The Bible and Secondary Documents

[Reformed]

He is talking about the Bible is our final authority yes, but a Confession tells you what the Bible actually says. In other words, what do you believe about this book.

A solid confession of faith is a standard. In the Reformed or Particular Baptist community, no one holds the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession of Faith on the same level as scripture. The 1689 works like a public statement or declaration. It is as though like-minded individuals are saying with one voice, "This is what we believe the Bible teaches." To be fair, if a church has a detailed doctrinal statement it is a de facto confession of faith. When my wife and I moved to where we live right now I did my due diligence on churches. I went to dozens of church websites. Many of them had doctrinal statements. Some of the statements were comprehensive and others were brief. These doctrinal statements were helpful because they told me what each church believed, what each church confessed. The statements did not replace scripture, they were a summation of scripture. That is all that a good confession of faith is.

 

[JonC]

He is talking about the Bible is our final authority yes, but a Confession tells you what the Bible actually says. In other words, what do you believe about this book.

I have a few questions (as I do not belong to a church that adheres to confessions except insofar as the SBC statement goes...and that's revised fairly often).

As prescribing what one believes about what the Bible states (an "accepted" interpretation), would it be fair to say that those who hold to one of these confessions view the confession they affirm as at least a secondary authority?

If so, do these churches reexamine the confessions each generation or so to "test" them against Scripture or are they simply accepted as correct because they are the traditional interpretation of Scripture as applied to the contents of the confession?

If these confessions are not scrutinized on a regular basis, then would they not be less than a final authority only in theory and an actual final authority in practice?

Thanks for considering my questions. I look forward to your explanation.

 

[Rob_BW]

Good question, @JonC. The theologians of days past did the best they could to outline their beliefs, but couldn't peer into the future to see what madness we're currently dealing with.

 

[Martin Marprelate]

I have a few questions (as I do not belong to a church that adheres to confessions except insofar as the SBC statement goes...and that's revised fairly often).

As prescribing what one believes about what the Bible states (an "accepted" interpretation), would it be fair to say that those who hold to one of these confessions view the confession they affirm as at least a secondary authority?

No. Confessions are regarded as authorities just so far (and no further) as they agree with the Scriptures.
I have copied this out so many times that I'm getting sick of it, but here it is again:
1689 Confession 1:1. The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith and obedience.

If so, do these churches reexamine the confessions each generation or so to "test" them against Scripture or are they simply accepted as correct because they are the traditional interpretation of Scripture as applied to the contents of the confession?

If these confessions are not scrutinized on a regular basis, then would they not be less than a final authority only in theory and an actual final authority in practice?

Thanks for considering my questions. I look forward to your explanation.

Ecclesia Reformata semper Reformanda. A Reformed church is always in need of reformation. Every church should be looking at its beliefs and practices regularly to see if they are in line with the Scripture, and altering them if they are not. But I do not expect any church to look at the sentence from the 1689 above and say, "I don't think that's true any more."

Spurgeon re-printed the 1689 Confession in 1855 and wrote to his congregation:
'This ancient document is a most excellent epitome of the things most surely believed among us.
It is not issued as an authoritative rule, or code, whereby you are to be fettered, but as an assistance to you in controversy, a confirmation in faith, and a means of edification in righteousness.
Here the younger members of our church will have a body of divinity in small compass, and by means of the scriptural proofs, will be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in them.
Be not ashamed of your faith; remember it is the ancient Gospel of martyrs, confessors, reformers and saints. Above all, it is the Truth of God against which the gates of hell cannot prevail.
Let your lives adorn your faith, let your example recommend you
r creed. Above all, live in Christ Jesus, and walk in Him, giving credence to no teaching but that which is manifestly approved of Him and owned by the Holy Spirit. Cleave fast to the word of God, which is here mapped out for you.'

There is no doubt whatsoever in my mind that if more churches adopted a reasonably detailed confession of faith and stuck to it, it would do much to offset the continual downgrade in doctrine that we see around us.

 

[Reformed]

No. Confessions are regarded as authorities just so far (and no further) as they agree with the Scriptures.
I have copied this out so many times that I'm getting sick of it, but here it is again:
1689 Confession 1:1. The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith and obedience.

Ecclesia Reformata semper Reformanda. A Reformed church is always in need of reformation. Every church should be looking at its beliefs and practices regularly to see if they are in line with the Scripture, and altering them if they are not. But I do not expect any church to look at the sentence from the 1689 above and say, "I don't think that's true any more."

Spurgeon re-printed the 1689 Confession in 1855 and wrote to his congregation:
'This ancient document is a most excellent epitome of the things most surely believed among us.
It is not issued as an authoritative rule, or code, whereby you are to be fettered, but as an assistance to you in controversy, a confirmation in faith, and a means of edification in righteousness.
Here the younger members of our church will have a body of divinity in small compass, and by means of the scriptural proofs, will be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in them.
Be not ashamed of your faith; remember it is the ancient Gospel of martyrs, confessors, reformers and saints. Above all, it is the Truth of God against which the gates of hell cannot prevail.
Let your lives adorn your faith, let your example recommend you
r creed. Above all, live in Christ Jesus, and walk in Him, giving credence to no teaching but that which is manifestly approved of Him and owned by the Holy Spirit. Cleave fast to the word of God, which is here mapped out for you.'

There is no doubt whatsoever in my mind that if more churches adopted a reasonably detailed confession of faith and stuck to it, it would do much to offset the continual downgrade in doctrine that we see around us.

I could not have said it better.

 

[Reformed]

Well first of all @kyredneck took the quote out of the context of the whole. This was during a Ligonier question and answer session. The question was this: Is it important that a church subscribe to a confession of faith? Here was Dr. Ferguson's full answer (lightly edited to take out repeated words etc)



He is talking about the Bible is our final authority yes, but a Confession tells you what the Bible actually says. In other words, what do you believe about this book.

David, I have that esteemed gentlemen on my special list precisely because of such intellectual dishonesty. I can handle disagreement. @Pastor_Bob is a perfect example. We disagree on certain things but there is a mutual level of respect. It does not mean we should be less than candid in debate, but we can do so without prevaricating.