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1689 Baptist Confession Chapter 15: Of Repentance Unto Life and Salvation - Commentary

Simon Wartanian | 21,190 views | 8,593 words | 0:44:49 hours | 05 March 2015 18:55

...ns are ultimately committed against God (Ps. 51:4; Luke 15:21). When we come to repentance, there should be sorrow in our heart that we have sinned against the God Who has given us His Spirit that we may walk in His holy ways, but we have chosen rather go on sinning. There should be sorrow that we have offended the God Who sent His Son to set us free from sin and yet we have put ourselves back into slavery. We are sorry for our sins and we hate our sins. We pray that God may blot our sins from us and that we may never sin against our faithful and loving God ever again. As we fall into sin, our minds are directed toward the life hereafter where sin will have absolutely no residence in us. In Heaven, we will be perfect and sinless...oh what joy!

By repentance, we confess our guilt before God for the sins we have committed and there is often an aspect of self-abhorrence in us. This is understandable when we realize against Whom we have sinned. We have sinned against the God Who loved us from all eternity, chose us, sent His Son to pay the penalty for our sins and sent His Spirit in us so that we may have fellowship with Him. This is the God against Whom we have sinned. We have offended Him and when we, by faith in Jesus, realize Whom we have offended we are obviously disappointed with ourselves.

According to 2 Corinthians 7:10, godly grief is “such sorrow as has respect to God, or is according to his will, or as leads the soul to him”^[9]. It is furthermore distinguished from “worldly grief” which brings death instead of salvation. When the Prodigal Son came to his senses, he did not return to his father to be a son, but to be a servant (Luke 15:17-19) because he knew that he had offended his father greatly. Calvin beautifully explains godly and worldly sorrow:

In the first place, in order to understand what is meant by this clause according to God, we must observe the contrast, for the sorrow that is according to God he contrasts with the sorrow of the world. Let us now take, also, the contrast between two kinds of joy. The joy of the world is, when men foolishly, and without the fear of the Lord, exult in vanity, that is, in the world, and, intoxicated with a transient felicity, look no higher than the earth. The joy that is according to God is, when men place all their happiness in God, and take satisfaction in His grace, and show this by contempt of the world, using earthly prosperity as if they used it not, and joyful in the midst of adversity. Accordingly, the sorrow of the world is, when men despond in consequence of earthly afflictions, and are overwhelmed with grief; while sorrow according to God is that which has an eye to God, while they reckon it the one misery — to have lost the favor of God; when, impressed with fear of His judgment, they mourn over their sins. This sorrow Paul makes the cause and origin of repentance. This is carefully to be observed, for unless the sinner be dissatisfied with himself, detest his manner of life, and be thoroughly grieved from an apprehension of sin, he will never betake himself to the Lord. On the other hand, it is impossible for a man to experience a sorrow of this kind, without its giving birth to a new heart. Hence repentance takes its rise in grief, for the reason that I have mentioned — because no one can return to the right way, but the man who hates sin; but where hatred of sin is, there is self-dissatisfaction and grief.^[7]

J.C. Ryle beautifully explains this mark of tru...

1689 Baptist Confession Chapter 16: Of Good Works - Commentary

Simon Wartanian | 16,876 views | 8,785 words | 0:46:07 hours | 05 March 2015 18:58

The 1689 Second Baptist Confession Of Faith Confession Commentary Reformed Baptist Good Works Fruits Of Salvation

... are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in Heaven.

The Lord Jesus begins by telling us that we are the salt of the earth. That means that the believers have a preserving and savoring effect on the world as salt does to earthly things. The eminent Bible commentator John Gill writes the following on this phrase:

Ye are the salt of the earth,.... This is to be understood of the disciples and apostles of Christ; who might be compared to “salt”, because of the savoury doctrines they preached; as all such are, which are agreeable to the Scriptures, and are of the evangelic kind, which are full of Christ, serve to exalt him, and to magnify the grace of God; and are suitable to the experiences of the saints, and are according to godliness, and tend to promote it: also because of their savoury lives and conversations; whereby they recommended, and gave sanction to the doctrines they preached, were examples to the saints, and checks upon wicked men.^[2]

We are not only the salt of the earth but also the light of the world. The believers have an important task in the world, indeed as some have said, the world stands for the sake of the elect. But what we also learn from v. 15 is that others benefit from the light, meaning other people than us should benefit from our works. Our light, which is our character, deeds and walk in the Lord, should move others to seek God and see God in us. Therefore, it is undoubtedly true that all good works should be done to the glory of God and that thereby the glory of God may be manifested to others.

The apostle Paul also says:

1 Cor. 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Anything that we do in life should be done to the glory of God, whether it be good works or studying, or eating and drinking. We should do all things with thankfulness to God and to His honor and glory. In a passage mentioned above, we see again that good works brought forth through faith are to be for Christ’s glory (1 Thess. 1:11-12). The God Who works in us to do His pleasure and equips us to be able to carry out His holy will, is also the God Who works all things according to His purpose and therefore to His glory (Phil. 2:13; Heb. 13:20-21; Eph. 1:11; 2:10).

§2 These good works...are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith

These good works, done in obedience to God’s commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith; 1 and by them believers manifest their thankfulness, 2 strengthen their assurance, 3 edify their brethren, 4 adorn the profession of the gospel, 5 stop the mouths of the adversaries, 6 and glorify God, whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto, 7 that having their fruit unto holiness they may have the end eternal life. 8
1. James 2:18, 22; Gal. 5:6; 1 Tim. 1:5
2. Ps. 116:12-14; 1 Peter 2:9, 12; Luke 7:36-50 with Matt. 26:1-11
3. 1 John 2:3, 5; 3:18-19; 2 Peter 1:5-11
4. 2 Cor. 9:2; Matt. 5:16
5. Matt. 5:16; Titus 2:5, 9-12; 1 Tim. 6:1; 1 Peter 2:12
6. 1 Pet...

1689 Baptist Confession Chapter 27: Of the Communion of Saints

Simon Wartanian | 14,410 views | 4,813 words | 0:25:13 hours | 06 March 2015 23:08

The 1689 Second Baptist Confession Of Faith Confession Commentary Reformed Baptist Chapter 27 Of The Communion Of Saints Fellowship Christian Love Union With Christ

...d the punishment of the law of God. The union of the believer with Christ and Christ with the believer is so intimate that it is said, “our old self was crucified with him” (Rom. 6:6). His crucifixion on our behalf was also our crucifixion.

Scripture likewise teaches that we were united with Him in His glorious resurrection (Col. 2:1, 12). His resurrection is the source of our life and justification (Rom. 4:26). Without the resurrection, there would be no redemption.

Christ’s ascension is His entrance into His throne room, having accomplished everything which the Father had commanded Him to do. He went to Heaven and sent us the Holy Spirit Who will apply the work of redemption to the elect. Scripture teaches that we share in the Heavenly reign of Christ (Eph. 2:6). Furthermore, Scripture encourages to live as Christ currently lives His resurrection life (Rom. 6:2-11).

Our Lives

The elect were not only united with Christ in His life, death, and resurrection in the past, but they are also, in the present, intimately united with Him through faith. The Scriptures teach that our regeneration and new life is the result of our union with Christ. Paul writes that “even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” (Eph. 2:5). A few verses later he also says that we are “created in Christ Jesus for good works” (Eph. 2:10). In 2 Corinthians 5:17, the apostle says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” This great blessing of new life is a result of union with Christ.

Our justification by faith has its source in our union with Christ. Paul says that our justification was in Him (Rom. 3:24; Gal. 2:16-17) and that our righteousness is likewise because we are united with Him (1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:8-9). Not only justification, but sanctification is likewise a blessing from union with Christ. The apostle Paul writes that “because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30). Because we are in Him, we have sanctification which comes from Him. Sanctification is the new life given to us in Jesus Christ. Thus the apostle Paul tells us that “our “walk[ing] in newness of life” is because of our union with Christ in His death and resurrection (Rom. 6:3-5). He also says:

Rom. 6:6-11 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

We see here that Paul says the reason for our union with Christ in His death was so that we would die to sin and sin might lose its power over us. Since we have died with Christ, we will also now live with Him. Christ lives His resurrection life in His people through the Spirit Whom He poured on us. Just as the Lord Christ died and was raised to life, so likewise we should die to sin and live to God in Christ. Our Christian life is to be lived in, with, and because of Christ. To die to sin is an essential p...

2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 'he died for all'

Simon Wartanian | 10,637 views | 2,761 words | 0:14:24 hours | 22 April 2016 16:50

2 Corinthians 5 Limited Atonement Unlimited Atonement Definite Redemption Calvinism Arminianism

...itude that Christ loved him and was so gracious as to make him a part of the “all” who died in him.^[2]

The HCSB Study Bible says about 2 Corinthians 5:13-15:

5:13-14 Paul's opponents probably had suggested that he was religiously unbalanced (see Ac 26:24). He was "insane" in that Christ's love compelled him into vigorous apostolic ministry. On the other hand, his ministry among the Corinthians had never been that of a madman (1Co 2:1-5). Indeed, he had kept his "third Heaven" vision private for 14 years until he mentioned it later in this letter (12:1-10). The heart of Paul's message was that the Jewish Messiah had died on behalf of all kinds of sinners (1Co 15:3). Jews as well as Gentiles were included in Jesus' substitutionary death (Rev 7:9). In union with Christ, sinners who believe the gospel have died to sin and have been raised to walk in a new way of life.

5:15 The phrase those who live refers to believers who are now spiritually alive (Eph 2:4-6). Christ's death and resurrection ministry have become the pattern for the believer's death and new-life ministry. Paul personally modeled this as well.^[3]

Footnotes

^ ESV Study Bible. (2008). Crossway. Taken from the Online Version at www.esvbible.org
^ John MacArthur. (2010) The MacArthur Study Bible. Crossway.
^ HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible®) Study Bible. (2010). Holman Bible Publishers. Taken from the online version at www.mystudybible.com

...

Resources for studying the Christian Sabbath

Simon Wartanian | 60 views | 1,107 words | 0:05:48 hours | 18 August 2025 21:18

Sabbath

...ww.ccel.org/ccel/hodge/theology3.iii.v.viii.html">http://www.ccel.org/ccel/hodge/theology3.iii.v.viii.html.

A. H. Strong, Systematic Theology: A Compendium Designed For The Use Of Theological Students (London: Pickering & Inglis, 1970 [1907]), pp. 408-410.

Thomas Watson:

The Ten Commandments (1692). The chapter on the fourth commandment found at https://ccel.org/ccel/watson/commandments/commandments.iv.iv.html .
The Christian Soldier; or Heaven Taken by Storm, “Part 6, by sanctifying the Lord’s Day and holy conversation.” Found at https://www.apuritansmind.com/puritan-worship/the-lords-day/sanctifying-the-lords-day-and-holy-conversation-by-rev-thomas-watson/.

Ezekiel Hopkins, An Exposition Of The Ten Commandments (1690), pp. 192-224. Found at https://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/ted_hildebrandt/otesources/02-exodus/text/books/hopkins-tencommands/hopkins-tencommands.pdf.

Jonathan Edwards, The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Volume 2, revised and corrected by Edward Hickman (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1974 edition). pp. 93-103.

Three sermons entitled “The Perpetuity and Change of the Sabbath.” https://ccel.org/ccel/edwards/works2/works2.iv.xv.html

Samuel E. Waldron:

A Modern Exposition Of The 1689 Baptist Confession Of Faith (Darlington: Evangelical Press, 2013), pp. 336-341.
Lectures On The Lord’s Day (2007). Found at https://www.thecalvinist.net/files/Sam-Waldron-Lectures-of-the-Lords-Day.pdf.
The Lord’s Day: Its Presuppositions, Proofs, Precedents, and Practice (2017). Found at http://www.chapellibrary.org/book/lday/the-lords-day%3A-its-presuppositions%2C-proofs%2C-precedents%2C-and-practice.

John Giarrizzo, The Lord’s Day Still Is (booklet, 2013). Found at https://gfbcconroe.com/media/klzfovkc/the-lords-day-still-is-giarrizzo-2013.pdf.

Philip Schaff, The Lord’s Day (booklet, 2013). Found at https://web.archive.org/web/20220806145510/https://www.csmedia1.com/arbca.com/16--the-lords-day--binder-english-2013-01-30.pdf.

A.A. Hodge, Sabbath, The Day Changed: The Sabbath Preserved. Found at http://www.apuritansmind.com/puritan-worship/the-lords-day/sabbath-the-day-changed-the-sabbath-preserved-by-dr-a-a-hodge/.

Archibald Alexander, A Brief Compendium of Bible Truth (1846), “The Lord’s Day.” Found at http://www.apuritansmind.com/puritan-worship/the-lords-day/the-lords-day-by-dr-archibald-alexander/.

B.B. Warfield, The Foundations Of The Sabbath In The Word Of God (1951). Found at http://www.the-highway.com/Sabbath_Warfield.html.

Francis Turretin, The Fourth Question – The Lord’s Day (1679-1685). Found at