Saturday, May 08, 2021

Sanctification and Justification

Unfortunately the false view that Dr. Clark thought that saving faith is simply believing the propositions of the Gospel message and that this is the same thing as the doctrine of once saved always saved is still pervasive today.  These new believers and superficial followers of Clark have made the mistake of assuming that Dr. Clark did not accept the entire system of propositions in the Bible and the summary of those propositions in the brief systematic summary of those propositions in the Westminster Confession of Faith.  The WCF itself asserts that saving faith is simply believing the Gospel propositions:

WCF 14.2  By this faith, a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word, for the authority of God Himself speaking therein;1 and acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the commands,2 trembling at the threatenings,3 and embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come.4 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.5 (WCF 14:2 WCS)


But as the reader can see the threatening and warnings of God's law cause the believer to obey God, to tremble, and to embrace the Gospel promises.

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