The Faith We Hold

The Bible (the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments) is the very word of God and the supreme judge of all faith and practice. It is according to this rule that we affirm the doctrines of the early creeds (Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed, and Chalcedonian Creed) and the following statement of faith, understanding these statements to accurately convey the teaching of Scripture. The following statement of faith is an abridgment of the 1677/1689 Second London Baptist Confession (2LCF) with some updated language, minor modifications, and a few clarifying additions. In addition to holding to the faith conveyed in this statement with the rest of the church, the elders of our church maintain a good faith subscription to the unabridged 2LCF, and all the members of the church support and sustain the teaching of that larger body of doctrine.

I. Of The Holy Scriptures

The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience. It is the very word of God, given by the inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life.

II. Of God & The Holy Trinity

There is one living and true God; immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, and in every way infinite. He works all things according to the counsel of His will for his own glory; upholding, directing, and governing all creatures and things; having decreed everything that comes to pass. He is most merciful and gracious, longsuffering, abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin; and also most just in all his judgments, hating all sin, and will by no means clear the guilty.

There are three subsistences in God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided. The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son; all infinite, without beginning. The doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God.

III. Of Creation, Man, & Marriage

It pleased God to create the world, and all things in it, whether visible or invisible.

He created man, male and female; each in unique, unchangeable form; each with distinct roles and responsibilities; both with reasonable and immortal souls; both made after the image of God.

He gave them the institution of marriage: a life-long covenant between one man and one woman, the only relationship in which sexual communion is to be enjoyed and kept holy, for the mutual help of husband and wife, and for the increase of mankind.

IV. Of the Fall of Man Into Sin

In addition to the law written on their heart, the first man and woman received a command not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. They transgressed this command given to them, and by this sin fell from their original righteousness and communion with God. As our head and representative, Adam’s guilt was imputed and his corrupted nature conveyed to us. We have become dead in sin, defiled in all faculties of our soul and body, and are unable to save ourselves.

V. Of Christ the Mediator

The Son of God, the second person in the Holy Trinity, took upon Him man's nature, with all its essential properties and common infirmities, yet without sin; being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary; so that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion.

This Jesus Christ underwent the punishment due to us, being made sin and a curse for us; enduring most grievous sorrows in his soul, and most painful sufferings in his body. He was crucified and died, and on the third day he arose from the dead with the same body in which he suffered and with which he also ascended into heaven. There he sits at the right hand of his Father making intercession. He shall return to judge men and angels at the end of the world.

VI. Of Salvation

Salvation in Christ is freely offered to sinners that they may be saved. And Christ, by his perfect obedience and sacrifice, fully satisfied the justice of God, procured reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven for all those who the Father has given to him.

At the appointed time, those God predestined for this salvation are effectually called by his Word and Spirit. In this call they are united to Jesus Christ and caused to be born again, their heart of stone replaced with a heart of flesh.

Those God effectually calls he also freely justifies by pardoning their sins and accounting them as righteous; not for anything produced in them or done by them, but by Christ's obedience being imputed to them as their righteousness by faith.

Faith that receives and rests on Christ and his righteousness is the only instrument of justification. The grace of this faith is the work of the Spirit, produced by the ministry of the Word.

Repentance is a gospel grace, whereby all true believers, seeing the evils of their sin, humble themselves with godly sorrow for it, resolving to walk in a manner worthy of God.

Those united to Christ are also sanctified by Christ’s Word and Spirit dwelling in them; the lusts of the flesh more and more weakened and mortified to the practice of holiness. This sanctification is throughout the whole person, yet imperfect in this life. Though the remaining corruption continues at war with the Spirit, the saints grow in gospel obedience to the commands of Christ. These good works are the fruits of a true faith. Man’s ability to do good works is not in himself, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ.

Those God has effectually called shall certainly persevere to the end and be eternally saved. Though they may fall into grievous sins and for a time continue in them, they shall renew their repentance, being kept by the power of God unto salvation.

VII. Of the Church

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the church. The catholic or universal church consists of the whole number of the elect that shall be gathered into one under Christ.

The Lord Jesus commands believers to join together as particular churches. To each of these churches he has given authority to carry on the order in worship and discipline which he has instituted for them to observe, according to his word.

While God is to be worshiped everywhere in spirit and in truth, he is to be worshiped more solemnly in the assembly of the church, which is not to be neglected. The acceptable way of worshiping God in the assembly of the church is revealed by God in the Holy Scriptures.

By his Word, God has particularly appointed a day to be kept holy unto him, which since the resurrection of Christ is the first day of the week, called the Lord's Day. It is kept holy to the Lord when believers order their lives to gather as the church on that day for worship.

The officers of the church are pastors (elders) and deacons, established in office upon the consent of the members. The pastors or elders of the church are men who have been appointed by the Holy Spirit and set apart by the church for the administration of the sacraments, ministry of the word and prayer, and watching over the flock as those who must give an account.

Baptism and the Lord's Supper are sacraments appointed by the Lord Jesus, to be continued in his church to the end of the world. Water baptism in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is a sign of being united to Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection, of forgiveness of sins, and of being given to walk in the new life they have received in Christ. Those who profess repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ are the only proper subjects of baptism.

The Lord’s supper was instituted by Christ as a perpetual remembrance and proclamation of his death. It is to be received baptized believers as a regular confirmation of their faith, for their ongoing spiritual nourishment in Christ, and as a continual bond of their communion with Christ and with each other.

VIII. Of the Law of God

The same moral law that was first written in the heart of man continues to bind all to its obedience and is more clearly revealed in the Holy Scriptures.

The moral law is of great use for instruction in the will of God, for conviction of sin, and for realization of our need for Christ. The moral law is of additional use for believers in deterring sin and encouraging obedience as the Spirit of Christ enables them to do what it requires. These uses of the law are not contrary to the grace of the Gospel but sweetly comply with it.

Besides this moral law, God gave Israel ceremonial laws and judicial laws, whose operations as such have expired with the incarnate ministry of Christ.

IX. Of the Civil Magistrate

God has ordained civil authorities for the public good, having armed them with the power of the sword for the defense of those who do good and for the punishment of evil-doers. All lawful things commanded by them should be obeyed and prayers should be made for all that are in authority, that under them we may live a quiet and peaceable life.

X. Of the Resurrection & the Last Judgment

The bodies of men after death return to dust and see corruption. The souls of the righteous are received into paradise where they are with Christ, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies. The souls of the wicked are cast into hell where they remain in torment and utter darkness, reserved for the judgment of the great day.

God has appointed a day when he will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus Christ. All persons that have lived shall appear before the judgment seat of Christ, being raised up with their same bodies united again to their souls forever. The righteous shall inherit everlasting life and fullness of joy in the presence of the Lord; but the wicked, who do not know God and do not obey the gospel, shall be cast into everlasting torments, away from the Lord.