1689 Chapters 17 Perseverance of the Saints, 18 Assurance of Grace and Salvation

Join us as we continue in our series on the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith.

Chapter 17 - The Perseverance of the Saints:

Definition: Perseverance of the saints refers to the doctrine that true believers, once genuinely saved, will continue in faith and holiness until the end.

Assurance: Those who are truly born again cannot totally or finally fall away from grace. God preserves them, and they persevere through trials, temptations, and even their own weaknesses.

Basis: This perseverance is grounded in God’s unchangeable love, Christ’s intercession, the Spirit’s indwelling, and the promises of the new covenant.

Chapter 18 - The Assurance of Grace and Salvation:

Well-founded Assurance: True believers can have a well-founded assurance of salvation. While some may falsely claim certainty, genuine believers can know they are in a state of grace. This assurance is based on faith in Christ, inward evidence of the Spirit’s work, and the testimony of the Spirit of adoption.

Identifiable Evidences: Assurance rests on identifiable evidences, both objective (Christ’s righteousness) and subjective (graces of the Spirit). It keeps the heart humble and holy.

1689 Baptist Confession of Faith in Modern English - Founders Ministries