Simply Theology™

This change corrected views on baptism from paedobaptist (infant baptism) to credobaptism (believer’s baptism) since there are no commands or examples in Scripture to support baptizing those who cannot profess faith in Christ. “Reformed” and Presbyterian camps see a continuity in the covenants of Old and New Testaments and draw a parallel between circumsicion in the OT and baptism in the NT as equal signs of the same covenant. Baptists fix this by see a continuity between the covenants yet that they are equal in efficacy but differ in several ways. The Old Covenant (OC) was for the theocracy of Israel, only that socio-ethnic group, and was full of believers and unbelievers. The New Covenant (NC) is from every tribe, tongue, and nation (jews and gentiles), and is comprised ONLY of believers. Therefore, circumcision was a sign of the OC but the NC is different and that connection is strenuous at best. Baptism in the Bible is only for believers and there are zero examples or commands to tie circumcision to baptism or to baptize infants and-or non believers.

This change modified church organization or heirarchy away from an episcopal (Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Old Catholic, Episcopals, Methodist, and some Lutheran branches amongst various others) or prebytery (Presbyterians) toward a Baptist ecclesiology which is based on autonomous local churches, not a hierarchy.

Episcopal — this model states that there are three church leader offices including: bishop, priest, deacons. The origins of episcopacy arose in the 2nd century AD and was closely tied to the idea of apostolic succession, the belief that bishops can trace their office in a direct, uninterrupted line back to the Apostles of Jesus. Congregations in an area (diocese) were entrusted to presbyters (priests), assisted by deacons, under the supervision of a bishop. It was this system of church government that became established throughout the church. The bishop retained as his exclusive right the power to confirm church members, ordain priests, and consecrate other bishops.

During the Reformation in the 16th century, the episcopacy form of church governance was repudiated by most Protestant churches, partly on the grounds of its involvement in political rule but also because many believed the system was not based on the New Testament. Most Christians agreed that episkopos in its original Greek sense of “overseer” is essential to the church, but they differed as to the functions of the overseer.

Prebytery — this model consists of a ruling and administrative body of the ministers and representative elders from the local congregations within a given district. This form of church governance arose out of Switzerland and Scotland with John Calvin and John Knox as primary figures amongst many others. Calvin believe this to be the most Biblical form of church governance but not the only one. The term Prebyterian comes from the Greek word prebyteros meaning elder. The Prebyterian Church has two types of elders, teaching elders and ruling elders.

The top of the hierarchy is the General Assembly, which is the annual meeting of commissioners, ministers, and elders, elected by all the presbyteries based on member count. It has charge of all the general concerns of the church’s faith, order, property, missions, education, and the like. The missionary, benevolent, educational, and publishing work of the denomination are under boards elected by the General Assembly. The assembly also functions as the final court of appeal on all cases that come up to it from the congregational sessions, presbyteries, and synods.

The synod is the next on the heirarchy. A synod is made up of several presbyteries. It may be a delegated synod to which only a few representatives from each presbytery are sent, or it may be a synod to which all the members of the presbyteries belong.

Third is the presbytery. A presbytery is formed by all ministers, in pastorates or not, of a given area, together with one or more elders appointed by each of the congregations of the area. The presbytery is responsible for ordaining, installing, removing, or transferring ministers. Ordinarily, the people may elect their own pastor, but the presbytery must give its approval and install him in office. Once installed, the pastor may not be dismissed by the people or leave the people without consent of the presbytery. The presbytery also has religious, financial, and legal authority over all the congregations.

Finally, on the congregational level there are the session, the deacons, and the trustees. The session is made up of the elders and the pastor, who is also the moderator, or chairman. The session cares for all the religious or strictly churchly matters. It supervises the calling and election of pastors, receives and dismisses members, determines the order of the services, and exercises church discipline. The deacons, over whom the pastor is also the moderator, care for the poor and any other temporal affairs assigned to them. The trustees, under their own chairman, have charge of the property and fiscal and legal obligations of the congregation. The elders and deacons are ordained to their offices by the pastor. Ordination is for life, but the exercise of the office is often for a term of years. The trustees serve for stated terms and are not ordained.

Baptist — the baptist form of church governance is based on local and autonomous congregational-elder rule. In Baptist, or congregational rule, every local church (congregation) is independent, ecclesiastically sovereign, or autonomous. The first articulation in writing for this form of church polity is the Cambridge Platform of 1648 in New England. Each church governs itself, although this can vary widely from church to church and from Baptist sect to sect. The Reformed Baptist position is for a plurality of elders ruling the church alongside the congregation or members who have the final vote. The congregation and not the Bishop or Assembly/Synod/Prebytery is where the power to govern is derived from, with Jesus Christ as the head of the church. Each local congregation is independent and self-supporting, governed by its own members.^[2] Some band into loose voluntary associations with other congregations that share similar beliefs while others join conventions. The Baptists believe that church life should be ordered according to the pattern of the New Testament churches, and to them this meant that churches should be self-governing bodies composed of believers only.

The third primary way…..

1. Courteous Reader: It is now many years since divers of us (with other sober Christians then living, and walking in the way of the Lord, that we profess) did conceive ourselves to be under a necessity of publishing a Confession, of our Faith, for the information and satisfaction of those that did not thoroughly understand what our principles were, or had entertained prejudices against our profession, by reason of the strange representation of them by some men of note who had taken very wrong measures, and accordingly led others into misapprehension of us and them. And this was first put forth about the year 1643, in the name of seven congregations then gathered in London; since which time divers impressions thereof have been dispersed abroad, and our end proposed in good measure answered, inasmuch as many (and some of those men eminent both for piety and learning) were thereby satisfied that we were no way guilty of those heterodoxies and fundamental errors which had too frequently been charged upon us without ground or occasion given on our part.

2. And forasmuch as that Confession is not now commonly to be had, and also that many others have since embraced the same truth which is owned therein, it was judged necessary by us to join together in giving a testimony to the world of our firm adhering to those wholesome principles by the publication of this which is now in your hand. And forasmuch as our method and manner of expressing our sentiments in this doth vary from the former (although the substance of this matter is the same), we shall freely impart to you the reason and occasion thereof. One thing that greatly prevailed with us to undertake this work was (not only to give a full account of ourselves to those Christians that differ from us about the subject of baptism, but also) the profit that might from thence arise unto those that have any account of our labors in their instruction and establishment in the great truths of the Gospel, in the clear understanding and steady belief of which our comfortable walking with God, and fruitfulness before him in all our ways, is most nearly concerned; and therefore we did conclude it necessary to express ourselves the more fully and distinctly; and also to fix on such a method as might be most comprehensive of those things we designed to explain our sense and belief of; and finding no defect in this regard in that fixed on by the Assembly, and, after them by those of the congregational way, we did readily conclude it best to retain the same order in our present Confession; and also when we observed that those last mentioned did in their Confessions (for reasons which seemed of weight both to themselves and others) choose not only to express their mind in words concurrent with the former in sense concerning all those articles wherein they were agreed, but also for the most part without any variation of the terms, we did in like manner conclude it best to follow their example in making use of the very same words with them both in these articles (which are very many) wherein our faith and doctrine are the same with theirs; and this we did the more abundantly to manifest our consent with both in all the fundamental articles of the Christian religion, as also with many others whose orthodox Confessions have been published to the world on the behalf of the Protestant in diverse nations and cities. And also to convince all that we have no itch to clog religion with new words, but do readily acquiesce in that form of sound words which hath been, in consent with the Holy Scriptures, used by others before us; hereby declaring, before God, angels, and men, our hearty agreement with them in that wholesome Protestant doctrine which, with so clear evidence of Scriptures, they have asserted. Some things, indeed, are in some places added, some terms omitted, and some few changed; but these alterations are of that nature as that we need not doubt any charge or suspicion of unsoundness in the faith from any of our brethren upon the account of them.

3. In those things wherein we differ from others we have expressed ourselves with all candor and plainness, that none might entertain jealousy of aught secretly lodged in our breasts that we would not the world should be acquainted with; yet we hope we have also observed those rules of modesty and humility as will render our freedom in this respect inoffensive, even to those whose sentiments are different from ours.

4. We have also taken care to affix texts of Scripture at the bottom, for the confirmation of each article in our Confession; in which work we have studiously endeavored to select such as are most clear and pertinent for the proof of what is asserted by us; and our earnest desire is that all into whose hands this may come would follow that (never enough commended) example of the noble Bereans, who searched the Scriptures daily that they might find out whether the things preached to them were so or not.

5. There is one thing more which we sincerely profess and earnestly desire credence in – viz., that contention is most remote from our design in all that we have done in this matter; and we hope that the liberty of an ingenuous unfolding our principles and opening our hearts unto our brethren, with the Scripture grounds of our faith and practice will by none of them be either denied to us, or taken ill from us. Our whole design is accomplished if we may have attained that justice as to be measured in our principles and practice, and the judgment of both by others, according to what we have now published, which the Lord (whose eyes are as a flame of fire) knoweth to be the doctrine which with our hearts we most firmly believe and sincerely endeavor to conform our lives to. And O that, other contentions being laid asleep, the only care and contention of all upon whom the name of our blessed Redeemer is called might for the future be to walk humbly with their God in the exercise of all love and meekness toward each other, to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord, each one endeavoring to have his conversation such as becometh the gospel; and also, suitable to his place and capacity, vigorously to promote in others the practice of true religion and undefiled in the sight of God our Father! And that in this backsliding day we might not spend our breath in fruitless complaints of the evils of others, but may every one begin at home, to reform in the first place our own hearts and ways, and then to quicken all that we may have influence upon to the some work, that if the will of God were so, none might deceive themselves by resting in and trusting to a form of godliness without the power of it, and inward experience of the efficacy of those truths that are professed by them.

6. And verily there is one spring and cause of the decay of religion in our day which we cannot but touch upon and earnestly urge a redress of, and that is the neglect of the worship of God in families by those to whom the charge and conduct of them is committed. May not the gross ignorance and instability of many, with the profaneness of others, be justly charged upon their parents and masters, who have not trained them up in the way wherein they ought to walk when they were young, but have neglected those frequent and solemn commands which the Lord hath laid upon them, so to catechise and instruct them that their tender years might be seasoned with the knowledge of the truth of God as revealed in the Scriptures; and also by their own omission of prayer and other duties of religion of their families, together with the ill example of their loose conversation, having, inured them first to a neglect and the contempt of all piety and religion? We know this will not excuse the blindness and wickedness of any, but certainly it will fall heavy upon those that have been thus the occasion thereof; they indeed die in their sins, but will not their blood be required of those under whose care they were, who yet permitted them to go on without warning – yea, led them into the paths of destruction? And will not the diligence of Christians with respect to the discharge of these duties in ages past rise up in judgment against and condemn many of those who would be esteemed such now?

7. We shall conclude with our earnest prayer that the God of all grace will pour out those measures of his Holy Spirit upon us, that the profession of truth may be accompanied with the sound belief and diligent practice of it by us, that his name may in all things be glorified through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

1. The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience.¹ 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.² Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in divers manners to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his church;³ 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.⁴

1. 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Isaiah 8:20; Luke 16:29, 31; Ephesians 2:20 2. Romans 1:19-21; Romans 2:14-15; Psalms 19:1-3 3. Hebrews 1:1 4. 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 Solomon, 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.⁵ 

5. 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.⁶

6. 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.⁷

7. 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.⁸

8. 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.⁹ 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,¹⁰ 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.¹¹

9. 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Galatians 1:8-9 10. John 6:45; 1 Corinthians 2:9-12 11. 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;¹² 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.¹³

12. 2 Peter 3:16 13. Psalms 19:7; Psalms 119:130

8. The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old),¹⁴ 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.¹⁵ 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,¹⁶ and search them,¹⁷ therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come,¹⁸ 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.¹⁹

14. Romans 3:2 15. Isaiah 8:20 16. Acts 15:15 17. John 5:39 18. 1 Corinthians 14:6, 9, 11-12, 24, 28 19. 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.²⁰

20. 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.²¹

21. Matthew 22:29, 31-32; Ephesians 2:20; Acts 28:23

1. The Lord our God is but one only living and true God;¹ whose subsistence is in and of Himself,² infinite in being and perfection; whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but Himself;³ a most pure spirit,⁴ invisible, without body, parts, or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto;⁵ who is immutable,⁶ immense,⁷ eternal,⁸ incomprehensible, almighty,⁹ every way infinite, most holy,¹⁰ most wise, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will,¹¹ for His own glory;¹² most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him,¹³ and withal most just and terrible in His judgments,¹⁴ hating all sin,¹⁵ and who will by no means clear the guilty.¹⁶

1. 1 Corinthians 8:4, 6; Deuteronomy 6:4 2. Jeremiah 10:10; Isaiah 48:12 3. Exodus 3:14 4. John 4:24 5. 1 Timothy 1:17; Deuteronomy 4:15-16 6. Malachi 3:6 7. 1 Kings 8:27; Jeremiah 23:23 8. Psalms 90:2 9. Genesis 17:1 10. Isaiah 6:3 11. Psalm 115:3; Isaiah 46:10 12. Proverbs 16:4; Romans 11:3613. Exodus 34:6-7; Hebrews 11:6 14. Nehemiah 9:32-33 15. Psalms 5:5-6 16. Exodus 34:7; Nahum 1:2-3

2. God, having all life,¹⁷ glory,¹⁸ goodness,¹⁹ blessedness, in and of Himself, is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creature which He hath made, nor deriving any glory from them,²⁰ but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them; He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things,²¹ and He hath most sovereign dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever Himself pleases;²² in His sight all things are open and manifest,²³ His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to Him contingent or uncertain;²⁴ He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works,²⁵ and in all His commands; to Him is due from angels and men, whatsoever worship,²⁶ service, or obedience, as creatures they owe unto the Creator, and whatever He is further pleased to require of them.

17. John 5:26 18. Psalms 148:13 19. Psalms 119:68 20. Job 22:2-3 21. Romans 11:34-36 22. Daniel 4:25, 34-35 23. Hebrews 4:13 24. Ezekiel 11:5; Acts 15:18 25. Psalms 145:17 26. Revelation 5:12-14

3. In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, the Father, the Word or Son, and Holy Spirit,²⁷ of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided:²⁸ the Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father;²⁹ the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son;³⁰ all infinite, without beginning, therefore but one God, who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar relative properties and personal relations; which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence on Him.

27. 1 John 5:7; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14 28. Exodus 3:14; John 14:11; 1 Corinthians 8:6 29. John 1:14, 18 30. John 15:26; Galatians 4:6

1. God hath decreed in himself, from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely and unchangeably, all things, whatsoever comes to pass;¹ yet so as thereby is God neither the author of sin nor hath fellowship with any therein;² nor is violence offered to the will of the creature, nor yet is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established;³ in which appears His wisdom in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness in accomplishing His decree.⁴

1. Isaiah 46:10; Ephesians 1:11; Hebrews 6:17; Romans 9:15, 18

2. James 1:13; 1 John 1:5

3. Acts 4:27, 28; John 19:11

4. Numbers 23:19; Ephesians 1:3-5

2. Although God knoweth whatsoever may or can come to pass, upon all supposed conditions, 5 yet hath He not decreed anything, because He foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions. 6

5. Acts 15:18

6. Romans 9:11, 13, 16, 18

3. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are predestinated, or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ, 7 to the praise of His glorious grace; 8 others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of His glorious justice. 9

7. 1 Timothy 5:21; Matthew 25:34

8. Ephesians 1:5-6

9. Romans 9:22-23; Jude 4

4. These angels and men thus predestinated and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished. 10

10. 2 Timothy 2:19; John 13:18

5. Those of mankind that are predestinated to life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to His eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory, out of His mere free grace and love, 11 without any other thing in the creature as a condition or cause moving Him thereunto. 12

11. Ephesians 1:4, 9, 11; Romans 8:30; 2 Timothy 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9

12. Romans 9:13, 16; Ephesians 2:5, 12

6. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so He hath, by the eternal and most free purpose of His will, foreordained all the means thereunto; 13 wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ, 14 are effectually called unto faith in Christ, by His Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified, 15 and kept by His power through faith unto salvation; 16 neither are any other redeemed by Christ, or effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only. 17

13. 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:13

14. 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10

15. Romans 8:30; 2 Thessalonians 2:13

16. 1 Peter 1:5

17. John 10:26, 17:9, 6:64

7. The doctrine of the high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, that men attending the will of God revealed in His Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election; 18 so shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, 19 reverence, and admiration of God, and of humility, 20 diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel. 21

18. 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5; 2 Peter 1:10

19. Ephesians 1:6; Romans 11:33

20. Romans 11:5-6, 20

21. Luke 10:20