Assurance of Grace
An infallible assurance of salvation is attainable in this life through the divine promises, the inward evidences of grace, and the testimony of the Spirit of adoption. Yet assurance does not belong to the essence of saving faith: a true believer may wait long and conflict with many difficulties before attaining it (WCF XVIII).
Westminster Confession
5 sections
This faith is different in degrees, weak or strong; may be often and many ways assailed and weakened, but gets the victory; growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ, who is both the author and finisher of our faith.
Although hypocrites and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favour of God and estate of salvation, which hope of theirs shall perish: yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love him in sincerity, endeavoring to walk in all good conscience before him, may in this life be certainly assured that they are in a state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, which hope shall never make them ashamed.
This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable persuasion, grounded upon a fallible hope; but an infallible assurance of faith, founded upon the divine truth of the promises of salvation, the inward evidence of those graces unto which these promises are made, the testimony of the Spirit of adoption witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God: which Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance, whereby we are sealed to the day of redemption.
This infallible assurance doth not so belong to the essence of faith, but that a true believer may wait long, and conflict with many difficulties before he be partaker of it: yet, being enabled by the Spirit to know the things which are freely given him of God, he may, without extraordinary revelation, in the right use of ordinary means, attain thereunto. And therefore it is the duty of everyone to give all diligence to make his calling and election sure; that thereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, in love and thankfulness to God, and in strength and cheerfulness in the duties of obedience, the proper fruits of this assurance: so far is it from inclining men to looseness.
True believers may have the assurance of their salvation divers ways shaken, diminished, and intermitted; as, by negligence in preserving of it; by falling into some special sin, which woundeth the conscience, and grieveth the Spirit; by some sudden or vehement temptation; by God's withdrawing the light of his countenance, and suffering even such as fear him to walk in darkness and to have no light: yet are they never utterly destitute of that seed of God, and life of faith, that love of Christ and the brethren, that sincerity of heart and conscience of duty, out of which, by the operation of the Spirit, this assurance may in due time be revived, and by the which, in the meantime, they are supported from utter despair.
Shorter Catechism
1 question
The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification, are, assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end.
Larger Catechism
2 questions
Such as truly believe in Christ, and endeavor to walk in all good conscience before him, may, without extraordinary revelation, by faith grounded upon the truth of God's promises, and by the Spirit enabling them to discern in themselves those graces to which the promises of life are made, and bearing witness with their spirits that they are the children of God, be infallibly assured that they are in the estate of grace, and shall persevere therein unto salvation.
Assurance of grace and salvation not being of the essence of faith, true believers may wait long before they obtain it; and, after the enjoyment thereof, may have it weakened and intermitted, through manifold distempers, sins, temptations, and desertions; yet are they never left without such a presence and support of the Spirit of God as keeps them from sinking into utter despair.
Sum of Saving Knowledge
2 sections
Warrants and Motives to Believe: Much assurance of life given to believers §10 →
The Father is well satisfied with the undertakings of the Son, entered Redeemer and Surety. For fulfilling of the covenant of redemption, the Father has given to the Son all authority in heaven and earth, all supply of the riches of grace.
Great assurance of life is held forth to all who shall heartily receive Christ: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. A fearful warning is given, if a man receive not the doctrine concerning righteousness and eternal life: He that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Evidences of True Faith: The keeping of strait communion with Christ §14 →
Except a man be ingrafted into Christ, and united to him by faith, he cannot do any the least good works of his own strength: Without me ye can do nothing.
This mutual inhabitation is the fountain and infallible cause of constant continuing and abounding in well-doing: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit.
Whoever does daily employ Christ Jesus for cleansing his conscience and affections from the guiltiness and filthiness of sins against the law, and for enabling him to give obedience to the law in love, he has the evidence of true faith in himself.