1689 Confession, Assurance of Grace and Salvation, paragraph 1

1689 CONFESSION: "OF ASSURANCE OF GRACE AND SALVATION"
Chapter 18, Paragraph 1

SUMMARY: This paragraph teaches two basic truths, first: Assurance can be, and very often is, a vain deceit among carnal men; second: this shouldn't be a reason to deny the doctrine as Rome has done. Instead, true believers, (those who love God in sincerity, and walk in all good conscience before Him,) MAY in this life be certainly assured of their state in grace. All believers should pursue biblical assurance, while being careful to acknowledge the possibility of false assurance.

I. TEMPORARY BELIEVERS (Savoy/1689) OR HYPOCRITES (WCF) AND FALSE ASSURANCE.

1. There are goats who think they're sheep. Job 8:13-14.
2. The Goats can have a false assurance. Matt. 7:22-23.  
3. The Goat's Assurance will perish. Matt. 7:23

II. THE TRUE BELIEVER MAY CERTAINLY HAVE ASSURANCE.

1. The Elect truly believe 1 John 5:13.
2. The Elect love Him in sincerity 1 John 3:14. 1 John 3:18-19
   -Love in deed
   -Love in truth
3. The Elect endeavor to walk in all good conscience before Him 1 John 2:3, 1 John 3:21,24
4. The Elect "may in this life be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace."
   -We know
   -Assured hope

III. THE ELECT HAVE A HOPE WHICH SHALL NOT DISAPPOINT.

1. which hope shall never make them ashamed.3
   -A hope that perishes vs a hope that shall never make them ashamed (Rom. 5:5)
   -A hope of the glory of God. (Rom. 5:2)
   -Hope is desire and expectation for God's Glory caused by a love for God, which is shed abroad in our hearts (Rom. 5:5)
   -By the Holy Spirit which is given to us. (Rom. 5:5)