The Book of Confessions - The Presbyterian Leader

shall not depart from Judah . . . until he comes" (Gen. 49:10). "The Lord will raise up a prophet
from among his own brethren" (Deut. 18:15; Acts 3:22), etc.
THE PROMISES TWOFOLD. And we acknowledge that two kinds of promises were
revealed to the fathers, as also to us. For some were of present or earthly things, such as the
promises of the Land of Canaan and of victories, and as the promise today still of daily bread.
Others were then and are still now of heavenly and eternal things, namely, divine grace, remission
of sins, and eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.
THE FATHERS ALSO HAD NOT ONLY CARNAL BUT SPIRITUAL PROMISES.
Moreover, the ancients had not only external and earthly but also spiritual and heavenly promises
in Christ. Peter says: "The prophets who prophesied of the grace that was to be yours searched
and inquired about this salvation" (I Peter 1:10). Wherefore the apostle Paul also said: "The
Gospel of God was promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures" (Rom. 1:2).
Thereby it is clear that the ancients were not entirely destitute of the whole Gospel.
WHAT IS THE GOSPEL PROPERLY SPEAKING? And although our fathers had the
Gospel in this way in the writings of the prophets by which they attained salvation in Christ
through faith, yet the Gospel is properly called glad and joyous news, in which, first by John the
Baptist, then by Christ the Lord himself, and afterwards by the apostles and their successors, is
preached to us in the world that God has now performed what he promised from the beginning of
the world, and has sent, nay more, has given us his only Son and in him reconciliation with the
Father, the remission of sins, all fulness and everlasting life. Therefore, the history delineated by
the four Evangelists and explaining how these things were done or fulfilled by Christ, what things
Christ taught and did, and that those who believe in him have all fulness, is rightly called the
Gospel. The preaching and writings of the apostles, in which the apostles explain for us how the
Son was given to us by the Father, and in him everything that has to do with life and salvation, is
also rightly called evangelical doctrine, so that not even today, if sincerely preached, does it lose
its illustrious title.
OF THE SPIRIT AND THE LETTER. That same preaching of the Gospel is also called
by the apostle "the spirit" and "the ministry of the spirit" because by faith it becomes effectual and
living in the ears, nay more, in the hearts of believers through the illumination of the Holy Spirit
(II Cor. 3:6). For the letter, which is opposed to the Spirit, signifies everything external, but
especially the doctrine of the law which, without the Spirit and faith, works wrath and provokes
sin in the minds of those who do not have a living faith. For this reason the apostle calls it "the
ministry of death." In this connection the saying of the apostle is pertinent: "The letter kills, but
the Spirit gives life." And false apostles preached a corrupted Gospel, having combined it with the
law, as if Christ could not save without the law.
THE SECTS. Such were the Ebionites said to be, who were descended from Ebion the
heretic, and the Nazarites who were formerly called Mineans. All these we condemn, while
preaching the pure Gospel and teaching that believers are justified by the Spirit alone, (14) and
Copyright © 1996 by the Office of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (USA)