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Paragraph 6 closes the chapter on justification by rejecting the notion that anyone is justified based on good works—whether under the law of nature or the Mosaic law. It reinforces that no one can meet God's perfect standard of righteousness, and therefore, justification must come entirely by God’s grace through Christ’s righteousness imputed to us. This paragraph defends the heart of the gospel against legalism and self-righteousness

God the Father: Knowing the First Person of the Trinity A Serious Objection A growing number of critics accuse the biblical doctrine of...

Paragraph 5 explains that while justification is a one-time legal act, God continues to forgive the daily sins of believers. Justified saints never fall out of favor in terms of their legal standing before God, but their fellowship with Him can be affected by sin. When they grieve the Holy Spirit, they may lose the light of God's countenance until they humble themselves, confess their sins, and renew faith and repentance.

God the Father: Knowing the First Person of the Trinity More Than a Tragedy To many, the cross is merely a symbol of injustice or a tale...

Christ is both fully God and fully man, the one Mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5). His person is essential—only the God-man could save. His work is finished—He lived, died, and rose to redeem His people. Calvin said Christ is “clothed with the gospel” to bring us to God. To drift from sound Christology is to drift from salvation itself. Doctrine keeps our eyes fixed on the true Christ, not a counterfeit.

Paragraph 4 teaches that justification is applied personally through faith—not because of faith, as if faith earns salvation, but through faith as the means of receiving Christ. Faith is the empty hand that receives a gift, not the merit that earns it. Justification never comes before the moment a sinner believes, even though God’s plan and Christ’s work are eternal. This preserves both the freeness of grace and the necessity of faith.

God the Father: Knowing the First Person of the Trinity A Verse That Says Everything “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only...

Paragraph 3 of the Confession makes a vital distinction: justification is based on the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, not on any internal transformation. God counts Christ’s perfect obedience and sacrificial death as ours, legally crediting it to our account. This is not the same as making us inwardly righteous (which is sanctification); rather, it is a change in our status before God.

The doctrine of man begins with humility: we are fallen, dependent, and needy. Scripture declares, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). Calvin taught that apart from God, man is “nothing but vanity.” Berkhof explained that sin left us spiritually dead. Doctrine protects us from pride by reminding us that we are helpless without grace. To know man rightly is to know our desperate need for Christ.

The Gospel begins not with man’s search for God, but with the Father’s sovereign initiative. This post explores how the Father sent the Son—not reluctantly, but joyfully—to save sinners, revealing the depth of divine love and the unity of the Trinity in redemption.

Scripture is God-breathed and entirely trustworthy (2 Tim. 3:16). Its authority is absolute, for it is the very Word of God. Its inerrancy means it is without error in all it teaches. Calvin wrote that Scripture carries the “undoubted certainty” of God’s voice. To doubt the Bible’s truthfulness is to doubt God Himself. Doctrine reminds us that the authority and inerrancy of Scripture are non-negotiable foundations for the church.

Introduction: The Slow Drift of Compromise Persecution often strengthens the church, but compromise destroys it from within. The...

Laodicea was wealthy and self-sufficient, yet spiritually bankrupt. Christ rebuked them for being lukewarm—neither cold nor hot. He counseled them to buy true riches from Him and invited them to renewed fellowship. This church warns us that prosperity can blind us to our need for Christ, but repentance brings the promise of communion and eternal reign with Him.

The church in Philadelphia had little strength, yet Christ commended their faithfulness. He promised them an open door no one can shut, protection from trial, and a secure place in His kingdom. Philadelphia shows us that true power lies not in size or influence but in clinging to Christ’s Word and depending on His strength.

The church at Sardis looked alive but was spiritually dead. Outward activity masked inward decay. Christ, who holds the Spirit and the churches in His hand, calls them to wake up, repent, and strengthen what remains. True life is found only in Him, and to the overcomer He promises white garments and a secure name in the Book of Life.

The church in Thyatira was marked by love and service but tolerated false teaching that led to immorality. Christ, with eyes like fire and feet like bronze, searches hearts and judges compromise. He calls His people to hold fast until He comes, promising authority and the morning star to those who overcome.

Paragraph 2 of the Confession teaches that although Christ accomplished justification by His death and resurrection, God has always applied the benefits of that work to His people in time. Old Testament saints were justified by faith in the promised Messiah, just as we are justified by faith in the revealed Christ. There is no difference in the substance of justification—only in the timing of its historical application.

God the Father: Knowing the First Person of the Trinity Not Quick to Anger Throughout the Old Testament, one truth rises again and again...

Day 15 of our 30-day study focuses on the doctrine of God, emphasizing His holiness and sovereignty. Scripture reveals the majesty of God’s character, setting Him apart as holy and ruling over all creation. Doctrine teaches us to tremble in awe and rest in His sovereign rule.

Paragraph 1 defines justification as a legal act of God in which He pardons all our sins and declares us righteous—not by works, but by faith in Christ alone. This righteousness is not infused into us but imputed to us: Christ’s obedience and sacrifice are counted as ours. Justification is entirely of God’s grace and received through faith, itself a gift. The believer rests not in personal holiness or performance, but in the finished work of Christ.