Westminster Larger Catechism # 81
Commentary by Dr. Chuck Baynard
Q81. Are all true believers at all times assured of their present being in the estate
of grace, and that they shall be saved?
Answer: Assurance of grace and salvation not being of the essence of faith, true
believers may wait long before they obtain; and, after the enjoyment thereof, may have it
weakened and intermitted, through manifold distempers, sins, temptations, and desertions;
yet they are never left without such a presence and support of the Spirit of God as keeps
them from sinking into utter despair.
References: Eph. 1:13; Isa. 50:10; Ps. 88:1-3, 6-7,9-10, 13-15; Ps. 77:1-12; Ps.
51:8,12; Ps. 31:22; Ps. 22:1; 1 John 3:9; Job 13:15; Ps. 73:15,23; Isa. 54:7-10.
Harmony of the Standards: COF 18.3
Here I find the application of the Scriptures in life and the words of the Divines are
not congruent in my experience. Though it is beyond the ability of man to discern the true
believer (the elect) nonetheless, most know or know of what to the utmost of our belief
and ability to discern are God’s children who have been so far down the road of
depression they take their own life. A minister whom I knew had a horrible auto accident
that left him virtually paralyzed. Through much effort on his part and the prayers of
thousands, he rose to walk again and even resume his pulpit. He gave God the glory and
testified of God’s goodness, even though it was not expected he would ever recover,
or be free from the excruciating pain he lived with. After two years this minister took
his life, leaving behind a letter to his church and family that still declared the glory
and goodness of God and pleaded for the forgiveness of all whom he knew and of God, for
the failure of his flesh to endure the pain any longer. Did he know total despair, in one
sense yes, to the point he took his own life. Yet even in this last act he assured all
that he knew where his eternal home was, and that God would forgive this last sinful act,
and that in fact if the letters were being read, God had granted the request of allowing
him to come home early, else his efforts at taking his own life would fail. The latter
says that even in giving up that he so dearly loved in life (and he was a committed
husband and father) he felt sure of his eternal home and thus didn’t know
"total" despair.
As a counselor I deal with many who for all practical intent have given up and know
total despair, at least for a period of time. I believe this was true of the psalmist when
he wrote the words repeated by Christ, "my God, my God, why has Thou forsaken
me?" The disagreement then is perhaps one of time and duration rather than degree. I
believe that for a period of time, despair can be total. At the same time I would note
that it is not of our faith that we are citizens of glory, but of God’s infallible
word. Thus even if one dies during this time of total depression, despair, their eternal
resting place does not change.
I also believe there have been and are saints in other places than the Reformed faith.
They have not even heard of much less embraced the fifth petal and the beautiful freedom
that comes from resting solely in the hand of God and His total sovereignty. Most
embracing the Arminian belief spend much of their life in fear of not being worthy of
heaven, or of having committed some secret sin they have not yet repented of. The verse
chosen by the divines as a proof text for the last part of their statement, 1 John 3:9 has
caused more to feel guilty and unworthy than it has to bring the blessed hope the Divines
indicate. It is only when this verse is related to the whole Bible for context and
God’s revealed plan of redemption that there is any comfort here. The proof texts are
hefty for this statement compared to other statements in the Larger Catechism. Yet they do
not establish the proof one would desire. They speak of the fact that God will not desert
His people, and thus the truth of the statement that God never leaves us is proven by
Scripture. I submit we can be totally insulated from this fact by the circumstances of
life and even the very elect can know despair and die in that condition.
Two of the four Gospels have Christ utter these words of anguish and give no indication
of further thought before He dies. The other two do not mention the words spoken from the
Psalms but other things that need be for all of the prophecies concerning Him to be
fulfilled. From the four we can piece together an order where Christ uttered the words of
doubt, but seems to regain a sense of Himself and calmly surrenders His spirit to God the
Father. I think perhaps this is the case for mortal saints who suffer severely unto the
end and die in that condition, whether of natural causes or their own hand, the last
silent scream is one of joy as they have their eyes opened one last time before the
transition into glory, and they know to whom they are being drawn. I have had this
experience too, and watched saints fighting for life with all they are able, suddenly and
with an unmistaken joy in Christ and smile upon their lips pass into glory. I have had
times when this sureness lasted several days before they were taken home to God. These
would pragmatically agree with the statement of the divines. The others too perhaps also
agree, but the expression of this release from despair was not on this side of the veil of
tears through which we all must pass.
What then does all this mean. As it is written seek God while you may, while you are
young. Then you can rest upon the sureness of His Holy Word, and the emotions or lack of
same in this life have nothing to do with the sureness of our eternal home. They never
have, but we are emotional creatures and it is hard for us to deny the experience. How
much comfort then that it isn’t of us, but of God where our salvation rests. I have
often watched the light come on so to speak, and people bowed under a heavy load of guilt
or grief lift their heads with tears of joy as I have shared the reformed TULIP with them
in some of the darkest valleys and nights of their earthly time of transition.
I believe Romans 5:1-5 speaks of this, whereby it is in trusting God in the trails of
life that we gain the experience that builds the hope within to the point it cannot be
defeated, and here the words of the Divines would ring ever so true. Nonetheless what of
those new babes in Christ who have not had the time to learn more of Him, to grow in the
Sprit and experience life in Christ, Do they have this assurance? I don’t think so.
Should they be able to persevere, the experience will make them stronger persons, and real
warriors for God’s kingdom. However, should they fail in this effort can we call it a
lack of faith and say they are not of the elect? I think not! Not one word of the Psalms
listed in the references deny what I have said. They affirm that David knew this, but this
is not necessarily the pattern for all of God’s children. I would defy any to show
one verse of Scripture where proper exegesis can be as bold as the Divines in this
statement. Thus I can speak to those in the depth of their despair of God’s love and
care for them, without lengthy and fruitless discussion to determine their place in the
family. I can share the positive proofs of the Bible that will lead most out of the pit
and help them to climb once more to the hill top to rest and regain health in the full
light of God’s love and grace shown to us in His Word, Jesus Christ. What of those to
whom this truth doesn’t seem to reach? Praise God that such lofty decisions
aren’t upon my shoulders, but rest in His hands.
The statement begins that assurance of grace and salvation is not the essence of faith.
This is true, but they are the result of faith as with the fruit of the Spirit being as
sure as the indwelling of the Spirit. I also do not separate grace and salvation, as noted
in several places in earlier questions, I reserve the word grace to be of a salvic nature
only. I use mercy, love, kindness and like words to speak of God’s providential care
of His whole creation. Ephesians 2:8 indicates that grace and faith go hand in hand, and I
wouldn’t fully accept that grace isn’t of the essence of faith in the sense that
faith cannot exist without first grace having been given. Like wise I see salvation so
engaged in grace and faith, it too has an interrelatedness I think we cannot truly divide.
I would then wish the Divines had laid more to the sovereignty of God and Scripture than
this lack of it being of the essence of faith. So, in accepting the statement, let us not
lose sight of this connection between the three that God has established and man cannot
break apart.
One last word in closing, the word distemper as used here isn’t the disease
usually associated with young dogs, but speaks of a disordered life, body, or mind. The
desertions mentioned speak of broken relationships among men, of family or friends, from
which the despairs of this life often times come. We are not created to be alone, but to
exist in community and relationship, even as the Holy Trinity has from all eternity.
Loneliness and broken relationships, desertions are the chief tools of Satan to bring
about the fall of man. Again, give God the praise, that despite our often frailties and
failures, our salvation rests upon His faithfulness to us through His Holy Word, and not
of our own. The union we have with Christ, born of grace through faith, the gift of God
cannot be broken, in this life or ever. This great truth can be clouded in doubt, and
despair can over take even the very elect. Is this despair total? Humanly speaking I think
the answer is yes. Spiritually and of salvation itself, the answer is a resounding no, for
God is sovereign.
Dr. Chuck Baynard -- October 1998
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