The Baptist Confession of Faith (1689)

[Double Barrel BB]

With slight revisions by C. H. Spurgeon

http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/creeds/bcof.htm

"This ancient document is the most excellent epitome of the things most surely believed among us. It is not issued as an authoritative rule or code of faith, whereby you may be fettered, but as a means of edification in righteousness. It is an excellent, though not inspired, expression of the teaching of those Holy Scriptures by which all confessions are to be measured. We hold to the humbling truths of God's sovereign grace in the salvation of lost sinners. Salvation is through Christ alone and by faith alone." - C. H. Spurgeon


Contents
1. The Holy Scriptures
2. God and the Holy Trinity
3. God's Decree
4. Creation
5. Divine Providence
6. The Fall of Man, Sin and Punishment
7. God's Covenant
8. Christ the Mediator
9. Free Will
10. Effectual Calling
11. Justification
12. Adoption
13. Sanctification
14. Saving Faith
15. Repentance and Salvation
16. Good Works
17. The Perseverance of the Saints
18. Assurance of Salvation
19. The Law of God
20. The Gospel and Its Influence
21. Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience
22. Worship and the Sabbath Day
23. Lawful Oaths and Vows
24. The Civil Magistrate
25. Marriage
26. The Church
27. The Communion of Saints
28. Baptism and the Lord's Supper
29. Baptism
30. The Lord's Supper
31. Man's State After Death and the Resurrection
32. The Last Judgement

This link is to the Confession of Faith 1689 (http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/creeds/bcof.htm). I hope that it will be very informative to all.

DB BB

[Swamp Runner]

Been readin this very thing recently :D

[Ronnie T]

Just a question.

Why should I read that when I can read the real thing??

What the Baptist confession of faith says is this:

"If you won't to be a Baptist, you need to accept the Bible this particular way."

[reformedpastor]

The Church, whether a self conscience confessional Church or not, is a confessional Church.

Historically, biblically, the Church must be confessional. This sets her apart from the World. Even Churches that holds to "scripture only" have to admit that they confess what they know or understand the scripture to teach. Even if its not written down.

The reason many folks today don't like confessions is being held accountable and responsible for what they believe. It's epidemic. They read scripture and make it say what they want it to say rather than what it says.

[Swamp Runner]

The Church, whether a self conscience confessional Church or not, is a confessional Church.

Historically, biblically, the Church must be confessional. This sets her apart from the World. Even Churches that holds to "scripture only" have to admit that they confess what they know or understand the scripture to teach. Even if its not written down.

The reason many folks today don't like confessions is being held accountable and responsible. It's epidemic. They read scripture and make it say what they want it to say rather than what it says.


Good to see you around RP.

[Ronnie T]

The Church, whether a self conscience confessional Church or not, is a confessional Church.

Historically, biblically, the Church must be confessional. This sets her apart from the World. Even Churches that holds to "scripture only" have to admit that they confess what they know or understand the scripture to teach. Even if its not written down.

The reason many folks today don't like confessions is being held accountable and responsible for what they believe. It's epidemic. They read scripture and make it say what they want it to say rather than what it says.


I can assure you that isn't my reasoning.

Anytime you take your pen and 'put into your words' what God's word should be taken as, you put your slant to the message of God. (I think that's what you were talking about in your last paragraph)
I would most likely do the same.

It isn't that I believe it's wrong or not wrong. God hasn't appointed me to do that. (And, how dare you be accusatory of those who don't do as you)

[reformedpastor]

It isn't that I believe it's wrong or not wrong. God hasn't appointed me to do that. (And, how dare you be accusatory of those who don't do as you)

Accusatory. Thought I was only stating an obvious truth. Be careful, you might be guilty of what you are accusing me of here.

Where did day do as me or think as me? Is your confession "scripture only?" Then isn't that a confession? Now who's interpretation do you go by? Does everyone in your church believe exactly as you? What do you do when a member interprets the bible to say Jesus isn't God? It's silly to think the Church doesn't have a standard or confession written or not.

[Twenty five ought six]

One of the recurring arguments among "modern" Baptists is whether the Baptist Church is a Calvinist church.

Some modernists take the position that the Baptist Church is some kind of "pure church" which has it's own theology outside the mainstreams of Protestant history and thought.

The London Baptist Confession of 1644 (of which the 1689 Confession is a restatement) is a pure Calvinistic document-- a fact which the drafters acknowledged. In fact it is the primary expression of Calvinism in England.

This document was restated at various times for 300 years, until the post WW II period, when "Calvinism" became a bad word, and so upbeat preachers and their followers began to assert that the primary Baptist Church denominations in the United States were not Calvinistic, and had no Calvinistic history or heritage.

More specifically, the Baptists came out of the Reformed Church tradition, which of which Calvin was the primary theologian.

[MudDucker]

One of the recurring arguments among "modern" Baptists is whether the Baptist Church is a Calvinist church.

Some modernists take the position that the Baptist Church is some kind of "pure church" which has it's own theology outside the mainstreams of Protestant history and thought.

The London Baptist Confession of 1644 (of which the 1689 Confession is a restatement) is a pure Calvinistic document-- a fact which the drafters acknowledged. In fact it is the primary expression of Calvinism in England.

This document was restated at various times for 300 years, until the post WW II period, when "Calvinism" became a bad word, and so upbeat preachers and their followers began to assert that the primary Baptist Church denominations in the United States were not Calvinistic, and had no Calvinistic history or heritage.

More specifically, the Baptists came out of the Reformed Church tradition, which of which Calvin was the primary theologian.

To believe this, you must believe that the "Baptist Church" is part of an organized singular "Church". Unlike the other Churches, the Baptist Church is what each Church claims itself to be. There is no hierarchy or singular governance to which you must ascribe in order to be a Baptist or for a Church to call itself a Baptist Church.

Accordingly and rightfully so, no current Baptist Church has to declare or believe that it was ever a part of the Calvinist movement, unless of course it chooses to do so or in fact as an individual congregation ever subscribed to the Calvinist beliefs.

[reformedpastor]

To believe this, you must believe that the "Baptist Church" is part of an organized singular "Church". Unlike the other Churches, the Baptist Church is what each Church claims itself to be. There is no hierarchy or singular governance to which you must ascribe in order to be a Baptist or for a Church to call itself a Baptist Church.

Accordingly and rightfully so, no current Baptist Church has to declare or believe that it was ever a part of the Calvinist movement, unless of course it chooses to do so or in fact as an individual congregation ever subscribed to the Calvinist beliefs.


Sir, are you saying that there is no government in the Baptist Church? Just trying to understand your comment.

[Ronnie T]

Glad you asked:

Accusatory. Thought I was only stating an obvious truth. Be careful, you might be guilty of what you are accusing me of here. So now you gonna turn it on me!!

Where did day do as me or think as me? Is your confession "scripture only?" Yes, my confession is Jesus Christ and Him crucified

Then isn't that a confession? Now who's interpretation do you go by?When I refer someone to my faith, I do as Paul, I refer them to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not something that the church down the street published way back when.
Does everyone in your church believe exactly as you?
Probably not. At least, not at the same time. Every Christian is growing. I will lead them through scripture and encourage them to read, study and pray. They, along with God's spirit, develop into the faith that the apostles spelled out for the new church.
I encourage Christian to disagree with me if they feel they need to. And then we begin studying the scriptures more. A child of God will be weakened when they based their faith upon what the BAPTIST church wrote and expects it's members to accept.
Accept God's word, not ReformedPastor or R Toole's.

What do you do when a member interprets the bible to say Jesus isn't God? Frankly, I've never been associated with a Christian that felt that. If I did, we would read the Bible together, not our earthly church publication.

It's silly to think the Church doesn't have a standard or confession written or not.What you mean is: "It's silly to think that the Baptist church, or any other denomination, wouldn't have a standard or confession to insure that all THEIR members believe the same thing as the forefather's of the denomination.
If you ask me about my faith, rather than handing you this thing that we published, we'll look into God's publication.


And if you have any questions for me I'll be happy to answer them. And you don't have to agree with me in order to wear Christ's name.

[reformedpastor]

Glad you asked:



And if you have any questions for me I'll be happy to answer them. And you don't have to agree with me in order to wear Christ's name.

I appreciate you answering the questions but they were really rhetorical. We both have to agree with the scripture on the fundamentals!

To say you believe scripture and Christ isn't enough. It's what the scripture teaches about itself, it's what the scripture teaches about Christ. The Church has always been a confessional church, from the OT froward, God's people made confession of faith. "Jesus is Lord" is a confession, but it too has a certain meaning. It must be understood.

One good reason to have a confession, besides it being bible which is enough, is man proneness to error. Man needs limitations to keep him from minimizing and exaggerating truth.

Plus, what does the bible say about confession and confessions????

[Ronnie T]

I appreciate you answering the questions but they were really rhetorical. We both have to agree with the scripture on the fundamentals!

To say you believe scripture and Christ isn't enough. It's what the scripture teaches about itself, it's what the scripture teaches about Christ. The Church has always been a confessional church, from the OT froward, God's people made confession of faith. "Jesus is Lord" is a confession, but it too has a certain meaning. It must be understood.

One good reason to have a confession, besides it being bible which is enough, is man proneness to error. Man needs limitations to keep him from minimizing and exaggerating truth.

Plus, what does the bible say about confession and confessions????

Keep um confused brother, keep um confused.

I'm gonna get Israel to come over and see if he came explain your above comments to me.

[Israel]

Ronnie, I'm really pretty lost myself.
In the OP there is this statement:
It is not issued as an authoritative rule or code of faith, whereby you may be fettered, but as a means of edification in righteousness. It is an excellent, though not inspired, expression of the teaching of those Holy Scriptures by which all confessions are to be measured.

Seems to be saying...we think this is a pretty good means of being edified in the faith...but ultimately, the scripture is the authority.
So why not just stay with that if that is the acknowledged authority?

I don't mind hi-lighters criss-crossing the pages of the scripture if those things help one in their growth.
The issue becomes, I believe, when folks start to say "these things I've highlighted we all have to agree are the "main" things that need attention/confession/understanding.

For my part, and from my experience, it's always far more than recitation of anything...but always the measure to which one is yielded to the Holy Spirit in the expression of Jesus Christ through "their" vessel.
I'm afraid of this one thing, however, that any congregation/church may take to itself the notion that it has the corner on the truth of Christ...and the means of that truth being expressed. Be it by an exemplary and orderly confession or not.
Is it important for a man to understand what it means when he says "Jesus is Lord"?
Very.
And the Holy Spirit will work diligently for the whole of a man's life to enlighten him as to the broadness and depth of that truth...this despite his protests at any place where he may imagine himself in possession of all the knowledge of it.