Baptist Confession of Faith Introduction
| 
BAPTIST CONFESSION OF FAITH (1689)
REWRITTEN IN MODERN ENGLISH BY ANDREW KERKHAM
1ST ED. 1999, REVISED ED. 2001
The Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 has its roots firmly in the Westminster Confession of Faith of 1647. It differs from the Westminster Confession in adding Chapter 20 (The Gospel and its Gracious Extent), and in its understanding of the Church and Baptism. Chapter 20 is identical to the same chapter in the Congregationalists' Savoy Declaration of Faith and Order of 1658, and where the Baptist Confession differs in minor points from the Westminster Confession it usually follows the Savoy Declaration.
This revision seeks to follow the original text as closely as possible, yet at the same time to make it readable and understandable for people today. This has been achieved mainly through breaking up longer sentences, substitution of present-day words for words that have become archaic, and keeping transposition of phrases to an absolute minimum. It is important to note that this revision does not seek to alter the truths of the original 1689 Baptist Confession in any way whatever; rather, the intention is to make those same truths more readily understandable to the present generation. Note: the abbreviation WCF refers to the Westminster Confession of Faith, 1647.
The expanded system of scripture references is that found in Samuel E. Waldron's valuable work, A modern exposition of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith (2nd ed., Evangelical Press, 1995), and used with permission.
See the BCF Assistant for the original text of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith.
The Last Judgment
|
What is The Last Judgment?
God has appointed a day when He will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus Christ, to whom the Father has given all power and judgment.[1] On that day, not only the apostate angels will be judged,[2] but also all people who have lived on the earth. They will appear before Christ's judgment throne[3] to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds, and to receive [judgment] according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil.[4]
The Lord's Supper
|
What is The Lord's Supper?
The supper of our Lord Jesus was instituted by Him the same night He was betrayed,[1] to be observed in His churches[2] until the end of the world[3] as a perpetual remembrance [of Him] and to show forth the sacrifice of Himself in His death.[4] It was also instituted to confirm the faith of believers in all the benefits in Christ's death,[5] for their spiritual nourishment and growth in Him,[6] for their further engagement in and commitment to all the duties they owe Him,[7] and to be a bond and pledge of their fellowship with Him and with one another.[8]
The State of People After Death
|
What is The State of People After Death and The Resurrection of the Dead?
After death the bodies of people return to dust and undergo decomposition,[1] but their souls (which neither die nor sleep for they are immortal in essence) immediately return to God who gave them.[2] The souls of the righteous are then made perfect in holiness, they are received into paradise where they are with Christ and look on the face of God in light and glory, and wait for the full redemption of their bodies.[3] The souls of the wicked are cast into hell, where they remain in torment and utter darkness, reserved for judgment on the great day [of judgment].[4] For souls separated from their bodies, the Scripture acknowledges no other place than these two.
Baptism
|
What is Baptism?
Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, to be to the person baptized a sign of fellowship with Christ in His death and resurrection, of being grafted into Him,[1] of remission of sins,[2] and of giving up oneself to God, through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life.[3]
