The Book of Confessions - The Presbyterian Leader

epent and believe in Christ; invites and commands all to embrace the offered mercy; and by his
Spirit accompanying the Word pleads with men to accept his gracious invitation. (231)
3. It is the duty and privilege of everyone who hears the gospel immediately to accept its
merciful provisions; and they who continue in impenitence and unbelief incur aggravated guilt and
perish by their own fault. (232)
4. Since there is no other way of salvation than that revealed in the gospel, and since in the
divinely established and ordinary method of grace faith cometh by hearing the Word of God,
Christ hath commissioned his Church to go into all the world and to make disciples of all nations.
All believers are, therefore, under obligation to sustain the ordinances of the Christian religion
where they are already established, and to contribute by their prayers, gifts, and personal efforts to
the extension of the Kingdom of Christ throughout the whole earth. (233)
CHAPTER XI/CHAPTER IX - Of Free Will
1. God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty, that it is neither forced, nor
by any absolute necessity of nature determined to (234) good or evil. (235)
2. Man, in his state of innocency, had freedom and power to will and to do that which
is (236) good and well-pleasing to God; (237) but yet mutably, so that he might fall from
it. (238)
3. Man, by his Fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual
good accompanying salvation; (239)) so as a natural man, being altogether averse from that
good, (240) and dead in sin, (241) is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself, or to
prepare himself thereunto. (242)
4. When God converteth (243) a sinner and translateth (244) him into the state of grace,
he freeth him from his natural bondage under sin, and, by his grace alone, enableth (245) him
freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good; (246) yet so as that, by reason of his
remaining corruption, he doth not perfectly, nor only, will that which is good, but doth also will
that which is evil. (247)
5. The will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to good alone, in the state of
glory (248) only. (249)
CHAPTER XII/CHAPTER X- Of Effectual Calling
1. All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, he is pleased, in his
appointed and accepted time, effectually to call, by his Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin
and death in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ: (250) enlightening
Copyright © 1996 by the Office of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (USA)