1. Repentance, Faith, and the Means of Grace

Having addressed the consequences of sin (questions 83 and 84), we need to now direct our attention to its remedy (question 85). Today’s lesson is about one of the most pressing and practical priorities that any person can have; in order to escape God’s wrath and curse, God requires of us three things: faith in Jesus Christ, repentance from our sins, and the use of the ordinary means of grace. Without these, there is no hope of deliverance. 

Requirements (Conditions) of the Covenant of Grace 

After revealing to us what every sin deserves, God graciously provides for us a way of deliverance. The wording of the Westminster Shorter Catechism indicates that faith, repentance, and the use of the means of grace are together formal requirements (or conditions) of the Covenant of Grace.¹These three are closely related. Heidelberg Catechism 65 teaches that faith (a condition) is produced by the attentive hearing of the Word (another condition) by the blessing of the Holy Spirit, and strengthened by the right use of the sacraments (yet another condition). “Since then we are made partakers of Christ and all His benefits by faith only, when doth this faith proceed? From the Holy Ghost, who works faith in our hearts by the preaching of the gospel, and confirms it by the use of the sacraments.” Admittedly, some people feel nervous about attaching any requirements (i.e., conditions) to the Covenant of Grace, fearing that it goes against the freeness of God’s grace. Taken further, antinomianism denies requirements at all. On the other hand, those who believe that these requirements are meritorious and can be produced by ourselves apart from Christ or the Holy Spirit’s work (cf. Jn. 15:5; Rom. 8:9-14) fall into the error of legalism. Therefore, we must be careful to avoid either extreme.²At its root, I suspect that many people who deny the conditionality of the covenant are just trying to maintain a distinction between law and grace. On the other hand, those who affirm the conditionality are often trying to preserve the need for holiness. While both motivations may be admirable, caution is needed to avoid error.

Guarding Against Antinomianism

It is important to point out that the Covenant of Redemption (established by the Trinity in eternity) is the basis for the Covenant of Grace (as extended to us in time). While the Covenant of Grace may be unconditional in its origin, it ultimately has certain conditions attached to it that are required on man’s part for its application.³The Reformed have traditionally described the Covenant of Grace as foedus monopleuron (one-sided) in its origin, but foedus dipleuron(two-sided) in its execution. Jones, Mark. Antinomianism: Reformed Theology’s Unwelcome Guest? P&R Pub., 2013, p. 63. Similarly, Bavinck states, “the Covenant of Grace does assume [a] demanding conditional form. The purpose is to acknowledge humans in their capacity as rational and moral beings… to hold them responsible and inexcusable… and to cause them to enter consciously and freely into this covenant” and “the Covenant of Grace [in its conception] is indeed unilateral: it proceeds from God; he has designed and defined it. He maintains and implements it… But it is destined to become bilateral, to be consciously and voluntarily accepted and kept by humans in the power of God.” Bavinck, Herman. Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. 2: God and Creation. Baker Academic, 2004, p. 230. From the eternal perspective, the covenant rests entirely on God’s grace. But, considered from the human perspective, there are specific conditions required to apply saving benefits to a believer.⁴This doctrine is expounded by the Westminster Shorter Catechism 30 and the Heidelberg Catechism 20. For example, Scripture plainly teaches that faith is necessary to unite a person to Christ and true repentance is required for salvation (Acts 16:30-31; 20:21; Mt. 3:7-8; Lk. 13:3, 5; Jn. 3:16, 18; cf. Jn 1:12-13; Rom. 11:20; Heb. 10:39). Moreover, God requires the diligent use of the appointed outwards means of grace, which communicate the benefits of Christ’s saving work to us (Prov. 2:1-5; 8:33-36). We are not to be passive, but rather commanded to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), while at the same time reminded that it is God who works in us (Phil. 2:13). 

Therefore, in response to the error of antinomianism, we need to affirm that the Covenant of Grace is indeed conditional. The gospel is frequently presented with expressed conditions (e.g., the need to believe in Jesus Christ; Jn. 3:16, 36; Mk. 16:16; Acts 8:37; Rom. 10:9). Additionally, if there were no conditions attached to the Covenant of Grace, it would be impossible to understand certain passages of Scripture, such as the threats issued to covenant members who fall away (Heb. 6:4-8; 10:26-31; 2 Pet. 2:20-22), or the warnings to pursue holiness and sanctification without which no one will see God (Heb. 12:14). 

Guarding Against Legalism

Although God appoints specific conditions for salvation, this does not make the Covenant of Grace dependent upon humans! The conditions are, at the same time, both duties required of man and blessings given by God (Eze. 36:27). This is a key difference between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace.⁵“As to works, they were required in the first [CoW] as an antecedent condition by way of a cause for acquiring life; but in the second [CoG], they are only the subsequent condition as the fruit and effect of the life already acquired. In the first [CoW], they ought to precede the act of justification; in the second [CoG], they follow it. As to the end [i.e., purpose]—for the end of the first [CoW] was the declaration of justice; but of the second [CoG], the manifestation of the mercy and exceeding love of God.” Turretin, Francis. Institutes of Elenctic Theology: Volume 2. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Pub., 1994. p. 191; XII.4.VII-VIII. God supplies what He demands!⁶“God knows we have nothing of ourselves, therefore in the Covenant of Grace he requires no more than he gives, [and] gives what he requires, and accepts what he gives” Sibbes, Richard. The Bruised Reed. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1998. p. 36. This is also consistent with WLC, Q32: How is the grace of God manifested in the second covenant [CoG]? A: The grace of God is manifested in the second covenant, in that he freely provideth and offereth to sinners a Mediator, and life and salvation by him; and requiring faith as the condition to interest them in him, promiseth and giveth his Holy Spirit to all his elect, to work in them that faith, with all other saving graces; and to enable them unto all holy obedience, as the evidence of the truth of their faith and thankfulness to God, and as the way which he hath appointed them to salvation. Therefore, there is no merit involved. Salvation is not earned by human faithfulness. It is not by our strength that we can keep any of the requirements, but only according to God’s grace (Jn. 15:5; Eph. 2:8-9). The conditions of the covenant are merely instruments that God uses.⁷Jones, Mark. Antinomianism: Reformed Theology’s Unwelcome Guest? P&R Pub., 2013, p. 64. Turretin, Francis. Institutes of Elenctic Theology: Volume 2. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Pub., 1994. pp. 184-185; XII.3.I-V. These are the means that God has chosen to communicate His grace to us. If we bypass God’s appointed means (e.g., by ignoring the Word, forgoing baptism, failing to go to the Lord’s Supper, and neglecting prayer), we also refuse God’s salvation.

The requirements of the covenant are real. We must have faith in Jesus Christ. We must truly repent of our sins. We mustdraw near to God using the means He has given. Yet, at the same time, God is the only who can give us true faith and repentance (e.g., Phil. 1:29; Acts 11:18; 13:48; 2 Tim. 2:25-26). It is God by His Spirit who makes the means of grace efficacious (e.g., 1 Cor. 3:7). That which God requires, God graciously gives to His elect. Therefore, we want to avoid the error of antinomians who say that nothing is required, while at the same time avoiding the error of the legalists who say that we can meet the conditions by our strength.

Footnotes

• 1
  These three are closely related. Heidelberg Catechism 65 teaches that faith (a condition) is produced by the attentive hearing of the Word (another condition) by the blessing of the Holy Spirit, and strengthened by the right use of the sacraments (yet another condition). “Since then we are made partakers of Christ and all His benefits by faith only, when doth this faith proceed? From the Holy Ghost, who works faith in our hearts by the preaching of the gospel, and confirms it by the use of the sacraments.”
• 2
  At its root, I suspect that many people who deny the conditionality of the covenant are just trying to maintain a distinction between law and grace. On the other hand, those who affirm the conditionality are often trying to preserve the need for holiness. While both motivations may be admirable, caution is needed to avoid error.
• 3
  The Reformed have traditionally described the Covenant of Grace as foedus monopleuron (one-sided) in its origin, but foedus dipleuron(two-sided) in its execution. Jones, Mark. Antinomianism: Reformed Theology’s Unwelcome Guest? P&R Pub., 2013, p. 63. Similarly, Bavinck states, “the Covenant of Grace does assume [a] demanding conditional form. The purpose is to acknowledge humans in their capacity as rational and moral beings… to hold them responsible and inexcusable… and to cause them to enter consciously and freely into this covenant” and “the Covenant of Grace [in its conception] is indeed unilateral: it proceeds from God; he has designed and defined it. He maintains and implements it… But it is destined to become bilateral, to be consciously and voluntarily accepted and kept by humans in the power of God.” Bavinck, Herman. Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. 2: God and Creation. Baker Academic, 2004, p. 230.
• 4
  This doctrine is expounded by the Westminster Shorter Catechism 30 and the Heidelberg Catechism 20.
• 5
  “As to works, they were required in the first [CoW] as an antecedent condition by way of a cause for acquiring life; but in the second [CoG], they are only the subsequent condition as the fruit and effect of the life already acquired. In the first [CoW], they ought to precede the act of justification; in the second [CoG], they follow it. As to the end [i.e., purpose]—for the end of the first [CoW] was the declaration of justice; but of the second [CoG], the manifestation of the mercy and exceeding love of God.” Turretin, Francis. Institutes of Elenctic Theology: Volume 2. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Pub., 1994. p. 191; XII.4.VII-VIII.
• 6
  “God knows we have nothing of ourselves, therefore in the Covenant of Grace he requires no more than he gives, [and] gives what he requires, and accepts what he gives” Sibbes, Richard. The Bruised Reed. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1998. p. 36. This is also consistent with WLC, Q32: How is the grace of God manifested in the second covenant [CoG]? A: The grace of God is manifested in the second covenant, in that he freely provideth and offereth to sinners a Mediator, and life and salvation by him; and requiring faith as the condition to interest them in him, promiseth and giveth his Holy Spirit to all his elect, to work in them that faith, with all other saving graces; and to enable them unto all holy obedience, as the evidence of the truth of their faith and thankfulness to God, and as the way which he hath appointed them to salvation.
• 7
  Jones, Mark. Antinomianism: Reformed Theology’s Unwelcome Guest? P&R Pub., 2013, p. 64. Turretin, Francis. Institutes of Elenctic Theology: Volume 2. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Pub., 1994. pp. 184-185; XII.3.I-V.