A Faith to Confess: The Baptist Confession
of Faith of 1689
Rewritten in Modern English
©1975, Carey Publications, Ltd.,
75 Woodhill Road, Leeds, U.K., LS16 7BZ
GOD freely justifies the persons whom He effectually calls.
He does this, not by infusing righteousness into them, but by
pardoning their sins and by accounting them, and accepting them,
as righteous. This He does for Christ's sake alone, and not for
anything wrought in them or done by them. The righteousness
which is imputed to them, that is, reckoned to their account, is
neither their faith nor the act of believing nor any other obedience
to the gospel which they have rendered, but Christ's obedience
alone. Christ's one obedience is twofold-His active obedience
rendered to the entire divine law, and His passive obedience
rendered in His death.Those thus justified receive and rest by
faith upon Christ's righteousness; and this faith they have, not of
themselves, but as the gift of God.
John 1:12; Rom. 3:24; 4:5-8; 5:17-19; 8:30; 1Cor. 1:30-31; Eph. 1:7;
2:8-10; Phil. 3:8,9.
The faith which receives and rests on Christ and His righteousness is the sole means of justification. Yet it is never alone in the
person justified, but is invariably accompanied by all other saving
graces. Nor is it a dead faith, for it works by love.
Rom. 3:28; Gal. 5:6; Jas. 2:17,22,26.
By His obedience and death Christ paid in full the debt of all
those who are justified. By the sacrifice of Himself in His
blood-shedding on Calvary, and His suffering on their behalf of
the penalty they had incurred, He fully and absolutely satisfied all
the claims which God's justice had upon them. Yet their
justification is altogether of free grace, firstly because Christ was
the free gift of the Father to act on their behalf; secondly because
Christ's obedience and His satisfying the demands of the law was
freely accepted on their behalf; and thirdly because nothing in
them merited these mercies. Hence God's exact justice and His
rich grace are alike rendered glorious in the justification of sinners.
Isa. 53:5,6; Rom. 3:26; 8:32; 2 Cor. 5:21; Eph. 1:6,7; 2:7; Heb. 10:14;
1 Pet.1:18,19.
From all eternity God decreed to justify all the elect, and in the
fullness of time Christ died for their sins and rose again for their
justification. Nevertheless they are not justified personally until,
in due time, the Holy Spirit actually applies to them the benefits
of Christ's Person and work.
Rom. 4:25; Gal. 3:8; Col. 1:21,22; 1 Tim. 2:6; Titus 3:4-7; 1 Pet. 1:2.
God continues to forgive the sins of all the justified.They
can never lose their justification; but they may, by reason of sin,
fall under God's fatherly displeasure; in which case, until they
humble themselves, confess their sins, beg God's pardon, and
renew their faith and repentance, God will not usually restore to
them 'the light of His countenance'.
Ps. 32:5; Ps. 51; Ps. 89:31-33; Matt. 6:12; 26:75; John 10:28; 1 John 1:7,9.
Believers in Old Testament times were justified in precisely
the same way as New Testament believers.
Rom. 4:22-24; Gal. 3:9.
Our Confession |
Next |