Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 14
Of Repentance and the Conversion of Man
1.** The doctrine of repentance is joined with the Gospel. For so has the Lord said in the Gospel: "Repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in my name to all nations" (Luke 24:47).
Scripture references for paragraph 1
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Luke 24:4747and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.
WHAT IS REPENTANCE?
By repentance we understand (1) the recovery of a right mind in sinful man awakened by the Word of the Gospel and the Holy Spirit, and received by true faith, by which the sinner immediately acknowledges his innate corruption and all his sins accused by the Word of God; and (2) grieves for them from his heart, and not only bewails and frankly confesses them before God with a feeling of shame, but also (3) with indignation abominates them; and (4) now zealously considers the amendment of his ways and constantly strives for innocence and virtue in which conscientiously to exercise himself all the rest of his life.
TRUE REPENTANCE IS CONVERSION TO GOD
And this is true repentance, namely, a sincere turning to God and all good, and earnest turning away from the devil and all evil.
1. REPENTANCE IS A GIFT OF GOD
Now we expressly say that this repentance is a sheer gift of God and not a work of our strength. For the apostle commands a faithful minister diligently to instruct those who oppose the truth, if "God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth" (II Tim. 2:25).
Scripture references for paragraph 4
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
2 Timothy 2:2525He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.
2. LAMENTS SINS COMMITTED
Now that sinful woman who washed the feet of the Lord with her tears, and Peter who wept bitterly and bewailed his denial of the Lord (Luke 7:38; 22:62) show clearly how the mind of a penitent man ought to be seriously lamenting the sins he has committed.
Scripture references for paragraph 5
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Luke 7:3838As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume.
Luke 22:6262And he went outside and wept bitterly.
3. CONFESSES SINS TO GOD
Moreover, the prodigal son and the publican in the Gospel, when compared with the Pharisee, present us with the most suitable pattern of how our sins are to be confessed to God. The former said: "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants" (Luke 15:8 ff.). And the latter, not daring to raise his eyes to heaven, beat his breast, saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner" (ch. 18:13). And we do not doubt that they were accepted by God into grace. For the apostle John says: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us" (I John 1:9 f.).
Scripture references for paragraph 6
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Luke 15:8-328Or what woman who has ten silver coins and loses one of them does not light a lamp, sweep her house, and search carefully until she finds it?
9And when she finds it, she calls together her friends and neighbors to say, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost coin.’
10In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”
11Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons.
12The younger son said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living.
14After he had spent all he had, a severe famine swept through that country, and he began to be in need.
15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed the pigs.
16He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing.
17Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food? But here I am, starving to death!
18I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
19I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’
20So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.
21The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate.
24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.
25Meanwhile the older son was in the field, and as he approached the house, he heard music and dancing.
26So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on.
27‘Your brother has returned,’ he said, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.’
28The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.
29But he answered his father, ‘Look, all these years I have served you and never disobeyed a commandment of yours. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
30But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31‘Son, you are always with me,’ the father said, ‘and all that is mine is yours.
32But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
1 John 1:9-109If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us.
SACERDOTAL CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
But we believe that this sincere confession which is made to God alone, either privately between God and the sinner, or publicly in the Church where the general confession of sins is said, is sufficient, and that in order to obtain forgiveness of sins it is not necessary for anyone to confess his sins to a priest, mumuring them in his ears, that in turn he might receive absolution from the priest with his laying on of hands, because there is neither a commandment nor an example of this in Holy Scriptures. David testifies and says: "I acknowledged my sin to thee, and did not hide my iniquity; I said, `I will confess my transgressions to the Lord'; then thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin" (Ps. 32:5). And the Lord who taught us to pray and at the same time to confess our sins said: "Pray then like this: Our Father, who art in heaven,...forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors" (Matt. 6:12). Therefore it is necessary that we confess our sins to God our Father, and be reconciled with our neighbor if we have offended him. Concerning this kind of confession, the Apostle James says: "Confess your sins to one another" (James 5:16). If, however, anyone is overwhelmed by the burden of his sins and by perplexing temptations, and will seek counsel, instruction and comfort privately, either from a minister of the Church, or from any other brother who is instructed in God's law, we do not disapprove; just as we also fully approve of that general and public confession of sins which is usually said in Church and in meetings for worship, as we noted above, inasmuch as it is agreeable to Scripture.
Scripture references for paragraph 7
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Psalms 32:55Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
Matthew 6:1212And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
James 5:1616Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.
OF THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
Concerning the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven which the Lord gave to the apostles, many babble many astonishing things, and out of them forge swords, spears, scepters and crowns, and complete power over the greatest kingdoms, indeed, over souls and bodies. Judging simply according to the Word of the Lord, we say that all properly called ministers possess and exercise the keys or the use of them when they proclaim the Gospel; that is, when they teach, exhort, comfort, rebuke, and keep in discipline the people committed to their trust.
OPENING AND SHUTTING (THE KINGDOM)
For in this way they open the Kingdom of Heaven to the obedient and shut it to the disobedient. The Lord promised these keys to the apostles in Matt., ch. 16, and gave them in John, ch. 20, Mark, ch. 16, and Luke, ch. 24, when he sent out his disciples and commanded them to preach the Gospel in all the world, and to remit sins.
Scripture references for paragraph 9
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Matthew 16:1-281Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came and tested Jesus by asking Him to show them a sign from heaven.
2But He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘The weather will be fair, for the sky is red,’
3and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but not the signs of the times.
4A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Then He left them and went away.
5When they crossed to the other side, the disciples forgot to take bread.
6“Watch out!” Jesus told them. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
7They discussed this among themselves and concluded, “It is because we did not bring any bread.”
8Aware of their conversation, Jesus said, “You of little faith, why are you debating among yourselves about having no bread?
9Do you still not understand? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?
10Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?
11How do you not understand that I was not telling you about bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
12Then they understood that He was not telling them to beware of the leaven used in bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He questioned His disciples: “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15“But what about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven.
18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
20Then He admonished the disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Christ.
21From that time on Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and that He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
22Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. “Far be it from You, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to You!”
23But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me. For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
24Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.
25For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
26What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
27For the Son of Man will come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done.
28Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”
John 20:1-311Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.
2So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,” she said, “and we do not know where they have put Him!”
3Then Peter and the other disciple set out for the tomb.
4The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.
5He bent down and looked in at the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.
6Simon Peter arrived just after him. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there.
7The cloth that had been around Jesus’ head was rolled up, lying separate from the linen cloths.
8Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in. And he saw and believed.
9For they still did not understand from the Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.
10Then the disciples returned to their homes.
11But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent down to look into the tomb,
12and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and the other at the feet.
13“Woman, why are you weeping?” they asked. “Because they have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I do not know where they have put Him.”
14When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there; but she did not recognize that it was Jesus.
15“Woman, why are you weeping?” Jesus asked. “Whom are you seeking?” Thinking He was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried Him off, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.”
16Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
17“Do not cling to Me,” Jesus said, “for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go and tell My brothers, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’”
18Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what He had said to her.
19It was the first day of the week, and that very evening, while the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you!” He said to them.
20After He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
21Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you.”
22When He had said this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”
24Now Thomas called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.
25So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger where the nails have been, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe.”
26Eight days later, His disciples were once again inside with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
27Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!”
29Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
30Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book.
31But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.
Mark 16:1-201When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so they could go and anoint the body of Jesus.
2Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they went to the tomb.
3They were asking one another, “Who will roll away the stone from the entrance of the tomb?”
4But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, even though it was extremely large.
5When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
6But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here! See the place where they put Him.
7But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.’”
8So the women left the tomb and ran away, trembling and bewildered. And in their fear they did not say a word to anyone.
9Early on the first day of the week, after Jesus had risen, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had driven out seven demons.
10She went and told those who had been with Him, who were mourning and weeping.
11And when they heard that Jesus was alive and she had seen Him, they did not believe it.
12After this, Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them as they walked along in the country.
13And they went back and reported it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.
14Later, as they were eating, Jesus appeared to the Eleven and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.
15And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
18they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.”
19After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
20And they went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked through them, confirming His word by the signs that accompanied it.
Luke 24:1-531On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared.
2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
3but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
4While they were puzzling over this, suddenly two men in radiant apparel stood beside them.
5As the women bowed their faces to the ground in terror, the two men asked them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?
6He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you while He was still in Galilee:
7‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’”
8Then they remembered His words.
9And when they returned from the tomb, they reported all these things to the Eleven and to all the others.
10It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles.
11But their words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women.
12Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. And after bending down and seeing only the linen cloths, he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
13That same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.
14They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.
15And as they talked and deliberated, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them.
16But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him.
17He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?” They stood still, with sadness on their faces.
18One of them, named Cleopas, asked Him, “Are You the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in recent days?”
19“What things?” He asked. “The events involving Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “This man was a prophet, powerful in speech and action before God and all the people.
20Our chief priests and rulers delivered Him up to the sentence of death, and they crucified Him.
21But we were hoping He was the One who would redeem Israel. And besides all this, it is the third day since these things took place.
22Furthermore, some of our women astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning,
23but they did not find His body. They came and told us they had seen a vision of angels, who said that Jesus was alive.
24Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had described. But Him they did not see.”
25Then Jesus said to them, “O foolish ones, how slow are your hearts to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
26Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and then to enter His glory?”
27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was written in all the Scriptures about Himself.
28As they approached the village where they were headed, He seemed to be going farther.
29But they pleaded with Him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So He went in to stay with them.
30While He was reclining at the table with them, He took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to them.
31Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus—and He disappeared from their sight.
32They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us as He spoke with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
33And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, gathered together
34and saying, “The Lord has indeed risen and has appeared to Simon!”
35Then the two told what had happened on the road, and how they had recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread.
36While they were describing these events, Jesus Himself stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
37But they were startled and frightened, thinking they had seen a spirit.
38“Why are you troubled,” Jesus asked, “and why do doubts arise in your hearts?
39Look at My hands and My feet. It is I Myself. Touch Me and see—for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
40And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and feet.
41While they were still in disbelief because of their joy and amazement, He asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”
42So they gave Him a piece of broiled fish,
43and He took it and ate it in front of them.
44Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”
45Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
46And He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,
47and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.
48You are witnesses of these things.
49And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But remain in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
50When Jesus had led them out as far as Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
51While He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven.
52And they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
53praising God continually in the temple.
THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION
In the letter to the Corinthians the apostle says that the Lord gave the ministry of reconciliation to his ministers (II Cor. 5:18 ff.). And what this is he then explains, saying that it is the preaching or teaching of reconciliation. And explaining his words still more clearly he adds that Christ's ministers discharge the office of an ambassador in Christ's name, as if God himself through ministers exhorted the people to be reconciled to God, doubtless by faithful obedience. Therefore, they excercise the keys when they persuade [men] to believe and repent. Thus they reconcile men to God.
Scripture references for paragraph 10
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
2 Corinthians 5:18-2118All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
19that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s trespasses against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
20Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God.
21God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
MINISTERS REMIT SINS
Thus they remit sins. Thus they open the Kingdom of Heaven, and bring believers into it: very different from those of whom the Lord said in the Gospel, "Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering."
HOW MINISTERS ABSOLVE
Ministers, therefore, rightly and effectually absolve when they preach the Gospel of Christ and thereby the remission of sins, which is promised to each one who believes, just as each one is baptized, and when they testify that it pertains to each one peculiarly. Neither do we think that this absolution becomes more effectual by being murmured in the ear of someone or by being murmured singly over someone's head. We are nevertheless of the opinion that the remission of sins in the blood of Christ is to be diligently proclaimed, and that each one is to be admonished that the forgiveness of sins pertains to him.
DILIGENCE IN THE RENEWAL OF LIFE
But the examples in the Gospel teach us how vigilant and diligent the penitent ought to be in striving for newness of life and in mortifying the old man and quickening the new. For the Lord said to the man he healed of palsy: "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you" (John 5:14). Likewise to the adulteress whom he set free he said: "Go, and sin no more" (ch. 8:11). To be sure, by these words he did not mean that any man, as long as he lived in the flesh, could not sin; he simply recommends diligence and a careful devotion, so that we should strive by all means, and beseech God in prayers lest we fall back into sins from which, as it were, we have been resurrected, and lest we be overcome by the flesh, the world and the devil. Zacchaeus the publican, whom the Lord had received back into favor, exclaims in the Gospel: "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold" (Luke 19:8). Therefore, in the same way we preach that restitution and compassion, and even almsgiving, are necessary for those who truly repent, and we exhort all men everywhere in the words of the apostle: "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. Do not yield your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but yield yourselves to God as men who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments of righteousness" (Rom. 6:12 f.).
Scripture references for paragraph 13
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
John 5:1414Afterward, Jesus found the man at the temple and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you.”
Luke 19:88But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will repay it fourfold.”
Romans 6:12-2312Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires.
13Do not present the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and present the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness.
14For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
15What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law, but under grace? Certainly not!
16Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey, whether you are slaves to sin leading to death, or to obedience leading to righteousness?
17But thanks be to God that, though you once were slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were committed.
18You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
19I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to escalating wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.
20For when you were slaves to sin, you were free of obligation to righteousness.
21What fruit did you reap at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The outcome of those things is death.
22But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life.
23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
ERRORS
Wherefore we condemn all impious utterances of some who wrongly use the preaching of the Gospel and say that it is easy to return to God. Christ has atoned for all sins. Forgiveness of sins is easy. Therefore, what harm is there in sinning? Nor need we be greatly concerned about repentance, etc. Notwithstanding we always teach that an access to God is open to all sinners, and that he forgives all sinners of all sins except the one sin against the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:29).
Scripture references for paragraph 14
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Mark 3:2929But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of eternal sin.”
THE SECTS
Wherefore we condemn both old and new Novatians and Catharists.
PAPAL INDULGENCES
We especially condemn the lucrative doctrine of the Pope concerning penance, and against his simony and his simoniacal indulgences we avail ourselves of Peter's judgment concerning Simon: "Your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God" (Acts 8:20 f.).
Scripture references for paragraph 16
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Acts 8:20-4020But Peter replied, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!
21You have no part or share in our ministry, because your heart is not right before God.
22Repent, therefore, of your wickedness, and pray to the Lord. Perhaps He will forgive you for the intent of your heart.
23For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and captive to iniquity.”
24Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me, so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”
25And after Peter and John had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many of the Samaritan villages.
26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go south to the desert road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official in charge of the entire treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship,
28and on his return was sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet.
29The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.”
30So Philip ran up and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
31“How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so He did not open His mouth.
33In His humiliation He was deprived of justice. Who can recount His descendants? For His life was removed from the earth.”
34“Tell me,” said the eunuch, “who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?”
35Then Philip began with this very Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36As they traveled along the road and came to some water, the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is there to prevent me from being baptized?”
38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing.
40But Philip appeared at Azotus and traveled through that region, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
SATISFACTIONS
We also disapprove of those who think that by their own satisfactions they make amends for sins committed. For we teach that Christ alone by his death or passion is the satisfaction, propitiation or expiation of all sins (Isa., ch.53; I Cor. 1:30). Yet as we have already said, we do not cease to urge the mortification of the flesh. We add, however, that this mortification is not to be proudly obtruded upon God as a satisfaction for sins, but is to be performed humble, in keeping with the nature of the children of God, as a new obedience out of gratitude for the deliverance and full satisfaction obtained by the death and satisfaction of the Son of God.
Scripture references for paragraph 17
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Isaiah 53:1-121Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him.
3He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.
4Surely He took on our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken by God, struck down and afflicted.
5But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.
6We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.
7He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth.
8By oppression and judgment He was taken away, and who can recount His descendants? For He was cut off from the land of the living; He was stricken for the transgression of My people.
9He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.
10Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.
11After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.
12Therefore I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He has poured out His life unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors. Yet He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.
1 Corinthians 1:3030It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.
Source and edition
Second Helvetic Confession. NonlinearFruit/Creeds.json, Unlicense. Creeds.json, English transcription
Unlicense. Source transcription.
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