198. Is it sufficient that you know all these things about Christ and hold them to be true?
198. Is it sufficient that you know all these things about Christ and hold them to be true?
No; the Holy Spirit must teach me to know Christ in a true and living faith.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Christian church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and life everlasting. Amen.
That is,
That is,
I believe that I cannot through my own strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him. This is the work of the Holy Spirit alone, who has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in the true faith;
Even as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and preserves it in fellowship with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.
In this Christian church He daily forgives me and all believers all our sins, and He will raise up me and all the dead on the last day, and will give me and all believers everlasting life.
All this is certainly true.