess it could be argued in terms of the creation of God. There is that sense. He is the father of creation.

But in terms of redemption, there's no universal fatherhood of God. It is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, that any sinner is accepted by God the Father. And this is stressed here. And then notice the virtues, the benefits, the blessings that come to believers upon belief in Christ.

Resting upon Him alone for, notice, justification, sanctification, and eternal life by virtue of the covenant of grace. So past chapters that have already been dealt with, justification, sanctification. The means by which we receive these things from God is through this saving faith. Machen says faith is not a meritorious work.

We need to appreciate that. This goes along with the grace of faith. It's not the case that faith is in me, that I originate it, that I produce it, and therein God rewards me with salvation. That's not the way we are to view faith.

We go back to the chapter on justification, it highlights this in some detail. But Machen says it's not a meritorious work. The New Testament never says that a man is saved on account of his faith. It's pretty conspicuous, well it is conspicuous, we're saved through faith, not because of faith.

Faith is not the condition that we bring to the table and then God gives us salvation. It is through, it's an instrument, it's a means by which we receive the grace of God. He says, the New Testament never says that a man is saved on account of his faith, but always that he is saved through his faith. Now this is the point that I think goes with this statement.

Faith is the means which the Holy Spirit uses to apply to the individual soul the benefits of Christ's death. That's what's in view here. Resting upon Him alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life by virtue of the covenant of grace. That covenant that was already discussed in chapter 7 of the confession of faith that sets forth Christ the mediator, chapter 8, who brings to pass this work to bring us these blessings, the every spiritual blessing of Ephesians 1.3.

So the object of saving faith moves from the general, the entirety of the Bible, to the principal act of saving faith. It has immediate relation to Christ. Now, we don't have a lot of time. Just quickly, paragraph 3 sort of deals with the nature of saving faith, and it highlights that it may indeed differ in degrees.

It may differ in degrees. And this first section is a little bit wordy and a bit puzzling to some degree, but I think the basic point is clear. This faith, although it be different in degrees, and may be weak or strong. That's the reality, isn't it?

I quoted Machen last week. There's one thing, you know, weak faith may not move mountains, but there is one thing weak faith will do. It'll bring us all savingly to the Lord Jesus Christ. So weak faith is still good faith, and the Confession highlights that saving faith may be weak or strong, yet it is in the least degree of it different in the kinder nature of it as is all other saving grace, from the faith and common grace of temporary believers." The statement simply means there's a difference between saving faith and temporary faith.

There's a difference between saving faith, which comes from special grace, and a temporary faith that may be relative to common grace. So it's just highlighting this particular genus or kind of saving faith. It is different than this temporary faith that some people profess at least for a time. But as well, notice the fact that it may be weak or strong.

So if that's the case, then what should that make us think concerning paragraph one and the last statement? Through the use of these means, faith is increased and strengthened. So if you come to grips with the fact that your faith is weak. Now, I realize all of us would say our faith is weak.

I mean, the best of us on the best of days are still miserable wretches. I mean, we're just terrible, terrible human beings. But if you can diagnose yourself, and say for the most part, in terms of, you know, the brethren in the church, there's some that seem to be strong, and there's others that seem to be weak, and I find myself with those weak ones. Guess what the answer of the confession is?

Use the means And don't do it for a night. We have this quick-fix mentality in America and Canada. Every January 1st, I'm always intrigued to see new people join at the gym. They join at the gym with this New Year's resolution.

They're going to be buff. They're going to be fit. They're going to be trimmed. They're going to be lean, mean fighting machines.

It doesn't happen in two weeks, so they give up. That seems to be the mentality oftentimes in the church. Be faithful for the rest of your life. I mean, if you're 20 and you've embraced the Savior by the grace of God, you've got about 60 or 70 more years of just being faithful.

Just do what you're supposed to do. We all want the quick fix. We all want it right now. We all want to be Paul.

Guess what? You've got to learn first to crawl, and then you toddle, then you walk, and then you run. And the means by which this occurs is the means of grace, or are the means of grace. So if you conclude that my faith is weak, God has provided ways for you to strengthen and increase the faith.

So don't just flounder about and say, wow, I'm just weak, I'll always be weak, and that's my state and lot in life. No, use the means that God's ordained for your good and for the well-being of your soul. And then the confession here as well highlights that there's many assaults against saving faith, and therefore, though it may be many times assailed and weakened, So I appreciate this confession. I appreciate the Westminster upon which this is modeled, the Savoy Declaration, because they're honest.

The divines in the 17th century were honest. Persons today will never admit that my faith is many times a sale. Persons today just have to present this sort of triumphal view of Christianity. They can never actually say, please pray for me because I'm doing terribly.

But the confession acknowledges the reality that it may be many times assailed and weakened. It's not sinful, brethren, for somebody to say, how are you doing? And you to actually be honest and say, I'm not doing that well. My faith is being assaulted.

Can we pray together? Can you help me and encourage me? That's just not the sort of public image that we want to present. We're great.

Everything's great. It's always great. Well, the confessions at least are honest to tell us Man, you guys got issues. We got issues.

There are assaults. But, notice it continues, yet it gets the victory. Saving faith cannot be eradicated. It cannot be, you know, taken away.

It cannot be lost, because God the Lord gave it to you, and He will perfect you unto the day of Christ, growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ, who is both the author and finisher of our faith. Now later on, there is a chapter on assurance So we'll speak to that situation when we get to chapter 18. Well, there you have it. Hopefully, God will indeed strengthen and increase our faith so that we may indeed be faithful people to our Lord.

Well, let us pray. Father, we thank you for this teaching and the confession of faith. We believe it does accurately reflect what Scripture declares. We thank you for this grace of faith.

We thank you for the power of the Holy Spirit. We admit and we confess and we realize and know, God, we would have never come to you being dead in our trespasses and sins, being lifeless and helpless and hopeless. But God, you in your kindness and mercy called us out of darkness into marvelous light. You gave us the gifts of faith and repentance.

You've given us a desire to gather today to worship you. May you bless that time. May you encourage our hearts. May you strengthen and increase our faith.

And may you bless all our brothers and sisters as well. Go with us now, we pray, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Scripture References

• Exodus 3:14
• 1 Kings 18:36-38; 19:4
• Psalm 119:1; 119:97
• Isaiah 43:10; 45:22
• Matthew 11:28; 26:26-28
• John 3:14; 6:35-37; 6:40; 6:44; 6:53-54; 8:24; 14:15
• Acts 13:2; 13:48; 15:8
• Romans 1:16-17; 10:14-17
• Ephesians 1:3; 1:13-14; 2:1-12; 2:8-10
• Philippians 1:29
• 2 Timothy 3:16
• James 1:18
• 1 Peter 1:22-25
• 1 John 4:8; 5:3