Lesson # 36—Benefits Which Flow from God

Shorter Catechism Q & A # 36

Q. What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification?
A. The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification, are, assurance of God’s love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end.

Memorize Q & A—Exposition

The benefits which flow from God in his acts and works of grace are both daily and eternal. Each day brings blessings from our fellowship with our Father, joy in Christ, and comfort and counsel of the Holy Spirit. Perseverance is seen in our praise and growth in Christ and his Word, encouraging us to be faithful in our study and deeds of mercy.

What does it mean?

List and discuss the benefits which flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification, as revealed in the following verses:

Rom. 5:1–5
Rom. 14:17
Prov. 4:18
1 John 5:13
1 Peter 1:5
2 Peter 3:18
Jer. 32:40
Eph. 3:16–18
Col. 1:10–11

What is our practice?

How should we apply the benefits which we just listed and discussed? Be faithful in worship, in fellowship with other believers, in study and teaching of God’s Word, in prayer, in confession of sins before God, in receiving and giving forgiveness, in thanksgiving, in the keeping of God’s commandments.

Quotes for thought and discussion:

Assurance
“Assurance will make us active and lively in God’s service; it will excite prayer, and quicken obedience. As diligence begets assurance, so assurance begets diligence. Assurance will not breed self-security in the soul, but industry. Doubting discourages us in God’s service, but the assurance of his favour breeds joy. ‘The joy of the Lord is our strength.’ Neh. 7:10. Assurance makes us mount up to heaven, as eagles, in holy duties; it is like the Spirit in Ezekiel’s wheels, that moved them, and lifted them up. Faith will make us walk, but assurance will make us run: we shall never think we can do enough for God. Assurance will be as wings to the bird, as weights to the clock, to set all the wheels of obedience running.” (Thomas Watson)
Obedience—Romans 1:5
“Observe the description here given of the Christian profession: it is obedience to the faith. It does not consist in a notional knowledge or a naked assent; much less does it consist in perverse disputings, but in obedience. This obedience to the faith answers the law of faith, mentioned Rom. 3:27. The act of faith is the obedience of the understanding to God revealing, and the product of that is the obedience of the will to God commanding.” (Matthew Henry)

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