The Westminster Confession of Faith
CHAPTER 17
Of the Perseverance of the Saints.
I. They whom God hath accepted in his Beloved, effectually called and
sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away
from the state of grace; but shall certainly persevere therein to the
end, and be eternally saved.a
a Phil. 1:6; 2 Pet. 1:10;
John 10:28,29; 1 John 3:9; 1 Pet. 1:5,9.
II. This perseverance of the saints depends not
upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of
election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father;b
upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ;c
the abiding of the Spirit, and of the seed of God within them;d
and the nature of the covenant of grace:e from
all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof.f
b 2 Tim. 2:18,19; Jer. 31:3.
c Heb. 10:10,14; Heb. 13:20,21; Heb.
9:12-15; Rom. 8:33-39; John 17:11,24; Luke 22:32; Heb. 7:25.
d John 14:16,17; 1 John 2:27; 1 John
3:9.
e Jer. 32:40.
f John 10:28; 2 Thess. 3:3; 1 John
2:19.
III. Nevertheless they may, through the
temptations of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption
remaining in them, and the neglect of the means of their preservation,
fall into grievous sins;g and for a time
continue therein:h whereby they incur God's
displeasure,i and grieve his Holy Spirit;k
come to be deprived of some measure of their graces and comforts;l
have their hearts hardened,m and their
consciences wounded;n hurt and scandalize others,o
and bring temporal judgments upon themselves.p
g Matt. 26:70,72,74.
h Ps. 51 title, ver. 14.
i Isa. 64:5,7,9; 2 Sam. 11:27.
k Eph. 4:30.
l Ps. 51:8,10,12; Rev. 2:4; Cant.
5:2-4,6.
m Isa. 63:17; Mark 6:52; Mark 16:14.
n Ps. 32:3,4; Ps. 51:8.
o 2 Sam. 12:14.
p Ps. 89:31,32; 1 Cor. 11:32.
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