LBCF 1689 Reflections. Part 134

Reflections on the Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689.
23 Aug 14 began a perhaps unbroken, orderly, and personal journey through my favorite written confession of faith. This will be my personal reflections on this beloved written codification of the Christian Faith which is according to a Baptist flavor.
 
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Section 15.5: “Such is the provision which God hath made through Christ in the covenant of grace for the preservation of believers unto salvation; that although there is no sin so small but it deserves damnation; yet there is no sin so great that it shall bring damnation on them that repent; which makes the constant preaching of repentance necessary.”
 
God doesn’t preserve his people in ways unbeknownst to them. The grace he’s granted to us produces heartfelt repentance in us. The grace he’s granted us similarly brings us to do things like pray, study his word, fast, fellowship with other Christians, give of our time and money to others, etc. These ways are not hidden. God has plainly given them. By exercising them we can all grow in the grace of God. By neglecting them, we become weak.
 
Repentance is as much of a gift as life itself. Repentance comes with this life like laces come with shoes.
 
Not all sin is the same. No one should believe that murder is no worse than gossip, but all sin condemns equally. All sin, when seen by the believer in their life, becomes a mountain to them. It does not destroy justification, but it may “feel” like it did. We who are preachers of this Gospel know that Christ has brought men a complete peace with God. We know that there is nothing that can separate a regenerate person from the love of God. Yet as we preach, we constantly remind our hearers of the need to constantly repent. We preach it because it is a means of God’s grace. It’s not the maintenance of our salvation, but it is a part of our salvation. We preach repentance not unto eternal life, but as a part of eternal life. Sin is not gone. We still sin. Those of us yet still 100% justified in the righteousness of faith long for the day when that will no longer be so.