Westminster Confession of Faith

Chapter XVII

Of the Perseverance of the Saints

1
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.334
334
2 Peter 1:10Philippians 1:61 Peter 1:91 Peter 1:5John 10:28-291 John 3:9
2
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;335 upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ;336 the abiding of the Spirit, and of the seed of God within them;337 and the nature of the covenant of grace:338 from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof.339
335
2 Timothy 2:18-19Jeremiah 31:3
336
John 17:11Hebrews 7:25Luke 22:32John 17:24Romans 8:33Hebrews 9:12-15Hebrews 13:20-21Hebrews 10:14Hebrews 10:10
337
John 14:16-171 John 2:271 John 3:9
338
Jeremiah 32:40
339
1 John 2:19John 10:282 Thessalonians 3:3
3
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;340 and, for a time, continue therein:341 whereby they incur God's displeasure,342 and grieve His Holy Spirit,343 come to be deprived of some measure of their graces and comforts,344 have their hearts hardened,345 and their consciences wounded,346 hurt and scandalize others,347 and bring temporal judgments upon themselves.348
340
Matthew 26:70Matthew 26:72Matthew 26:74
341
Psalm 51
342
Isaiah 64:5Isaiah 64:7Isaiah 64:92 Samuel 11:27
343
Ephesians 4:30
344
Psalm 51:10Song of Solomon 5:6Song of Solomon 5:2-4Revelation 2:4Psalm 51:12Psalm 51:8
345
Isaiah 63:17Mark 6:52Mark 16:14
346
Psalm 32:3-4Psalm 51:8
347
2 Samuel 12:14
348
Psalm 89:31-321 Corinthians 11:32
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