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The Westminster Confession of Faith and Larger Catechism
1. Those whom God has accepted in his Son and has effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit can never completely or finally fall out of their state of grace. Rather, they shall definitely continue in that state to the end and are eternally saved.[1]
[1] Phil 1:6, 2 Pt 1:10, Jn 10:28-29, 1 Jn 3:9, 1 Pt 1:5,9, Jb 17:9, Jer 32:40.
2. This endurance of the saints does not depend on their own free will but on God's unchangeable decree of election, flowing from his voluntary, unchangeable love.[2] It also depends on the effectiveness of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ,[3] on the indwelling Spirit and indwelling seed of God in the saints,[4] and on the nature of the covenant of grace.[5] All these establish the certainty and infallibility of their preservation.[6]
[2] 2 Tm 2:18-19, Jer 31:3, Eph 1:4-5, Jn 13:1, Rom 8:35-39.
[3] Heb 10:10,14, 13:20-21, 9:12-15, Rom 8:32-39, Jn 17:11,24, Lk 22:32, Heb 7:25.
[4] Jn 14:16-17, 1 Jn 2:27, 3:9.
[6] Jn 10:28, 2 Thes 3:3, 1 Jn 2:19, 1 Thes 5:23-24, Heb 6:17-20.
3. Nevertheless, the temptations of Satan, the world, and their old carnal nature, along with neglect of the means of their preservation, may lead believers to commit serious sins and to continue in them for a time.[7] They consequently displease God[8] and grieve his Holy Spirit,[9] have some of the fruit of God's grace and his comforts taken away from them,[10] have their hearts hardened[11] and their consciences wounded,[12] hurt and offend others,[13] and bring temporal judgments on themselves.[14]
[7] Mt 26:70,72,74, Ps 51: Title and verse 14, 2 Sm 12:9,13.
[8] Is 64:5,7,9, 2 Sm 11:27.
[10] Ps 51:8,10,12, Rv 2:4, Sg 5:2-4, 6:
[11] Is 36:17, Mk 6:52, 16:14, Ps 95:8.
[14] Ps 89:31-32, 1 Cor 11:32, 2 Sm 12:10.
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