But not everyone who professes faith is a True believer/truly born again (Matt 7:21-23)
And if I may say, we need the gospel to be preached to us constantly to feed us and remind us of what faith we believe we have in Christ, just as Jesus had been teaching about the gospel, the kingdom of God.. (Mark 1:15)
As Paul had said about the gospel, "it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes" and "for in it [the gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, 'the rightoues shall live by faith'." (Rom 1:16-17)
Faith doesn't come from us just as salvation doesn't come from us. Both are gifts from God himself. "..saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—" (Eph 2:8)
Faith comes from God and "faith comes from hearing, hearing through the word of Christ" (Rom 10:17)
"How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?" (Rom 10:14)
Lord's Day 7
As Paul had said about the gospel, "it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes" and "for in it [the gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, 'the rightoues shall live by faith'." (Rom 1:16-17)
Faith doesn't come from us just as salvation doesn't come from us. Both are gifts from God himself. "..saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—" (Eph 2:8)
Faith comes from God and "faith comes from hearing, hearing through the word of Christ" (Rom 10:17)
"How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?" (Rom 10:14)
Lord's Day 7
20. Q. Are all men, then, saved by Christ just as they perished through Adam?
A. No.
Only those are saved
who by a true faith
are grafted into Christ
and accept all his benefits. 1
21. Q. What is true faith?
A. True faith is a sure knowledge
whereby I accept as true
all that God has revealed to us in his Word. 1
At the same time it is a firm confidence 2
that not only to others, but also to me, 3
God has granted forgiveness of sins,
everlasting righteousness, and salvation, 4
out of mere grace,
only for the sake of Christ's merits. 5
This faith the Holy Spirit works in my heart
by the gospel. 6
- Jn 17:3, 17; Heb 11:1-3; Jas 2:19.
- Rom 4:18-21; 5:1; 10:10; Heb 4:16.
- Gal 2:20.
- Rom 1:17; Heb 10:10.
- Rom 3:20-26; Gal 2:16; Eph 2:8-10.
- Acts 16:14; Rom 1:16; 10:17; 1 Cor 1:21.
22. Q. What, then, must a Christian believe?
A. All that is promised us in the gospel, 1
which the articles of our
catholic and undoubted Christian faith
teach us in a summary.
23. Q. What are these articles?
A.I. 1. I believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
II. 2. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only-begotten Son, our Lord;
3. he was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary;
4. suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell.
5. On the third day he arose from the dead;
6. he ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
7. from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
III. 8. I believe in the Holy Spirit;
9. I believe a holy catholic Christian church, the communion of saints;
10. the forgiveness of sins;
11. the resurrection of the body;
12. and the life everlasting.
