We acknowledge and confess that many weeds and tares are sown among the corn and grow in great abundance in its midst, and that the reprobate may be found in the fellowship of the chosen and may take an outward part with them in the benefits of the Word and sacraments. But since they only confess God for a time with their mouths and not with their hearts, they lapse, and do not continue to the end. Therefore they do not share the fruits of Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension.
But such as unfeignedly believe with the heart and boldly confess the Lord Jesus with their mouths shall certainly receive his gifts. Firstly, in this life, they shall receive remission of sins and that by faith in Christ’s blood alone; for though sin shall remain and continually abide in our mortal bodies, yet it shall not be counted against us, but be pardoned, and covered with Christ’s righteousness. Secondly, in the general judgment, there shall be given to every man and woman resurrection of the flesh. The seas shall give up her dead, and the earth those who are buried within her.
Yea, the Eternal, our God, shall stretch out his hand on the dust, and the dead shall arise incorruptible, and in the very substance of the selfsame flesh which every man now bears, to receive according to their works, glory or punishment. Such as now delight in vanity, cruelty, filthiness, superstition, or idolatry, shall be condemned to the fire unquenchable, in which those who now serve the devil in all abominations shall be tormented forever, both in body and in spirit.
But such as continue in well doing to the end, boldly confessing the Lord Jesus, shall receive glory, honor, and immortality, we constantly believe, to reign forever in life everlasting with Christ Jesus, to whose glorified body all his chosen shall be made like, when he shall appear again in judgment and shall render up the Kingdom to God his Father, who then shall be and ever shall remain, all in all things, God blessed forever. To whom, with the Son and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, now and ever. Amen.
Arise, O Lord, and let thine enemies be confounded; let them flee from thy presence that hate thy godly Name. Give thy servants strength to speak thy Word with boldness, and let all nations cleave to the true knowledge of thee. Amen.
***
We come to the end. Thursday, November 20, 2008 was the date of the first chapter of the Scots Confession. Here, over two years later, is the 25th chapter. I'm a little ashamed that it's taken me this long. Of course, considering that it took me seven months to get from Chapter 1 to Chapter 2, I have to say I've picked up the pace a little--otherwise it would have taken me over 12 years! I'll have to pray about carrying on through the rest of the Book of Confessions.
What I get from this last chapter is an overwhelming desire that God alone be seen as the judge. It is so tempting, at times, for us to start making a list of who will be saved, but here, in the last chapter of the confession, the authors cry out that it is not for us to be judges, but should leave that task to God.
If we give up our role as judge, then we are free to be humble, to go forward grounded in faith in Christ, but also filled with humility at the fact that we do not have all the answers. We believe in salvation through Christ alone, in the power of His saving hand, but accept that God's ways are bigger than ours, that God's love and grace is deeper than we can imagine, and that God alone knows exactly how everything plays out in the end. We cannot say much with certainty, but we can say that we are held in the hand of God, that all of life is an offering to Him, and that He will reign this day, and forever more.
Amen!
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