The Westminster Confession of Faith

• by: Andre Coppin 12/16/09

This month we will look at the Westminster Confession of Faith. Although not a creed, it is one of the most influential articles of faith of the Christian Church. This confession has at its core many doctrinal positions that we still hold to today. It is rooted and grounded in scripture, in the tradition of the Calvinists and wrought by the turmoil of the English Civil War.

     Charles the First appointed William Laud as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1633 which solidified the Armenian based High Anglicanism as the official mode of worship in the realm. It was steeped in symbolism and rituals and resembled the Catholic mass.

     This did not sit well with the Puritans, who were Calvinist, and they accused Charles of returning to Catholicism. This return to High Church was one of many catalyses that propelled the English into Civil War (1642 – 1651). Not only did the Puritans come under persecution by the Church of England for speaking out against a return to Catholic like church, but political turmoil ensued as well.

     Many Puritans held to strict Calvinistic theological beliefs, and sought the Redemption of Christ, not through a works based system but through Grace. Puritans often times sought to live out their lives for the glory of God and did everything, in their way of life to glorify Christ.

     One fundamental difference between the Puritans and the Royalists was the Lord’s Supper. The Royalists believed that the sacrament became the actual Body and Blood of Christ and should be worshipped. On the other hand, Puritans held that they were merely elements of remembrance and should not be worshipped. The Royalists wanted to have Catholicism

without the Pope, they liked the indulgences and the divine right of kings, and they wanted the common man to remain ignorant regarding the Faith, in essence they wanted a church of traditions. The Puritans sought to bring the scriptures to the commoner, they sought to live God fearing lives, they were good workers that loved their families and remained faithful to one wife. Doctrinally, the Royalists held to Catholic theology, and the Puritans held to reformed theology as defined in their time.

     During this time of struggle, Parliament asked 121 Puritan ministers to convene at Westminster Abbey in 1643 to formulate official articles of faith for the Church of England and England as a whole. This act was seen as a culmination of the Reformation of the English Church and would eventually form the basis for the Presbyterian and Baptist Churches, but would also have far reaching effects upon Christendom as a whole.

     The 33 chapters of the Westminster Confession of Faith were completed in 1647 and ratified by the English Parliament in 1648 as the “Articles of Christian Religion.” This document was to serve as a theological guide to all churches in England and was recognized as the official beliefs of the governing body. Then, in 1658, the Confession was revised at Savoy Palace in England, by 200 delegates of the Congregational Churches of England, where chapters 25 and 26 were edited and chapters 30 and 31 were deleted.

     Not only did the Puritans seek reform in England, but in 1648, the Congregational Churches of New England, met at Cambridge Massachusetts to revise the Confession. They replaced chapters 25, 30 & 31 with the Cambridge Platform of Church Discipline.

     Following is a list of the Chapters of the Westminster Confession of Faith. You can find a complete confession at www.spurgeon.org/~phil/creeds.htm

Chapter I. Of the Holy Scripture
Chapter II. Of God, and of the Holy Trinity
Chapter III. Of God's Eternal Decree
Chapter IV. Of Creation
Chapter V. Of Providence
Chapter VI. Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereof
Chapter VII. Of God's Covenant with Man
Chapter VIII. Of Christ the Mediator
Chapter IX. Of Free Will
Chapter X. Of Effectual Calling
Chapter XI. Of Justification
Chapter XII. Of Adoption
Chapter XIII. Of Sanctification
Chapter XIV. Of Saving Faith
Chapter XV. Of Repentance Unto Life
Chapter XVI. Of Good Works
Chapter XVII. Of The Perseverance of the Saints
Chapter XVIII. Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation
Chapter XIX. Of the Law of God
Chapter XX. Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience
Chapter XXI. Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath-day
Chapter XXII. Of Lawful Oaths and Vows
Chapter XXIII. Of the Civil Magistrate
Chapter XXIV. Of Marriage and Divorce
Chapter XXV. Of the Church
Chapter XXVI. Of the Communion of the Saints
Chapter XXVII. Of the Sacraments
Chapter XXVIII. Of Baptism
Chapter XXIX. Of the Lord's Supper
Chapter XXX. Of Church Censures
Chapter XXXI. Of Synods and Councils
Chapter XXXII. Of the State of Man After Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead
Chapter XXXIII. Of the Last Judgment.

     The Westminster Confession of Faith was made into two Catechisms, the shorter and the longer. These were used as condensed, simplified but theologically sound modes of teaching the theological truths found in the Confession of Faith. A catechism, from the Greek word “katacaesis” – to sound, resound, to instruct by word of mouth, was a great tool to teach the masses the new scriptural truths.

 Following is a selection of points from the 107 points in the Westminster Confession Shorter Catechism. (http://www.reformed.org/documents/WSC_frames.html)

1. What is the chief end of man?
Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

2. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?
The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.

3. What do the Scriptures principally teach?
 The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.

4. What is God?
God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.

5. Are there more Gods than one?
There is but one only, the living and true God.

6. How many persons are there in the Godhead?
There are three persons in the Godhead: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.

7. What are the decrees of God?
The decrees of God are, his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.

8. How doth God execute his decrees?
God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and providence.

9. What is the work of creation?
The work of creation is God’s making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good.

10. How did God create man?
God created man male and female, after his own image, in knowledge,

righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures.

11. What are God’s works of providence?
God’s works of providence are, his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.

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21. Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?
The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was, and continueth to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, forever.

31. What is effectual calling?
Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel.

33. What is justification?
Justification is an act of God’s free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in His sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone.

35. What is sanctification?
Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness

Andre Coppin is a follower of Christ who awaits the return of The King with his wonderful wife Tylaine. Andre is a transplant from Barbados where he grew up and was discipled by his Bible church pastor.  He has worked, lived and worshipped in our community for the past 4 years serving in lights and prayer ministry.  He has 2 boys, Azavier, 4 and Joziah, 1. His passions include the Bible, his family, woodwork and his garden.