The Westminster Confession 

Chapter 6: Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment Thereof

1. Our first parents, being seduced by the subtlety and temptation of Satan, sinned in eating the forbidden fruit.a This their sin God was pleased, according to his wise and holy counsel, to permit, having purposed to order it to his own glory.b

a. Gen 3:13; 2 Cor 11:3. • b. Rom 11:32.

2. By this sin they fell from their original righteousness and communion with God,a and so became dead in sin,b and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body.c

a. Gen 3:6-8; Eccl 7:29; Rom 3:23. • b. Gen 2:17; Eph 2:1. • c. Gen 6:5; Jer 17:9; Rom 3:10-19; Titus 1:15.

3. They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed,a and the same death in sin and corrupted nature conveyed to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation.b

a. Gen 1:27-28 and 2:16-17 and Acts 17:26 with Rom 5:12, 15-19 and 1 Cor 15:21-22; 1Cor 15:45, 49. • b. Gen 5:3; Job 14:4; 15:14; Psa 51:5.

4. From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good,a and wholly inclined to all evil,b do proceed all actual transgressions.c

a. Rom 5:6; 7:18; 8:7; Col 1:21. • b. Gen 6:5; 8:21; Rom 3:10-12. • c. Mat 15:19; Eph 2:2-3; James 1:14-15.

5. This corruption of nature, during this life, doth remain in those that are regenerated;a and although it be through Christ pardoned and mortified, yet both itself and all the motions thereof are truly and properly sin.b

a. Prov 20:9; Eccl 7:20; Rom 7:14, 17-18, 23; James 3:2; 1 John 1:8, 10. • b. Rom 7:5, 7-8, 25; Gal 5:17.

6. Every sin, both original and actual, being a transgression of the righteous law of God, and contrary thereunto,a doth, in its own nature, bring guilt upon the sinner,b whereby he is bound over to the wrath of Godc and curse of the law,d and so made subject to death,e with all miseries spiritual,f temporal,g and eternal.h

a. 1 John 3:4. • b. Rom 2:15; 3:9, 19. • c. Eph 2:3. • d. Gal 3:10. • e. Rom 6:23. • f. Eph 4:18. • g. Lam 3:39; Rom 8:20. • h. Mat 25:41; 2 Thes 1:9.

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Chapter 14: Of Saving Faith

1. The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls,a is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts,b and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word;c by which also, and by the administration of the sacraments and prayer, it is increased and strengthened.d

a. Heb 10:39. • b. Eph 1:17-19; 2:8; 2 Cor 4:13. • c. Rom 10:14, 17. • d. Luke 17:5; Acts 20:32; Rom 1:16-17; 4:11; 1 Pet 2:2.

2. By this faith a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word, for the authority of God himself speaking therein;a and acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the commands,b trembling at the threatenings,c and embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come.d But the principal acts of saving faith are accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.e

a. John 4:42; Acts 24:14; 1 Thes 2:13; 1 John 5:10. • b. Rom 16:26. • c. Isa 66:2. • d. 1 Tim 4:8; Heb 11:13. • e. John 1:12; Acts 15:11; 16:31; Gal 2:20.

3. This faith is different in degrees, weak or strong;a may be often and many ways assailed and weakened, but gets the victory;b growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ,c who is both the author and finisher of our faith.d

a. Mat 6:30; 8:10; Rom 4:19-20; Heb 5:13-14. • b. Luke 22:31-32; Eph 6:16; 1 John 5:4-5. • c. Col 2:2; Heb 6:11-12; 10:22. • d. Heb 12:2.

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Source: https://www.apuritansmind.com/ (Jan., 2024)