Can true believers be infallibly assured that they are in the estate of grace

…and that they shall persevere therein unto salvation?

Such as truly believe in Christ, and endeavor to walk in all good conscience before him,[1] may, without extraordinary revelation, by faith grounded upon the truth of God’s promises, and by the Spirit enabling them to discern in themselves those graces to which the promises of life are made,[2] and bearing witness with their spirits that they are the children of God,[3] be infallibly assured that they are in the estate of grace, and shall persevere therein unto salvation.[4] 

Click to read more ...

Quiz on the Biblical and Historical Doctrine of the Trinity

I’m in the quiz making business again and this one’s on the Trinity. The directions are simple: Indicate which of the following statements are not true according to the Biblical and historical doctrine of the Trinity.

1. There is one God.
2. God is one person.
3. God is one being.
4. There are three persons in the Godhead.
5. The three persons in the Godhead are related eternally as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 
6. Each of the three persons of the Godhead is one-third of God.
7. The Father is fully God.
8. The Father has the whole fullness of God’s being in himself.
9. The Father is eternal.
10. The Father is not the Son.
11. The Father is not the Holy Spirit.
12. The Son is fully God.
13. The Son has the whole fullness of God’s being in himself.
14. The Son came into being at the time of the incarnation. 
15. The Son was brought into being in eternity past.
16. The Son is eternal.
17. The Son is not the Father.
18. The Son is not the Holy Spirit.
19. The Holy Spirit is fully God.
20. The Holy Spirit has the whole fullness of God’s being in himself.
21. The Holy Spirit is eternal.
22. The Holy Spirit is not the Father.
23. The Holy Spirit is not the Son.
24. The persons of the Trinity are distinct.
25. In their nature, the Son and the Holy Spirit are co-equal and co-eternal with the Father.           
26. The Son and the Spirit are subordinate to the Father in their essence or nature.
27. The Trinity is unique.
28. There is both unity and diversity in the being of God.
29. The persons of the Trinity have distinct primary roles.
30. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are simply different names for the one person of God showing himself to us in three distinct roles.
31. A right understanding of the Trinity is vital to right worship of God.
32. A right understanding of the Trinity is vital to a right understanding of redemption.
33. Any analogy used to explain the Trinity will not represent it completely accurately.
34. The doctrine of the Trinity cannot be derived from the Biblical text.

Look for the answers to be posted on Wednesday or thereabout.

Like theology quizzes? Here are some that were posted  previously:

• On Justification
• On Christ’s Work
• On Christ’s Humanity
• On the Person and Work of Jesus Christ
• On Original Sin

Sunday's Hymn: Reader's Choice

This hymn is a favorite of Leslie from Lux Venit. We don’t know for sure who wrote this one, but it was found in John Rippon’s A Se­lect­ion of Hymns from the Best Au­thors.

How Firm  A Foundation

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?

In every condition, in sickness, in health;
In poverty’s vale, or abounding in wealth;
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,
As thy days may demand, shall thy strength ever be.

Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

Even down to old age all My people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.

The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.

(Listen.) 

Other hymns, worship songs, etc. posted today:

• My Shepherd is the Living Lord at Above the Clouds
• I Am a Poor Wayfaring Stranger  at joythruChrist
• The Collect for the Twelfth Sunday After Trinity at Magic Statistics
• Oh, Wonderful Word! at The Happy Wonderer
• Alas, and Did My Saviour Bleed at Thoughts from the Teahouse
  
• Lord’s Day 34, 2007 at The Thirsty Theologian
• Hallelujah! What a Savior at Seasonings of the Heart
• Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken at Jam and Books
• He Lives at IMD 2.0
  

Have you posted a hymn this Sunday and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by emailing me at the address in the sidebar and I’ll add your post to the list. If you’d like to see your favorite hymn featured as a Reader’s Choice hymn, go here and leave a comment. Just tell me your favorite hymn and a little bit about why you like it and I’ll feature your hymn when your turn comes. But you’d better do it soon, because we’re coming to an end of the list of the already suggested favorite hymns!