“The Spirit intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.”
(Romans 8)

In today’s sermon, our pastor spoke about spiritual groaning.

From Day One in our Christian life, the Spirit lusts against the flesh, and the flesh against the Spirit, so that we cannot be and do the things we want (Galatians 5). So that we groan.

To illustrate this groaning, Pastor Josh recalled a visit to a cattle ranch. He was on site when the men were branding the calves. He saw them wrestling the animals down, recoiled at the hiss of burning hide and flesh, and (worst of all) endured the short but pain-filled groaning of the terrified calves.

Josh’s point: Branding would be abuse or torture if it were not well-intended and mercifully brief. The same is true with God. He means our groaning for good, and against the backdrop of eternity it is infinitesimally brief.

But while appreciating Josh’s point, a different thought sprang to my mind.

At the end of his letter to the Galatians, the apostle Paul—who had often gone toe-to-toe with heretical Christian Jews seeking to place the Gentile saints under the Mosaic Law—issued this stern warning: “From now on, let no man trouble me, for I bear in my body the brand marks of Jesus” (Galatians 6). In his defense and confirmation of the gospel, Paul had been beaten many times. The state of his body proved it.

Here, then, is my thought.

The Christian life—though filled with many delightful seasons of spiritual refreshing, advance, fruitfulness, and joy—is nevertheless also a life of deep groaning. We groan to be free from residual sin. We groan to be holy as He is holy. We groan to see our friends and loved ones come to Christ. We groan to see justice done in our land, and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob honored in her citadels. And the frailer we get, the more we groan to be clothed with “our tent from heaven” — our resurrection body, vouchsafed to us by the resurrected Christ (2 Corinthians 5).

Yes, all such groaning is painful, but it’s also profoundly encouraging. Why? Because it is a brand mark of Jesus. It is the good fruit of a benevolent, holy, and God-given wound, piercing to the depths of our being, making and marking us as his property, demonstrating that “He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the sheep of His hand” (Psalm 95).

In short, spiritual groaning is a steppingstone to spiritual assurance. Now I have never met a Christian who, at least at times, did not wrestle with God, prayerfully seeking a deep and abiding assurance that he really does belong to Him. Such wrestling comes with the territory. It is part of the battle to which believers are born. The world, the flesh, and the devil stand opposed to the new life within us, and the inevitable result is onslaughts of spiritual doubt, fear, and insecurity.

Therefore, beloved fellow-wrestlers, let me ask you a question: In your walk with Christ do you find yourself groaning? In the face of all your groaning, do you find yourself doubting? And in the face of all your doubting do you find yourself pressing into God, continually seeking from Him overruling grace, deliverance, wholeness, justice, assurance, and eternal happiness of the heavenly kind?

If so, then by all means take heart: Yours is a holy groaning, and therefore a brand mark of Jesus Christ. It means you are indeed your beloved’s, and He is yours: now and forever.

And it means one thing more: In midst of all your groaning, rejoice!

Fight the good fight of faith.
Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called
and then confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

(1 Timothy 6:13)

For wise reasons, God likes his children to go public with their faith. When they do, they are agreeing with him by declaring what is true.  And that is good and pleasing in his sight.

John the Baptizer, pressed by the religious authorities of his day, did not deny the truth, but confessed it: He was not the Messiah, but only his herald and a voice crying in the wilderness, “Straighten out the way of the Lord!”

Our Lord himself, interrogated and adjured by Israel’s high priest, was asked, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of God?” In reply, he boldly confessed, “You have said it yourself. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: Hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power on high and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

And only hours later, being similarly interrogated by Pilate—the mouthpiece and arm of Rome itself—he confessed that, yes, I am indeed a king, though not of this realm, but of a kingdom inhabited by all who hear and obey the truth.

As for the apostle Paul, when standing trial in Rome, the Lord stood with him and strengthened him, so that through him the gospel might be fully proclaimed to the Gentiles—including, no doubt, many Roman officials in attendance at the judgment seat of Nero. A confession much like his Lord’s, and a good one indeed!

And then there is dear Timothy, who, like all Christians, heard the call of Christ, and then—in the presence of many witnesses (most likely attending his water baptism)—confessed the good confession . . . and then went on to serve the Lord just as well as he confessed him.

But good confessions change, and usually for the better.

At the beginning of our Christian life our confession will indeed be good, but also quite simple: “He is the Son of God” (Acts 9:20); “I confess that Jesus is Lord, and I believe in my heart that God raised him from the dead,” (Romans 10:9); “I believe that Christ died for my sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,” (1 Corinthians 15:3).

In time, however—through meditation upon  the Scriptures and the illuminating work of the Spirit—our initial confession becomes more complex, more mature. Indeed, as in the case of the saints cited above, it grows into a worldview: a map of all reality, enabling skilled Christian mariners to navigate their way across the surging sea of this life to safe harbor and peace in the next.

Therefore, as one who deeply values mature confessions of faith, I would like in the pages ahead to share my own. And as a near octogenarian, let me state at the outset that the affirmations contained in this confession have indeed ripened over the years, yet in essence remained unchanged for decades. As such, they have guided me in innumerable practical decisions, informed my preaching, teaching, and writing, equipped me for doctrinal controversy, and comforted and refreshed my soul time and again. Hoping they may do the same for you, I post them here.

I have sometimes wondered: In that Day, when we stand before the Lord of glory, might he ask, “Son, may I hear your good confession at its best—at its most mature? I know what you believed at the beginning, when I first called you. But now, after all those years of prayer, study, and service, tell me what you came to believe at the end.”

Well, to be honest, I doubt the Lord will query his kids in quite this manner. But just in case—and in case it might be a source of blessing to you—here is my good confession at its best.

A Statement of Faith*

I. Of the Scriptures

We believe that the Holy Bible, comprised of the Old and New Testaments, was written by divinely inspired men, and is therefore a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; that it has God for its author, Christ for its center, salvation for its end, and truth—without any admixture of error—for its matter; that in conjunction with the gracious work of the Spirit of Truth and the gospel proclamation of the Church, it is God’s chosen instrument for the effectual calling, edification, exhortation, comfort, and preservation of his people; that it reveals the principles by which God would have us live, and by which also we shall be judged; and that, together with our Lord himself, it is—and until the end of the world will remain—the true center of Christian unity, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tested.

Psalm 19; Prov. 30:5-6; Is. 8:20; Mt. 7:24ff, 24:35; Luke 24:44-45; John 10:35, 12:48, 16:13; Acts 20:32; Rom. 10:14-15; 1 Cor. 1:10; 1 Tim. 6:3-4; 2 Tim. 1:13; 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21 / Mt. 25:14-23; Rev. 4:9-11

II. Of the One True God

We believe that there is one—and only one—true and living God; that he is an infinite, personal Spirit; a necessary being owing his existence to none, and the creative fountainhead of all that is; that in himself he is light, life, love, goodness, and joy; that he is immutable, omniscient, eternal, immense, and omnipotent; that in relation to his creation(s) he is holy, transcendent, immanent, loving, kind, faithful, righteous, and just; and that he is knowable by—yet also incomprehensible to—both men and angels. / We believe that God is intimately and intricately related to the universe, life, and man as their creator, sustainer, ruler, judge, and redeemer; and that before the founding of the world he foreordained—and now, by an all-controlling providence, continually brings to pass—all events in heaven and on earth, yet in such a way as to be neither the author of sin nor a violator of the will of free moral agents, whose decisions flow from themselves alone. / We believe that in the unity of the Godhead there exist three divine persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; that the Father eternally begets the Son, and that the Father and the Son eternally breathe out the Holy Spirit, who is therefore said to proceed from them both; that these three share a common essence, and are therefore equal in every divine attribute and perfection; that, nevertheless, they forever dwell in a hierarchy of authority, such that the Father is over the Son, and the Father and the Son are over the Holy Spirit; and that each person executes distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of cosmic redemption, even as they labor together towards that end. / Finally, we believe that owing to the mutual knowledge and distinct relations ever holding between the three divine persons, the triune God eternally and immutably overflows with delight in who he is, what he knows, and what he does; that in the gospel he lovingly invites all men everywhere to share in this joyous knowledge and fellowship through simple faith in the divine person and all–sufficient work of Jesus Christ; and that this God is inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and therefore worthy of all possible honor, confidence, aspiration, adoration, and love.

Dt. 6:4, Mark 12:29, 1 Thess. 1:9; Ex. 3:13-15, Acts 17:34; Ps. 90:2, Is. 40:28, Jn. 8:58, 1 Tim. 1:17; Mal. 3:16, James 1:17; Psalms 139:1-6, 147:5, Dan. 2:20f, Mt. 6:8, Rom. 11:33f; Ps. 139:6-7, Jer. 23:23, Acts 17:24; Ps. 62:11, Jer. 32:27, Mt. 19:26; Ex. 15:11, Is. 40:25, Jn. 17:11, 1 Pet. 1:15; Deut. 7:9f, John 3:16, 1 Jn. 4:7 / Gen. 1:1, Is. 45:12-18, Jn. 1:1f, 1 Cor. 8:6; Ps. 104:27-30, Acts 17:27; Is. 26:8-9, Rom. 2:5-6, 8:20-22; Is. 45:7, Rom. 8:28; Ex. 6:6-8, Mark 10:45, Jn. 3:16, Eph.1:7; Is. 46:10, Am. 3:6, Acts 4:27-28, Rom. 8:28, Eph. 1:11, James 1:13f, 1 John 1:5; Eph. 1:14, Rom. 11:36, Rev. 4-5 / Mt. 28:19, 1 Cor. 8:6f, 2 Cor. 13:14, John 6:38-40, 10:30, 14:11, 15:26; Acts 2:33; Eph. 1:1-14, Heb. 10:5-10; 1 Pet. 1:1-3; Rev. 6:6 / Ps. 135:6, Neh. 8:10, Zeph. 3:17, Mt. 3:17; Jn. 15:11, 17:13, 2 Cor. 1:24, Gal. 5:22, 1 Pet. 1:8, 1 Jn. 1:1-4

III. Of the Creation of the Universe, Life, and Man

We believe that in the beginning God brought into being, not out of nothing, but out of his eternal purpose and plan, a good, fully formed, fully functioning, geocentric, time-space-matter universe, and that he did so in six literal (solar) days; that on the sixth day he created the man Adam out of the dust of the earth, and then his wife Eve from one of Adam’s ribs; and that both of them, in contradistinction to the angels and higher animals, were created in God’s own image and likeness, and granted—with a view to their joy and his own glory—life, knowledge, purpose, privilege, freedom, authority, and responsibility under the benevolent rule of their sovereign creator and Lord. / We believe that in a sublime foreshadowing of future relations between Christ and his Church, God ordained the institution of marriage, putting the man to sleep, opening his side, extracting a rib, fashioning the rib into a woman, and bringing the woman to the man in order to be joined to her as his wife, companion, helper, lover, and mother of his children; and that in doing so, as well as by later biblical precept and example, he set forth monogamous, life-long marriage as the norm for all his children, and the sole context in which sexual relations may lawfully be enjoyed. / We believe that the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, the ensuing (partial) curse laid upon all creation, the global flood that occurred in the days of Noah, and the confusion of language and the dispersion of all mankind at the tower of Babel were true historical events, and—together with the primordial act of creation—responsible for the existence and condition of the universe, life, and man as we know them today. / Finally, we believe that holy Scripture, common sense, and sound history and science all join together in manifestly refuting every effort to relegate Genesis 1-11 to the category of myth, polemic, or poetry; and that every effort to accommodate biblical cosmogony to millions of years of cosmic evolution or progressive creation is therefore culpable, dangerous, and utterly in vain.

Gen. 1:31, Ex. 20:11, Eccl. 7:29, Rom. 8:20, 2 Pet. 3:5; Gen. 2:18ff, Mark 10:6, Rom. 5:12f, 1 Cor. 15:45f; Gen. 1:26ff, 2:17-17, 3:8, 5:2, Psalms 8:3f, 115:16 / Mt. 24:37f, 1 Pet. 3:19f; Luke 3:23-38, John 8:44, Eph. 5:30-31, 1 Tim. 2:13-14, Heb. 4:1-10, 11:1-7, 1 Jn. 3:12

IV. Of the Holy Angels, Satan, Evil Spirits, and the World-System

We believe that in the beginning God created a spiritual heaven embedded in, or situated above, the physical heavens; that it was (and now is) home to an innumerable host of personal, genderless, spirit-beings called angels; that the angels were graciously created to enjoy the contemplation of God through his self-manifestation(s) in heaven, worship him accordingly, and (at the proper time) serve as his ministers to the heirs of salvation on the earth below. / We believe that one of the angels—an extraordinarily intelligent, beautiful, and privileged cherub originally called Day Star—committed, in a manner undisclosed by Scripture, the primordial sin in the universe, with the result that ever since he has sought to exalt himself above his creator and usurp the worship rightfully belonging to him; that to this end he induced a large minority of the other angels to follow him in his rebellion; that to the same end he also purposed in his heart to target and entice the family of man; and that in doing all these things he became Satan (i.e., the adversary): the proud, cunning, powerful, hateful, deadly, and irredeemable enemy of God and all that God loves. / We believe that the man Adam, through his (act of) unbelief and disobedience in Eden, surrendered the family of man to the rule of Satan rather than that of God; that this sin marked the onset of the world-system, also called the domain of darkness; that the world-system, like Satan himself, is hostile to God and driven by self-exaltation, rebellion, and manifold forms of perverted human desire (lusts); and that the world-system—despite graciously granted seasons of redemptive advance—will continually trend from bad to worse until the consummation of all things at the return of Christ; but also that through the redemptive work of Christ and the gospel proclamation of the Church, God will surely fulfill his eternal purpose of transferring a chosen and believing people out of the domain of darkness and into the eternal kingdom of his beloved Son. / We believe that Satan is a formidable foe, ever seeking to deceive, tempt, persecute, divide, condemn, frighten, afflict, and—if it were possible—destroy the children of God; that the resulting spiritual conflict poses considerable danger to the saints, requiring on their part constant sobriety, watchfulness, and perseverance; but also that Christ himself has prayed for them, so that through their close attendance upon the means of grace, and through their constant pursuit of spiritual growth and fellowship with God, they will—despite manifold tests, temptations, and occasional failures—never again fall back into Satan’s evil domain, but, on the contrary, will actually mature in their most holy faith, to the praise of the glory of God’s wise plan and over-ruling grace. / Finally, we believe that towards the end of the present evil age Satan will appear to achieve his age-old ambition(s) by indwelling and empowering a personal antichrist, who, through lying wonders (i.e., deceptive miracles) and a counterfeit gospel, will induce the entire world-system to worship and follow him, even as he severely persecutes the true spiritual Church, whose members will most assuredly be preserved in the faith; and that shortly after his arrival on the scene, the antichrist—together with his followers and Satan himself—will be consigned to gehenna (hell) for eternal destruction at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the praise of the glory of his perfect justice and mighty power.

Col. 1:6, Heb. 8:9; Is. 6:1f, Heb. 1:14, Rev. 4:5f, 5:11ff / Is. 14:12-15, Ezek. 28:11-19; Jude 6, Luke 10:17, Rev. 12:1f / Gen. 3:1-6, Luke 4:6; Jn. 7:7, 8:23, 14:30, 15:19, 1 Jn. 2:16; Jn. 12:31, 16:11, Eph. 6:12; Gal. 1:4, Col. 1:13; Jn. 12:31, 16:13, 1 Jn. 4:4, 5:4-5 / 2 Cor. 10:4, Eph. 6:12, 1 Tim. 4:1f, Rev. 12:13ff; 1 Pet. 5:8, James 4:7, 1 Jn. 4:1-2; Luke 22:31f, John 17:11-12, 1 Pet. 1:5, 1 Jn. 5:18 / Gen. 3:15; Dan. 7:1f, Rom. 9:22-23; 2 Thess. 2:1ff, 1 Jn. 2:18, Rev. 13:6-9; 16:14; 20:7-10

V. Of the Fall of Man and Nature

We believe that the man Adam was created in a state of innocence, and also under a law, in a covenant, and on probation in the sight of his maker, such that by eating from the Tree of Life he would have received the indwelling Holy Spirit, come to know the Father through the Son, and lived and walked in perfect holiness under the headship of the Son down the corridor of human history to it appointed consummation in glory; whereas by eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil he would surely break God’s law, end his probation in failure, and die, both spiritually and physically; that in Eden Adam stood as the head and representative of the entire family of man; that through his voluntary transgression, which consisted of unbelief and disobedience, he fell from his state of innocence into a state of sin, and therefore also under divine wrath, condemnation, and the peril of eternal punishment; that Adam’s transgression was imputed (or credited) to all mankind, and his (new) sinful nature imparted to all mankind, so that henceforth all men, though loved by God and the recipients of his many mercies and good gifts, were/are nevertheless sinners from birth, whether in standing, nature, attitude, thought, word, or deed; that despite their being victims of Adam’s sin, they are without excuse in the sight of God, the knowledge of whose existence, holiness, goodness, sovereignty, and law—granted through creation, conscience, and the gospel—they willfully suppress in unrighteousness; and that they, being altogether unable to rescue and restore themselves, stand altogether in need of a merciful and gracious redemption from God.  / We also believe that because of Adam’s transgression, the creation itself—in accordance with God’s wisdom and by his own hand of judgment—was, in diverse ways, burdened and marred by a partial curse, resulting in the regime of calamity, conflict, violence, predation, decay, frustration, suffering, and death that we see around us in the world today; and that a world thus fallen is meant to stand as a palpable reminder of the character, consequences, and gravity of man’s sin, but also as a merciful inducement to turn from our sin and come home to our loving creator through the divine person and all-sufficient work of the redeemer whom he has sent.

Gen. 1:27, 31; 2:9, 16-17; 3:7-22; 6:12; Ps. 51:5; Matt. 3:7; Mark 7:21f; Jn. 3:18-21; 17:3; Rom. 1:18f; 3:9f; 5:12ff, 8:7, 20f; 1 Cor. 11:2f, 15:20f; Gal. 3:10-14; 5:15, 19-21; Eph. 2:1f;  Rev. 21:4; Rev. 22:1-3, 14, 19.

VI. Of Christ and the Way of Redemption

We believe that the redemption (i.e., the rescue and restoration) of sinners is, and must be, wholly by grace; that such redemption comes to us through the preeminent gift of God: the divine person and all-sufficient work of his uniquely begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ; that in accordance with the Father’s eternal purpose and plan, and with the outworking of the one eternal covenant by which his people are redeemed, his Son freely took upon himself our human nature; that he was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, and was therefore without the contamination of original sin; that like the first Adam in Eden, Christ stood before God as the Last: as the head and representative of his people, whose we are if we believe in him. / We believe that throughout his entire life Christ obeyed his Father’s will, passing every test set before him; that he victoriously completed the course of the first Adam, and so became the perfect man; that he victoriously completed the course of the Mosaic Law, and so became the perfect Israelite; and that by victoriously completing both, he acquired a perfect righteousness, later to be imputed and imparted, through faith, to a new humanity and the eternal Israel of God. / We believe that by his substitutionary death on the Cross, Christ further fulfilled, in behalf of his believing people, the righteous requirement of God’s law by making full payment (atonement) for all their sins: past, present, and future; and that in so doing he satisfied God’s justice, propitiated his wrath, and secured for his flock the blessings of eternal life. / We believe that the Father bore witness to the truth of Christ’s teaching and the efficacy of his righteous life and substitutionary death by granting him to perform innumerable mighty miracles, fulfill numerous Old Testament messianic types and prophecies, and rise from the dead to eternal life at his right hand; that the Father also raised up numerous eyewitnesses to these events, some of whom were moved by the Spirit to record their testimony in Holy Scripture for all posterity; and that in her proclamation and defense of the gospel the Church is instructed to set forth all such evidences, so that all who hear the Word of God may, like Adam in Eden, take the gospel test and—by believing and obeying the message about Christ—be redeemed. / Finally, we believe that the exalted Lord Jesus Christ now sits enthroned in heaven above as the God-appointed Prophet (Teacher), Priest, Sacrifice, and King of the world; that in (further) fulfillment of these offices he is presently administering from heaven the redemption that he accomplished on earth; and that by uniting in his wonderful person the tenderest sympathies, the fullness of his divine perfections, and the merits of his redemptive work in life and death, he is in every way qualified to be a suitable, compassionate, and all-sufficient redeemer to those who humbly call upon him for pardon, righteousness, and eternal life.

Eph. 1:6, 2:3, 2 Tim. 1:9f, Titus 2:11f; Jn. 3:16, 14:6, Acts 4:12, 1 Cor. 1:30ff, 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 2:14, 10:5; Is. 7:14, Mt. 1:18-22, Jn. 8:46, 1 Pet. 1:19; Rom. 5:12f, 1 Cor. 11:1, Eph. 1:22, 4:15, 5:23, Col. 1:18, 2:19 / Mt. 3:15, 4:1-11, John 8:29, Gal. 4:4, 2 Cor. 5:21; Is 53:1f, Mt. 20:28, Jn. 1:29-36, 6:22-59, Rom. 3:21-26, 4:25, 1 Cor. 15:1-3, Heb. 1:3, 7:27, 9:12, 1 Pet. 3:18, 1 Jn. 2:3 / John 3:2, 5:31ff, John 20:31-31; Acts 1:3; Acts 2:14-38, Rom. 16:25ff, 2 Pet. 1:16f;   / Heb. 2:1-4; Acts 2:33, 5:31, 7:55f, Rom. 8:34, Heb. 8:1-2, 10:12, 12:2, Rom. 8:34, 9:24, Phil. 3:20-21, Col. 3:1, Mt. 11:28f, Acts 2:21, Rom. 10:12-13.

VII. Of the Free Gift of Salvation

We believe that in accordance with the Great Commission it is the privilege and responsibility of the Church to make known and available the blessing(s) of salvation to all men everywhere through the proclamation of the gospel: the good news that eternal redemption is not a wage to be earned by the work(s) of sinful man, but a gift of God to be received through faith in the divine person and all-sufficient work of his incarnate Son, Jesus Christ; that it is therefore the immediate duty and precious opportunity of all men everywhere to cordially, penitently, and obediently place their faith in Christ for salvation; and that nothing prevents the greatest sinner on earth from doing so except his own inherent depravity and a willful rejection of the gospel, which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation.

Is. 55:1; Mt. 11:20-24, 23:37, 28:18f; Mark 1:15; Luke 14:23, 24:44-49; John 3:16-21, 5:40; Acts 2:38, 13:46, 17:30, 28:23f; Rom. 4:1-8, 10:14-15, 2 Thess. 1:8; Rev. 22:17

VIII. Of the Holy Spirit and His Work

We believe in God the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity, who is one in essence with the Father and the Son, who proceeds from them both, and who shares with them both all the divine attributes; that he was and is active in all of God’s works, including creation, providence, and redemption; that in accordance with the will of the Father, he was the agent of Christ’s virgin birth and the animating power behind his mighty words and deeds. / We believe that in the economy of redemption the Spirit’s special mission is to be a Helper, both of Christ in heaven, and also of his people on earth; that under Christ, the Spirit therefore grants and secures to God’s people such blessings as regeneration, repentance, faith, sanctification, the various fruits and gifts of the Spirit, power for Christian living, guidance, illumination, perseverance, perfection of spirit in heaven after death, and glorification of body in the world to come following Christ’s return. / We believe that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is performed by the exalted Christ, occurs at the moment of surrender to Christ, and seals the new believer in Christ, uniting him with the risen Lord and his Body (i.e., the Church) for time and eternity. / We believe that the panoply of spiritual gifts revealed in Scripture, though operative exclusively at God’s good pleasure, has nevertheless not been withdrawn from the Church; but also that, with the closure of the biblical cannon, God’s preferred method for the sanctification of his people is through interaction with his inscripturated Word; and that every genuine or supposed exercise of a spiritual gift must be in accordance with Scripture and judged by it. / Finally, we believe that the Body of Christ is the eternal dwelling place of God by the Spirit, so that believers should always desire and pray for the fullest possible operation of the Spirit in their lives and gatherings, even as they consistently yield themselves to the Spirit’s supreme pleasure, which is to exalt the person and work of Christ, to the glory of God the Father.

Mt. 3:16-17, 12:28, John 14:16-17, 15:26, 16:7-8, 13, Rom. 8:9, Gal. 4:6, 2 Cor. 3:17, 13:4; Gen. 1:1-2, Ps. 104:30; Mt. 12:28, Luke 1:35, 4:14, 5:17 / John 3:4-8, 14:26, 15:26, 16:5-15, Acts 5:32, 16:14, 1 Cor. 12, 14, Gal. 5:22f, 2 Thess. 3:13, Titus 3:5, 1 Jn. 2:27 / Mt. 3:11; Jn. 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7; Acts 2:3; 10:15-18, 1 Cor. 12:13, Eph. 1:13, 4:30 / 1 Cor. 12:1f, 13:8ff, 14:1-33, Heb. 13:8, 1 Pet. 4:10; Jn. 17:17, Acts 20:32, 1 Tim. 4:11-16, 2 Tim. 3:16-17; John 8:31, 15:7, 1 Thess. 5:20-22, 1 Jn. 2:14, 4:1 / Is. 66:1f, Ezek. 37:27, 43:4f, Luke 11:13, John 16:14, Acts 13:2, 19:1-7, 1 Cor. 6:19-20, 14:1f, Eph. 2:22, 1 Thess. 5:16f, Rev. 1:10, 21:3

IX. Of the Grace of Regeneration

We believe that for sinners to be redeemed they must first be regenerated or born again; that regeneration is a gracious gift of God the Father, consisting of the supernatural creation of a holy disposition of the mind, heart, and will; that it is effected by the secret working of the Holy Spirit, at a time and in a manner of God’s own choosing, but always in conjunction with the proclamation of the essential truths of the biblical gospel: salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone; that it unfailingly results in repentance from sin, trust in Christ, and a life-long walk in the Spirit with him, not in perfection, but in the grace of faithfulness amidst all the tests, troubles, and triumphs of the developing Christian life; and that the evidence of its genuineness consists of perseverance in the faith, growth in knowledge, character, and service to God and man, and a joyful assurance of one’s eternal adoption as a beloved son or daughter of God through faith in Christ.

Jer. 31:31f; Ezek. 37:1-12, 36:26; Mt. 5:1-9, 7:15-20, 13:18-23, 16:14; Mark 4:26-27; John 1:12-13, 3:1-21, 12:32; 16:8-11; Acts 11:18; Rom 5:5, 6:4; Gal. 5:16-23; Eph. 2:4f; Phil. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:3; Heb. 8:7ff, 12:10; 1 Jn. 5:1, 4, 18.

X. Of the Grace of Repentance and Faith

We believe that repentance and faith are the sacred duties of all who hear the gospel, as well as inseparable graces purchased by Christ and wrought in the souls of his people by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit; that through the grace of repentance we are convinced of our radical sinfulness, ungodliness, and guilt; of our exposure to the wrath of God and eternal punishment; of our utter helplessness to save ourselves; and that as a result of such conviction we turn (and are turned) back to God with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy. / We also believe that through the accompanying grace of faith we are convinced of the love and good will of God towards the world; of the divine nature of his incarnate Son; of the redemptive efficacy of his life, death, and resurrection; and of our need to flee to Christ alone for refuge from wrath, forgiveness of sins, and the enjoyment of eternal life; and that as a result of such conviction, we come (and are brought) to Christ, prayerfully receive him as Savior and Lord, and wholly place our trust in him for all things, henceforth endeavoring to walk with him in the Spirit before the face of his Father and our Father, of his God and our God. / Finally, we also believe that if anyone is sincerely willing to do God’s will, he need only ask, seek, and knock in prayer, and God will grant him the saving gifts of conviction, repentance, and faith.

Ps. 51; Mt. 23:8; Mark 1:15; Luke 15:18-21, 18:13; John 1:12, 16:8-11, 18:9-14; Acts 2:36-37, 11:18, 16:25-30, 17:30, 20:17; Phil. 3:3-4; Col. 2:1-3; 1 Pet. 3:18; Heb. 4:14f; Rev. 1:5, 17:14. / Jn. 7:17; Mt. 7:7; Eph. 1:18; Heb. 6:4, 10:32

XI. Of the Grace of Justification

We believe that justification is the great foundational blessing of the gospel; that it is altogether a gift of God’s free mercy and grace; that God alone is the one who justifies sinners, which is to say that God, having brought his people to faith in Christ, imputes to them the very righteousness of Christ (i.e., credits it to their account), and so declares them to be righteous in his sight and before his Law. / We therefore believe that justification is not through our obedience to the Law, or through any other works that we have done, but exclusively through active, persevering faith in the righteous work of Christ, both in his life and in his death; that through his active obedience he fulfilled the righteous requirement of God’s law by perfectly obeying not only the Law of Moses, but also also every other command of his heavenly Father; that through his passive obedience he again fulfilled the righteous requirement of God’s law, this time by suffering—in our place—its just penalty for our sins; that justification is therefore based upon “double imputation”: first upon the imputation of our sins to Christ on the cross, and later upon the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us; and that God imputes this perfect righteousness to us once and for all, at the moment of saving faith, when, in repentance and faith, we prayerfully welcome Jesus Christ into our hearts and lives as savior and Lord. / We also believe that justification secures for us every other blessing of redemption, both for time and eternity; and that these blessings include definitive spiritual union with Christ, reconciliation with God, spiritual adoption as his beloved sons and daughters, sanctification, preservation, glorification, and more.

Luke 24:46-47, Acts 13:39, Rom. 1:16-17, 5:1-3; Rom. 4:16, 6:23, Eph. 2:8; Zech. 3:2-4, Rom. 8:33, 1 Cor. 1:30-31; Rom. 5:1f, 1 Cor. 1:30-31, Acts 10:43, Eph. 2:8, Phil. 3:7-9, Titus 3:5; Is. 53:11-12, Zech. 3:2-4, John 5:24, Rom. 4:23-25, 2 Cor. 5:21 / John 1:12; Rom. 5:10, 8:15-17, 29-30, 1 Cor. 1:30-31, 2 Cor. 5:18, Gal. 4:1-6, Eph. 1:3

XII. Of the Grace of Sanctification

We believe that sanctification is the ongoing process by which God himself, in accordance with his eternal purpose and plan, purifies his children from sin, makes them partakers of the divine nature, and conforms them to the image of his holy Son; that sanctification is a progressive work, begun in regeneration, carried on throughout this life, spiritually consummated at the moment of death, and bodily consummated at the return of Christ and the resurrection of the dead; that sanctification is indeed a work of the sovereign God, but that it also involves, on the part of his people, the faithful use of the biblically appointed means of grace, which include personal meditation on the Word of God, regular participation in the life and ordinances of the Church, and the exercise of one’s spiritual gifts in ministry; that in order to accomplish and expedite our sanctification, our heavenly Father has called us to separate ourselves from the world, the flesh, and the devil; to come to him through Christ; to set our minds on the Spirit and on the things above; to contemplate—through the window of Scripture—the glory of the person, work, and offices of the redeemer; and—by his enablement—to walk with him in the Spirit in the fullest possible submission, dependency, child-likeness, gratitude, humility, obedience, prayerfulness, purity, diligence, watchfulness, longsuffering, fervency, faith, hope, love, and joy. / Finally, we believe that just as sanctification is one of God’s greatest gift to us, so too is it one of our greatest gifts to God.

Mt. 7:24f, 26:41; Jn. 15:1-11, 17:17; Rom. 8:20, 12:1f; 1 Cor. 11:27-32, 14:26; 2 Cor. 13:5, 18; Gal. 5:22-26, 6:1; Eph. 4:11-16, 20-24, 6:18, Phil. 1:9-11, 2:12-13, 3:12-16; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 1:3, 6:1, 10:23-25, 11:1ff; 1 Pet. 2:2, 4:10; 2 Pet. 1:4-8, 3:18; 1 Jn. 3:3, 21. / Mt. 25:14-23; Rev. 4:9-11.

XIII. Of the Grace of the Preservation and Perseverance of the Saints

We believe that those whom God has chosen, called, justified, reconciled, adopted, and sealed in Christ through the gift of the Holy Spirit can never fully or finally fall away from the faith, but are eternally secure, and will indeed continue in the faith to the very end; that this persevering attachment to Christ is a gracious work of the triune God himself and a grand mark that distinguishes his true children from superficial professors; that such preservation is not only consistent with, but also positively requires, the active participation of believers, in that they must—and will—abide in Christ and keep themselves in the love of God; that scriptural warnings to the saints against their falling away must be taken with utmost seriousness, and are in fact instruments used by God to preserve them in the faith; that from time to time, and possibly to their great injury, the saints may fall into various temptations and sins, so as to grieve the Holy Spirit and fall under the chastening hand of their loving heavenly Father; but also that in the end, through the intercessions of their faithful High Priest, they will renew their repentance and faith, be restored, and go and strengthen their brethren.

Jn. 6:35-40, 10:11-16, 25-30, Rom. 8:29-39, Phil. 1:6, Heb. 13:5, 1 Jn. 3:9, 4:4, 5:18; Ps. 121, Jer. 32:40, Jn. 10:28-29, 14:16-18, 17:9-19, 1 Pet. 1:5, Jude 1; Job 17:9, Mt. 13:20-21, Jn. 6:60ff, Jn. 13:18, 1 Jn. 2:19; Jn. 15:1f, Phil. 2:13, 3:12f, Heb. 6:12, 11:6, Jude 1:21; Jn. 15:5-8, Acts 27:27-32, Rom. 11:12, Col. 1:21-23; Luke 22:31-34, 22:54-62, Jn. 21:15-19, Rom. 8:27, 2 Cor. 2:6-7, Gal. 6:1, Heb. 7:25, James 5:19-21.

XIV. Of the Two Paradigms of God’s Plan of Salvation

We believe that it pleased God to reveal his plan of salvation in accordance with two distinct paradigms whose harmony is sure, yet also mysterious and inscrutable to the human mind. // The first is the paradigm of God’s absolute sovereignty in the salvation of his people. In accordance with this paradigm, we believe that in eternity past, out of his mere free grace, and without reference to human works or decisions foreseen, God chose, out of fallen, sinful humanity, a great multitude of persons drawn from every tribe, tongue, family, and nation, that they might be given to his Son and come to belong to his holy family; and that in the fullness of time, by that same free grace, God sent his Son to accomplish their redemption, after which he, through Christ, (has) sent the Holy Spirit to apply that redemption by effectually calling them to faith in Christ through the Church’s proclamation of the gospel. / We believe that this glorious display of God’s sovereign grace utterly excludes all boasting; that it is meant to promote humility, gratitude, love, dependence, zeal, trust, worship, and an active imitation of God’s free mercy and grace in our dealings with all our fellow man. / Finally, we believe that the mysteries of divine election, particular redemption, and effectual calling are consistent with, and positively encourage the use of, the means of grace in the highest degree; that election may indeed be ascertained through its spiritual fruit in all who truly believe; that it is therefore one of the great foundations of Christian assurance and joy; and that to ascertain it on regard to ourselves demands and deserves our utmost diligence. // The second paradigm is that of man’s freedom on probation. In accordance with this paradigm we also believe that through his self-revelation in nature, conscience, and the gospel, God purposes to test every man’s love of God, truth, and righteousness; that in his love, and through these revelations, he strives with all men, sincerely desiring that they should seek him, find him, and pass his test, though he is not far from any of us; that to this end he commands his Church to carry the gospel to every creature, and also commands all men everywhere to repent and place their trust in the Savior of the world; that everyone who is willing to do God’s will shall be given to see and know the truth of the gospel; that all who fear him and work righteousness are welcome to him; that whoever desires to take of the water of life may do so without cost; and that if anyone is condemned, it is because he loved darkness rather than the light, thereby judging himself unworthy of eternal life. // Finally, with the London Baptist Confession, we affirm that the doctrines of election and predestination are indeed high mysteries that should be handled with special prudence and care; and that in order to avoid the pitfalls they may present to finite and sinful minds, but instead attain the blessings they are meant to bestow, the Church must constantly endeavor to honor, balance, and lovingly proclaim from Scripture both the paradigm of God’s absolute sovereignty in salvation and the paradigm of man’s freedom on probation.

Deut. 29:29, Is. 40:28, Rom. 11:3, 1 Cor. 8:2, 13:8-10 // Is. 41:8-10, 43:1-7, John 15:16, Rom. 3:11, 9:6-26, 11:5-6, Eph. 1:3-14, 2:1f, 2 Thess. 2:13-14, 2 Tim. 1:8-9, 1 Pet. 1:1-2, Rev. 5:9; Is. 53:8, Mt. 20:28, John 10:15, 17:9, 19, Rom. 8:31ff, Eph. 5:25, John 10:16, Rom. 8:30, Acts 13:48, 15:14 / Luke 18:9-14, John 15:5, Rom. 3:27, 1 Cor. 1:26ff, Eph. 1:5-6, Col. 3:15, 2 Thess. 2:13f, Rev. 5:8f / Luke 18:7, Jn. 8:31, Phil. 3:12; Mt. 7:15f, Acts 11:23, 1 Cor. 15:10, 1 Thess. 1:2-10; Rom. 4:16, Eph. 1:6, Col. 3:12f, 1 Pet. 2:4-9; Col. 2:1-3, 2 Pet. 1:1-11, Heb. 6:1-12 // Gen. 2:16-17, Rom. 1:18f; Gen. 6:3, Acts 17:26f; Mt. 11:28f, 28:18f, Luke 24:46-47, Acts 17:23, Rom. 10:14f, Col. 1:23, 1 Tim. 2:5, Rev. 14:6; John 7:17; Acts 10:35; Rev. 21:6, 22:17; John 3:19, Acts 13:46 // LBC III:7, Acts 20:27, 2 Tim. 3:16-17

XV. Of the Harmony of Law and Gospel

We believe that the moral law of God—written on all human hearts, partially revealed in the Old Testament, and fully revealed in the New Testament—is the eternal and unchangeable rule of his moral government, and is spiritual, holy, righteous, and good; but also that, for this very reason, it stands as a deadly menace to fallen, sinful man, placing him under condemnation and in danger of eternal punishment due to his natural inability to fulfill it, his innate hostility to it, and his constant failure to live up to its high call; and that because of this, no flesh can or will be justified by the works of the law. / However, we also believe that by granting them spiritual birth, calling them to repentance and faith in Christ, forgiving their sins, imputing Christ’s perfect righteousness to them, and sealing them in Christ with/by the indwelling Holy Spirit, God has delivered his believing children from their life of bondage under the law, from the penalty due them for having broken it, and from their natural hostility to it; and that as a result of all this, the law is no longer a burden to them, but a blessing and a delight, since now, by being safely in Christ and animated by his Spirit, they are ever-increasingly willing and able to walk in holiness under his easy yoke, joyfully fulfilling the righteous requirement of the law in the freedom of the gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Ex. 20:1-17; Josh. 24:19; Mt. 5:17, 22:34-40; Luke 16:17; Rom. 1:28ff, 2:12-16, 3:20, 4:15, 7:7-24, 8:7-8; Gal. 2:16, 3:19; Heb. 12:18-21 / Psalm 40:8, 119:97; Mt. 11:30; John 5:42; Rom. 7:1-6, 8:3-4; Gal. 3:13, 5:1, 13;  Heb. 8:7-15; 1 Jn. 5:3

XVI. Of a Visible Church of Christ

We believe that a healthy visible church of Christ is a gathered family of born-again, water-baptized believers in Jesus, united in the faith and fellowship of the biblical gospel; that its essential purpose is the glad, grateful, and many-faceted worship of the triune God; that its rule of faith and practice is the word of Christ as expressed in the New Testament; that its most prominent identifying marks are the faithful proclamation, teaching, and prophesying of the biblical gospel and the New Testament traditions, the administration of the rites of water baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and the administration of church discipline; that its members are, and should be, free to exercise the gifts, privileges, and responsibilities invested in them by the Word and Spirit of God; that its only two officers are elders (also referred to as overseers and pastors) and deacons, whose qualifications, prerogatives, and duties are set forth in the New Testament; and that such a church bears the responsibility, receives the privilege, and enjoys the blessings of being the pillar and support of the truth in the deepening spiritual darkness of the present evil age.

Mt. 5:14, 7:24ff, 16:17-19, 18:15-20, 28:16ff; John 10:16, 14:16; Acts 2:42, 14:23, 20:28; Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 1:1-3, 4:17, 11:12, 23-25, 12:4ff, 14:12; Gal. 6:2; Eph. 2:11-18, 4:11-16; Phil. 1:1-7, 2:15; 1 Thess. 4:1-2, 2 Thess. 2:15, 3:6; 1 Tim. 3:1ff; Titus 1:1ff; Heb. 13:17; 1 Jn. 1:1-4; 2 John 6.

XVII. Of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

We believe that the Lord of the Church has ordained two, and only two, public rites, to be administered regularly until his return and the Marriage Feast of the Lamb. / The first, Christian Baptism, is the immersion in water of a believer in Jesus into the name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that this act celebrates the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing us to life and faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior; and that it therefore shows forth—in a complex, solemn, and beautiful emblem—our (progressive) death to sin, our resurrection to newness of life, our (progressive) cleansing from sin(s), and our (perpetual) identification and union with Christ. / We also believe that water baptism celebrates our admission, by faith, into the eternal family of God, and is therefore prerequisite to the privileges and responsibilities of local church membership. / The second rite, the Lord’s Supper, is observed whenever the members of the church, by the sacred use of bread and wine, commemorate together the dying love of Christ for his people, and—by the gracious operation of the Holy Spirit—participate afresh in the redemptive fruits of his death, and so feast upon them. / Finally, we believe that the Lord’s Supper should always be preceded by careful instruction, honest self-examination, and appropriate repentance, so that, by God’s grace and our worthy participation therein, it may result in renewed understanding, gratitude, confidence, and joy.

Mt. 3:5-6, 13-17, 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, John 4:2, 9:8; Acts 2:37-42, 8:12, 10:47-48, 11:9, 16:32-34, 18:8, 22:16, Gal.3:26-28, Rom 6:4, Col. 2:12; Acts 2:38, 8:12, 9:17f, 10:47-48, 19:1-6, 22:16, I Cor. 1:13f, 6:11, 12:14; Eph. 5:26; Pet. 3:18f; Rev. 7:14. / Matt. 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:14-20, (Jn. 6:41-58), I Cor. 10:14-22, 11:23-34, Jn. 15:11, 1 Jn. 1:4

XVIII. Of the Sabbath and the Lord’s Day

We believe that the Sabbath Day—which in the beginning God set apart as a day of rest and worship for all mankind, and which at the giving of the Mosaic Law he instituted as a day of rest and worship for his OT people—stood as a type or picture of the eternal rest he now offers to all men, and commands all men to enter, through simple faith in the divine person and all-sufficient work of Jesus Christ. / We believe that Christians do in fact enter this rest, first at the moment of saving faith, then more fully at the entrance of their spirits into heaven on the day of their death, and most fully at the bodily resurrection of the righteous at Christ’s return. / We believe that in order to underscore the perpetuity of the believer’s rest in Christ, the NT does not, by an ordinance, tie the worship of God to the Sabbath (i.e., Saturday) or any special day of the week. / But we also believe that through a holy tradition inaugurated by Christ himself on the day of his resurrection, and perpetuated in the practice of the early church, God’s people are invited and encouraged to designate the first day of the week (Sunday) as the Lord’s Day; that on that day they do well to assemble themselves together, and—through a reverent and joyful observance of the various ordinances of NT worship—contemplate, celebrate, and be refreshed in the spiritual rest God has given them in Christ; and that in so doing, God will be pleased, Christ exalted, his people blessed, and the world confronted afresh with the good news of the gospel: the Lord of the Sabbath has worked for us so that we may forever rest in him.

Gen. 2:3, Ex. 20:8, Mark 2:28, Col. 2:16-17 / Heb. 4:3-11, Rev. 14:13, 20:4-6 / Rom. 14:5, Col. 2:16 / Mt. 28:1, Mark 16:2, John 20:19, Acts 20:7, Rev. 1:10; Isa. 56:1-5, 58:13-14, 1 Cor. 16:2, Heb. 10:26; Isa. 56:1-5, 58:13-14, Mark 2:27-28, 1 Cor. 11:26

XIX. Of Civil Government

We believe that the institution of civil government is by divine appointment, and that its guiding principles are laid down in the Bible, the Word of God; that in these last days—when the one true faith has been revealed to the world, and when God the Father is pleased to exalt his Son, Jesus Christ, as high king of heaven and earth—civil governments exist, in part, for the protection and promotion of the Christian faith, yet always in a manner that safeguards the conscience and religious freedom of the citizenry, preserves the distinctive functions of Church and State, and protects both institutions from unbiblical encroachments, one upon the other; that its supreme objective is the promotion of human flourishing in the nations; that its appointed function is the administration of justice, consisting of the impartial application of God’s law, the commendation of those who do good, and the reproof and punishment of those who do evil; and that civil magistrates are to be prayed for, honored, and—so much as possible—conscientiously obeyed. / However, we also believe that, in the wise providence of God, good or tolerable governments will at times become bad; that in such cases it is the positive duty of God’s people to speak prophetically to rulers, calling them back to obedience to God, Christ, truth, and righteousness; that for conscience’ sake it may at times be necessary to disobey the edicts of human rulers out of obedience to God’s; that God’s people, together with other men of good will, may at times lawfully withdraw themselves from beneath a wicked government in order to create and/or place themselves beneath a good; and that at all times their supreme loyalty is to God through Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of their conscience, and the one true Ruler of the kings of the earth.

2 Sam. 23:3, Ps. 2; 94:8-11, Rom. 1:18f, 2:12-16, 13:1-7, 1 Pet. 2:13-14, 1 Tim. 2:1-4, Matt. 22:15-21, 28:16-20; Rom. 13:7, Titus 3:1; Rev. 1:5 / Ex. 1:8f, Dan. 11:29-35; Ex. 5:1f, 1 Ki. 1:17f, Dan. 5:1f, Mt. 14:1-5; Dan. 3:16-18, 6:7-10, Acts 4:18-20, 5:29; Ex. 2-15, Judges 3, 4, 6-8, 11-12, 15, 1 Kings 11:1-12:24, Dan. 9:29-35; Psalms 2, 72:11, Rev. 1:5, 17:4

XX. Of the Righteous and the Unrighteous

With a view to declaring our faith concerning the afterlife and the basis upon which God assigns to each person his final destiny, we affirm that there is a radical and essential distinction between the righteous and the unrighteous; that in these last days, when Christ and the gospel have entered in the world, only those who have repented of their sin(s) and placed all their trust in the divine person and all-sufficient work of Jesus Christ are righteous in God’s sight; that in earlier times—as also in these last days—the forgiveness of sins and the justification of men, whether Jew or Gentile, were never by the works of the law, but always by grace through faith in God and his gracious provision for their salvation, however this may have been revealed to them; that all who continued—and do continue—in impenitence and unbelief are unrighteous in God’s sight, seeing that they remain in the first Adam, in sin, under law, under condemnation, and under wrath; and that this distinction holds among men both for time and eternity.

Gen. 18:23, Is. 5:20, Pr. 10:25, 11:31, 14:32, Mal. 3:18; Acts 10:34f, John 3:36, Rom. 1:17, 6:17-18, 22-23, 7:6, 1 Cor. 1:30-32, 6:9-11, 1 Jn. 5:12; Gal. 3:10, Mt. 7:13-14, John 3:19, 36, 1 Jn. 5:19; Mt. 25:46, Luke 9:23-26, 16:19-31, Rom. 2:8f, Gen. 15:6, 1 Pet. 3:20; 2 Thess. 1:3-10, 2:12; Rev. 22:11

XXI. Of the Intermediate State

We believe that immediately after death, but prior to the consummation of all things at Christ’s return, the spirits of the unrighteous descend into hades, where, in darkness and flame, they consciously experience themselves as debarred from the life-giving blessings of God and under his wrath; but that the spirits of the righteous, whose probation on earth has now ended in victory, ascend into heaven, where, in a state of spiritual perfection, they consciously enjoy unhindered and unbroken fellowship with God, Christ, the holy angels, and the spirits of righteous men made perfect, even as they await their full inheritance at the return of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and life eternal in the glorious world to come.

Psalm 73:15-20, Luke 8:31, 16:19-21, 2 Thess. 1:9, Jude 6-7; 2 Cor. 5:6-8, Phil. 1:19-26, Heb. 12:22-24, Rev. 6:9, 20:4-6

1 Cor. 7:29-31, 1 Pet. 4:7, 1 Jn. 2:17-18, Rev. 22:20; Acts 3:21, Rom. 8:21, Phil. 3:20-21, 1 Pet. 2:13, Rev. 21:21; Mt. 24:29-31, 25:21, Acts 1:11, Heb. 9:28, 1 Jn. 2:28, Rev. 1:7; Is. 25:6-8, Dan. 12:2, Luke 20:27-38, Jn. 5:28-29, 6:40, 11:25-26, Acts 24:15, 1 Cor. 15:20-28, 51-53, 2 Cor. 5:1-5, 10, 1 Thess. 4:13ff; Mt. 24:35, 2 Pet. 3:7; Mt. 13:36-43, 47-50, 25:14ff, Acts 10:42, 17:31, Rom. 2:2-16, 1 Cor. 6:9-10, 1 Thess. 5:1f, 2 Thess. 1:3f, 1 Jn. 4:17, Rev. 20:11-15; Jn. 14:1-6; Rev. 21:1-7, 22:1-5; Eph. 1:6, 12, 14, 3:21

* This is confession is an updated and substantially expanded version of the New Hampshire Confession of Faith, a popular Reformed Baptist confession written in 1833. To view the original, plus other Reformed and Baptist confessions, click here and here.

“Inasmuch, then, as the children all share in flesh and blood,
he himself partook of flesh and blood just as they did,
so that through death he might break the power of him who held the power of death
—that is, the devil—
and release those who, through the fear of death,
were subject to bondage all throughout their lives.”
Hebrews 2:14-15

Unless the Lord Jesus returns beforehand (and in my case very beforehand), we who are Christians will die. When that happens, who will be in charge? Who will determine the day and manner of our death? Who will bring death to us and take us through it. Will it be God, or—as the text cited above might tempt us to think—will it be the devil?

The answer is: It will certainly be God, and the Christ who, by his righteous life and atoning death, purchased our redemption, brought us to faith, delivered us from condemnation, and released us from the fear death, which had previously held us in its dark and destructive grip.

On this matter of physical death, the Scripture is clear: It is altogether in the hands of God (1 Sam. 2:6). It is the judgment he himself imposed upon the family of man due to the sin of the first Adam (Gen. 2:17; Rom. 5:12). It is part of the curse that he himself wisely laid upon the whole creation (Is. 25:7; Rom. 8:20). It is part of the flow of events that we call history, a history decreed by God and altogether under the control of him who upholds all things by his powerful word, and who guides them to their appointed ends (Psalm 139:15; Is. 46:8-11; Rom. 8:28-29; Eph. 1:11; Heb. 1:3). And as we see clearly both in the resuscitations performed by Christ and in his own resurrection from the dead, he, and he alone, holds the keys to death and hades, having both authority and power to release his beloved people from their grip once and for all (Matt. 28:1-10; John 11; 1 Cor. 15; Rev. 1:18).

In sum, God, in Christ, is lord over every man’s death, whether saint or sinner.

What, then, does the writer to the Hebrews mean when he says that the devil holds the power of death, and that he has the ability to torment human hearts with the fear of death (Matt. 4:16; Heb. 2:14-15)?

The answer is found in Revelation 12, where the devil is revealed as the accuser of the brotherhood, the hateful archangel who accuses them day and night before the throne of God, appealing to his holiness, sovereignty, and justice, inciting him to throw the book at them, desperately hoping that he will judge and punish them for their sins (Job 1-2; Luke 22:31; Rev. 12:10).

But in the case of the saints, it is a labor in vain. As it is written, “They overcame him through the blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 12:11). Which is to say, they simply rest all of their faith and hope upon the righteous life and sacrificial death of Christ on the Cross (Phil. 3:7-11); they simply trust that henceforth they have a loving Friend and Advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1); they simply rejoice that their great High Priest is continually making intercession for them, effectively securing their eternal pardon based on the infinite merit of his shed blood (Rom. 3:21-26; 8:34; Heb. 7:25). Viewed from above, such faith elicits the approving smile of their heavenly Father, who promptly throws the devil out of court. The children are doing just as he would wish: In all simplicity, they are depending upon the Person and Work of his Son, who, on the day of his own death, cried, “It is finished!”

The result is victory. For whether before the throne of God above, or in the hearts of the saints on earth, Satan’s power to condemn God’s elect and put them to spiritual death is shattered. Henceforth, the Spirit of God steels his justified children’s conscience, strengthens their assurance of salvation, and forever breaks the chains of the fear of death (Rom 8:31-39; 1 Cor. 15:50-57).

Brothers and sisters, it is our Lord Jesus Christ who REALLY holds the power of death. And he would have us all to know that in his infinite love he is already waiting for us up ahead, at the day of our own death; and also that he will faithfully bring us through it for his glory, our eternal happiness, and the spiritual edification of all who behold our God-given courage, confidence, hope, and joy.

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even if he dies.
And everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25

The Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is fabulously rich in meaning, for which reason it occupied a central place in the apostolic preaching. We can see this richness in the way it points back, points ahead, and speaks to us of things to come.

The Resurrection points back to Christ’s righteous life and atoning death on the Cross, through which, by his active obedience in life and his passive obedience in death, he fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Law in behalf of His people, and therefore secured, once and for all, the forgiveness of sins, the imputation of righteousness, and God’s gift of eternal life to all who trust in the risen Lord.

It points ahead to what Christ’s life and death purchased: the effusion of divine life out of heaven and into the fallen world-system. This effusion began on the Day of Pentecost, and has continued right up to the present time, as sinners hear the Gospel, believe its message, call upon Christ for salvation, and receive the Spirit Living One into their hearts, where Christ henceforth reigns as Lord.

It also points ahead to the Consummation of God’s plan of salvation, when Christ will come again to raise the dead, judge the world in righteousness, turn the unrepentant and unbelieving into Gehenna, and create glorious new heavens and a new earth, the eternal home of the triune God, all the holy angels, and all the saints. In that world, the glorified bodies of the saints will be perfectly conformed to the body of the glorified Christ. As it is written, “When we see Him, we will be like Him.” And that will be glorious!

The Resurrection also speaks to us, telling us that the curse which fell upon man and nature at Adam’s fall, and also the curse that falls upon all who break God’s holy Law, have both been broken, once and for all, for all who believe. Jesus Christ bore both of these curses for us so that, through faith in Him, we shall never bear them again.

Finally, the Resurrection also tells us that the ruler of the present fallen world-system—who is Satan and his evil angels—has been cast out of his former place of authority, and is henceforth giving place to the world’s rightful Ruler: the High King of Heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ. As the gospel goes forth, as God gathers in His elect, and as his people grow in grace, Christ rules more and more, in more and more hearts. And one day soon, at His return, He will cast out all evil, and bring in glory, once and for all, world without end.

“Father, may You enable us so to look and so to hear that we may truly behold the Resurrection of your Son and rise to all the newness of life that is found in Him, in whose name we pray.” Amen.