Christian Living

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In our day and age it is common for most churches to say they have no "creed but Christ" or they may say they believe in the authority of the Bible alone. This is well and good but is it sufficient?

Churches are prone to print only a few paragraphs in their weekly bulletins that briefly describe several of their doctrinal beliefs which is by no means exhaustive or comprehensive enough for those more conversant with the Bible to identify itself as a true church of Jesus Christ. This approach can and does leave out much pertaining to the Christian faith.

Having an adequate summary of doctrine or explaination of what a church believes is important for a new comer to a church because that person should know what a church believes before they invest their time and energy to such a church.

Can a prospective church member or attendee have this knowledge by reading just a few paragraphs printed on a church bulletin? I think not.

Most ministers will not take the necessary time to explain where they stand on major doctrines and perhaps they shouldn't have to because they can use one of several confessions of faith already in print,(or carefully draw up their own) and hand it out to any attendee.

Why do churches think it sufficient to give the scantiest synopsis of where they stand on the authority of the Bible, the second coming and final judgment, the virgin birth, the trinity, the person of Christ and the Holy Spirit? These are crucial to the faith of the true church established by Jesus Christ.

Other such doctrines or teachings regarding the church offices, marriage and divorce, the decrees of God and much else are left out perhaps because they're not considered important enough to warrant a cause for division.

One reason for being doctrinally vague in statements of faith regarding a churches belief is that doctrine divides and sometimes in an effort to attract the largest audience a church intentionally keeps itself vague with the idea of a "Come and see what we believe" approach rather than being honest and upfront to begin with by having a confession of faith.

The objection that is often raised is that doctrine divides. This is true but is this a bad thing? Not when we consider that truth unites as well as divides. A faithful church will seek to unite their people to what the Holy Scriptures teach and a confession of faith is a good way to do this.

It's far more honest and considerate for a church toward prospective attendees or memebers to know where a church stands by publicly affirming a particular confession of faith than to say they have no creed but Christ. Afterall, the doctrine of Christ entails much including both the person and work of Jesus Christ. Books have been written on the atonement alone so there's need for more than just a sentence or two saying we believe in Jesus Christ as the son of God.

There are many anti-Christ's in the world today just as in the days of John the Apostle so we better make sure the church we are attending is true and faithful to Bible and we had better know just what Holy Scripture is or what constitutes the Bible seeing that is the Christian's authority in all matters pertaining to life and godliness.

If a local church doesn't follow a carefully worded confession then somebody visiting a church professing to be Christian will have to continuously ask questions of the elders on the various doctrines of concern or a long unnecessary attendance will have to be maintained at which time such an individual may come across some teachings which do not harmonize with Holy Scripture.


There are literally hundreds of different church denominations today under that guise of Christian with various nuances of belief concerning different doctrines of the Bible. Do you want to waste your time being deceived by a false gospel? Even if the gospel that is taught and preached is fairly accurate do you want to sit under any false teaching if you can possibly avoid it?

The apostle Paul commands believers to prove or test all things and to hold fast that which is good. 1 Thessalonians 5:21
This applies to any church, creed, confession or catechism.

Over the centuries as false teachings or heresies crept into the Christian churches Councils were held to debate the matters and creeds were drawn up in defense of the truth.

The process of examining a churches faithfulness to Christ and His word can be cut short with the practical use of a confession of faith representing that local churches doctrinal position. This practical benefit of a confession of faith should be obvious as it can summarize in a carefully worded book or booklet just where it stands on certain doctrines.

One objection that is sometimes raised is that even if a church holds to one of the major confessions of faith they can sometimes veer off that confesson so what's the purpose? The same objection can be raised with churches claiming to believe the Bible alone and in its entirety. These churches can also veer off the actual right interpretation of the Bible itself which is one reason for the confessions. The confessions help explain in a carefully worded manner the correct understanding of a given doctrine. Thus, the confessions are helpful in so far as they are true to the Bible.

Let's hear what one of England's great preachers said about the Baptist Confession of Faith:

"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."

Charles Haddon Spurgeon


The London Baptist Confesson of Faith 1689
was published forty three years after the Westminster Confession of Faith of 1646 and differs only slightly in a few doctrines such as baptism (whether infants or only adult should be baptized) marriage & divorce, the Church and Civil Magistrates.

According to the Wikepedia The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith[1] was written by Particular Baptists, who held to a Calvinistic Soteriology in England to give a formal expression of their Christian faith from a Baptist perspective. This confession, like The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) and the Savoy Declaration (1658), was written by Puritans who were concerned that their particular church organisation reflect what they perceived to be Biblical teaching.

Below is a description of what the London Baptist Confession of faith believed concerning the Holy Scriptures or what constituted the Bible. Roman Catholics add the apocrapha. Protestants leave that out.

Chapter 1: Of the Holy Scriptures

1. The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience, although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and his will which is necessary unto salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in divers manners to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his church; and afterward for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan, and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing; which maketh the Holy Scriptures to be most necessary, those former ways of God's revealing his will unto his people being now ceased.

(2 Timothy 3:15-17; Isaiah 8:20; Luke 16:29, 31; Ephesians 2:20; Romans 1:19-21; Romans 2:14,15; Psalms 19:1-3; Hebrews 1:1; Proverbs 22:19-21; Romans 15:4; 2 Peter 1:19,20 )


2.Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments, which are these:

OF THE OLD TESTAMENT: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I Samuel, II Samuel, I Kings, II Kings, I Chronicles, II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, The Song of Solomen, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations,Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

OF THE NEW TESTAMENT: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, The Acts of the Apostles, Paul's Epistle to the Romans, I Corinthians, II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I Thessalonians, II Thessalonians, I Timothy, II Timothy, To Titus, To Philemon, The Epistle to the Hebrews, Epistle of James, The first and second Epistles of Peter, The first, second, and third Epistles of John, The Epistle of Jude, The Revelation

All of which are given by the inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life.
(2 Timothy 3:16)

3. The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon or rule of the Scripture, and, therefore, are of no authority to the church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved or made use of than other human writings.
(Luke 24:27, 44; Romans 3:2 )

4. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God (who is truth itself), the author thereof; therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God.
( 2 Peter 1:19-21; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 John 5:9 )

5.We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church of God to an high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scriptures; and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, and the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, and many other incomparable excellencies, and entire perfections thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God; yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth, and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.
(John 16:13,14; 1 Corinthians 2:10-12; 1 John 2:20, 27)

6.The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down or necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelation of the Spirit, or traditions of men. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word, and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.
( 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Galatians 1:8,9; John 6:45; 1 Corinthians 2:9-12; 1 Corinthians 11:13, 14; 1 Corinthians 14:26,40)

7.All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of ordinary means, may attain to a sufficient understanding of them.
(2 Peter 3:16; Psalms 19:7; Psalms 119:130)

8.The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which at the time of the writing of it was most generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and by his singular care and providence kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentic; so as in all controversies of religion, the church is finally to appeal to them. But because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God, who have a right unto, and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded in the fear of God to read and search them, therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come, that the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship him in an acceptable manner, and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope.
( Romans 3:2; Isaiah 8:20; Acts 15:15; John 5:39; 1 Corinthians 14:6, 9, 11, 12, 24, 28; Colossians 3:16 )

9.The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself; and therefore when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched by other places that speak more clearly.
(2 Peter 1:20, 21; Acts 15:15, 16)

10.The supreme judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Scripture delivered by the Spirit, into which Scripture so delivered, our faith is finally resolved.
(Matthew 22:29, 31, 32; Ephesians 2:20; Acts 28:23)





Carlton Pruitt ministers the gospel to the Los Angeles area. Formerly a Hollywood actor (SAG member)and junk removal expert he now spends most of his time studying the scriptures, writing articles, hymns and poems and doing street preaching. See his videos on http://www.youtube.com Type LAStreetPreacher in the search bar. CONTACT at [email protected]

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