2009 Memorial OPC Fall Adult Sunday School
Westminster Shorter Catechism
Sept 27, 2009
Q33: What is justification?
A33: Justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone.

Q34: What is adoption?
A34: Adoption is an act of God's free grace, whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God.

Q35; What is sanctification?
A3 5: Sanctification is the work of God's free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled  more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.

1. What is the pattern for your sanctification?
2. What two components are involved in the carrying out of sanctification according to answer 35?
3. Is there a proper (or logical) order between these two components? Can either of these two components ever stand on its own?
4. Why must we always carefully distinguish between sanctification and justification? Why must we never sever sanctification from justification?


Q36: What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification?
A36: 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.

The assurance of God's love and peace of conscience...
1. Is there such a thing as one having a false assurance of God's love?
John 8:41
Matthew 7:22, 23



2. Is there such a thing as one having a genuine assurance of God's love?
2 Timothy 1:12; 4:6-8; 4:16-18



3. On what basis can you speak of having a genuine assurance of God's love and a true peace of conscience?
1 John 5:13; Hebrews 6:11
Hebrews 6:17,18; Romans 5:1, 2; John 5:24 (1 John 5:13)
2 Peter 1:10-11; 1 John 2:3-5; 3:14, 18, 19
1 John 4:13; Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:15, 16




4. How does a genuine assurance of God's love and grace differ from presumption?
Romans 6:1-2; Titus 2:11-14


5. Is the believer's degree of assurance of God's love equal at all times and in all circumstances?
Psalm 31:22; Psalm 32:3-5; Psalm 51:10-12
Psalm 88
Isaiah 50:10


Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 18:1,2
"Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation"

18.1 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, endeavouring to walk in all good conscience before Him, may, in this life, be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God; which hope shall never make them ashamed.

18.2 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.