Westminster Confession, Chapter 15
Of Repentance unto Life
Repentance unto life is an evangelical grace, the doctrine whereof is to be preached by every minister of the gospel, as well as that of faith in Christ.
Scripture references for paragraph 1
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Zechariah 12:1010Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
Acts 11:1818When they heard this, their objections were put to rest, and they glorified God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”
Luke 24:4747and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.
Mark 1:1515“The time is fulfilled,” He said, “and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe in the gospel!”
Acts 20:2121testifying to Jews and Greeks alike about repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
By it a sinner, out of the sight and sense, not only of the danger, but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins, as contrary to the holy nature and righteous law of God, and upon the apprehension of his mercy in Christ to such as are penitent, so grieves for and hates his sins as to turn from them all unto God, purposing and endeavoring to walk with him in all the ways of his commandments.
Scripture references for paragraph 2
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Psalms 51:44Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge.
Psalms 119:128128Therefore I admire all Your precepts and hate every false way.
Isaiah 30:2222So you will desecrate your silver-plated idols and your gold-plated images. You will throw them away like menstrual cloths, saying to them, “Be gone!”
Jeremiah 31:18-1918I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning: ‘You disciplined me severely, like an untrained calf. Restore me, that I may return, for You are the LORD my God.
19After I returned, I repented; and after I was instructed, I struck my thigh in grief. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’
Ezekiel 18:30-3130Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that your iniquity will not become your downfall.
31Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel?
Ezekiel 36:3131Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and abominations.
Joel 2:12-1312“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.”
13So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.
Amos 5:1515Hate evil and love good; establish justice in the gate. Perhaps the LORD, the God of Hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.”
2 Corinthians 7:1111Consider what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what vindication! In every way you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.
2 Kings 23:2525Neither before nor after Josiah was there any king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, according to all the Law of Moses.
Psalms 119:66Then I would not be ashamed when I consider all Your commandments.
Psalms 119:5959I considered my ways and turned my steps to Your testimonies.
Psalms 119:106106I have sworn and confirmed that I will keep Your righteous judgments.
Luke 1:66Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.
Although repentance be not to be rested in as any satisfaction for sin, or any cause of the pardon thereof, which is the act of God's free grace in Christ; yet is it of such necessity to all sinners that none may expect pardon without it.
Scripture references for paragraph 3
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Ezekiel 16:61-6361Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your older and younger sisters. I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of My covenant with you.
62So I will establish My covenant with you, and you will know that I am the LORD,
63so that when I make atonement for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your disgrace, declares the Lord GOD.”
Ezekiel 36:31-3231Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and abominations.
32It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord GOD—let it be known to you. Be ashamed and disgraced for your ways, O house of Israel!
Luke 13:33No, I tell you. But unless you repent, you too will all perish.
Luke 13:55No, I tell you. But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
Acts 17:30-3130Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.
31For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”
Hosea 14:22Bring your confessions and return to the LORD. Say to Him: “Take away all our iniquity and receive us graciously, that we may present the fruit of our lips.
Hosea 14:44I will heal their apostasy; I will freely love them, for My anger has turned away from them.
Romans 3:2424and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 1:77In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
As there is no sin so small but it deserves damnation, so there is no sin so great that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent.
Scripture references for paragraph 4
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Matthew 12:3636But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.
Romans 5:1212Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.
Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Isaiah 1:1616Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!
Isaiah 1:1818“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool.
Isaiah 55:77Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.
Romans 8:11Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Men ought not to content themselves with a general repentance, but it is every man's duty to endeavor to repent of his particular sins particularly.
Scripture references for paragraph 5
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Psalms 19:1313Keep Your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless and cleansed of great transgression.
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.”
1 Timothy 1:1313I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.
1 Timothy 1:1515This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.
As every man is bound to make private confession of his sins to God, praying for the pardon thereof, upon which, and the forsaking of them, he shall find mercy; so he that scandalizeth his brother, or the Church of Christ, ought to be willing, by a private or public confession and sorrow for his sin, to declare his repentance to those that are offended, who are thereupon to be reconciled to him, and in love to receive him.
Scripture references for paragraph 6
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Psalms 32:5-65Then 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
6Therefore let all the godly pray to You while You may be found. Surely when great waters rise, they will not come near.
Psalms 51:4-54Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge.
5Surely I was brought forth in iniquity; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.
Psalms 51:77Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Psalms 51:99Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.
Psalms 51:1414Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.
Psalms 51:1-191Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions.
2Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
3For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
4Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge.
5Surely I was brought forth in iniquity; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.
6Surely You desire truth in the inmost being; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
7Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice.
9Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.
10Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
11Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me.
12Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.
13Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will return to You.
14Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.
15O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise.
16For You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You take no pleasure in burnt offerings.
17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
18In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, in whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on Your altar.
Joshua 7:1919So Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and make a confession to Him. I urge you to tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”
Luke 17:3-43Watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
4Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to say, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
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.
Proverbs 28:1313He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.
1 John 1:99If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
2 Corinthians 2:88Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.
Source and edition
Westminster Confession. NonlinearFruit/Creeds.json, Unlicense. Creeds.json, English transcription
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