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TRUE
CHRISTIAN CONFESSION
Containing the Summary of the Doctrine of God and of the Eternal
Salvation of Man
ARTICLE 1 - THERE
IS ONLY ONE GOD
We all believe with the heart and
confess with the mouth1
that there is only one God,2
who is a simple and spiritual Being;3
He is eternal,4
incomprehensible,5
invisible,6
immutable,7 infinite,8 almighty,9
perfectly wise,10
just,11
good,12
and the overflowing fountain of all good.13
1 Rom 10:10.
2 Deut 6:4;
1 Cor 8:4, 6;
1 Tim 2:5.
3 Jn 4:24.
4 Ps 90:2.
5 Rom 11:33.
6 Col 1:15;
1 Tim 6:16.
7 Jas 1:17.
8 1 Kings 8:27;
Jer 23:24.
9 Gen 17:1;
Mt 19:26;
Rev 1:8.
10 Rom 16:27.
11 Rom 3:25, 26;
Rom 9:14;
Rev 16:5, 7.
12 Mt 19:17.
13 Jas 1:17.
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ARTICLE 2 - HOW
GOD MAKES HIMSELF KNOWN TO US
We know Him by two means: First,
by the creation, preservation, and government of the universe;
which is before our eyes as a most beautiful book,1 wherein all creatures, great and small, are
as so many letters leading us to perceive clearly the invisible
things of God, namely, His eternal power and deity, as the apostle
Paul says (Rom 1:20).
All these things are sufficient to convict men and leave them
without excuse. Second, He makes Himself more clearly and fully
known to us by His holy and divine Word2
as far as is necessary for us in this life, to His glory and our
salvation.
1 Ps 19:1-4.
2 Ps 19:7, 8;
1 Cor 1:18-21.
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ARTICLE 3 - THE
WORD OF GOD
We confess that this Word of God
did not come by the impulse of man, but that men moved by the
Holy Spirit spoke from God, as the apostle Peter says (2 Pet 1:21).
Thereafter, in His special care for us and our salvation, God
commanded His servants, the prophets and apostles, to commit His
revealed Word to writing1
and He Himself wrote with His own finger the two tables of the
law.2 Therefore we call such writings holy and divine Scriptures.3
1 Ex 34:27;
Ps 102:18;
Rev 1:11, 19.
2 Ex 31:18.
3 2 Tim 3:16.
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ARTICLE 4 - THE
CANONICAL BOOKS
We believe that the Holy Scriptures
consist of two parts, namely, the Old and the New Testament, which
are canonical, against which nothing can be alleged. These books
are listed in the church of God as follows.
The books of the Old Testament: the
five books of Moses, namely, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,
Deuteronomy; Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings,
1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther; Job, Psalms, Proverbs,
Ecclesiastes, the Song of Songs; Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations,
Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum,
Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
The books of the New Testament: the
four gospels, namely, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; the Acts
of the Apostles; the thirteen letters of the apostle Paul, namely,
Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians,
Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon;
the letter to the Hebrews; the seven other letters, namely, James,
1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2 and 3 John, Jude; and the Revelation to the
apostle John.
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ARTICLE 5 - THE
AUTHORITY OF HOLY SCRIPTURE
We receive1 all these books, and these only, as holy and
canonical, for the regulation, foundation, and confirmation of
our faith.2 We believe without any doubt all things contained in
them, not so much because the church receives and approves them
as such, but especially because the Holy Spirit witnesses in our
hearts that they are from God,3
and also because they contain the evidence thereof in themselves;
for, even the blind are able to perceive that the things foretold
in them are being fulfilled.4
1 1 Thess 2:13.
2 2 Tim 3:16, 17.
3 1 Cor 12:3;
1 Jn 4:6, 1 Jn 5:7.
4 Deut 18:21, 22;
1 Kings 22:28;
Jer 28:9;
Ezek 33:33.
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ARTICLE 6 - THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CANONICAL AND APOCRYPHAL BOOKS
We distinguish these holy books from
the apocryphal, namely, 3 and 4 Esdras, Tobit, Judith, Wisdom,
Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, additions to Esther, the Prayer of Azariah
and the Song of the Three Young Men in the Furnace, Susannah,
Bel and the Dragon, the Prayer of Manasseh, and 1 and 2 Maccabees.
The church may read and take instruction from these so far as
they agree with the canonical books. They are, however, far from
having such power and authority that we may confirm from their
testimony any point of faith or of the Christian religion; much
less may they be used to detract from the authority of the holy
books.
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ARTICLE 7 - THE
SUFFICIENCY OF HOLY SCRIPTURE
We believe that this Holy Scripture
fully contains the will of God and that all that man must believe
in order to be saved is sufficiently taught therein.1 The whole manner of worship which God requires
of us is written in it at length. It is therefore unlawful for
any one, even for an apostle, to teach otherwise than we are now
taught in Holy Scripture:2
yes, even if it be an angel from heaven, as the apostle Paul says
(Gal
1:8). Since it is forbidden
to add to or take away anything from the Word of God (Deut
12:32),3
it is evident that the doctrine thereof is most perfect and complete
in all respects.4
We may not consider any writings
of men, however holy these men may have been, of equal value with
the divine Scriptures; nor ought we to consider custom, or the
great multitude, or antiquity, or succession of times and persons,
or councils, decrees or statutes, as of equal value with the truth
of God, since the truth is above all;5 for all men are of themselves liars, and lighter than
a breath (Ps 62:9).
We therefore reject with all our heart whatever does not agree
with this infallible rule,6 as the apostles have taught us: Test the spirits
to see whether they are of God (1
Jn 4:1). Likewise: If any one comes to you and does not bring
this doctrine, do not receive him into your house or give him
any greeting (2
Jn 1:10).
1 2 Tim 3:16, 17;
1 Pet 1:10-12.
2 1 Cor 15:2;
1 Tim 1:3.
3 Deut 4:2;
Prov 30:6;
Acts 26:22;
1 Cor 4:6;
Rev 22:18, 19.
4 Ps 19:7;
Jn 15:15;
Acts 18:28;
Acts 20:27;
Rom 15:4.
5 Mk 7:7-9;
Acts 4:19;
Col 2:8;
1 Jn 2:19.
6 Deut 4:5, 6;
Is 8:20;
1 Cor 3:11;
Eph 4:4-6;
2 Thess 2:2;
2 Tim 3:14, 15.
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ARTICLE 8 - GOD
IS ONE IN ESSENCE, YET DISTINGUISHED IN THREE PERSONS
According to this truth and this
Word of God, we believe in one only God,1
who is one single essence, in which are three persons, really,
truly, and eternally distinct according to their incommunicable
properties; namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.2 The Father is the cause, origin, and beginning
of all things visible and invisible.3
The Son is the Word, the wisdom, and the image of the Father.4 The Holy Spirit is the eternal power and might who proceeds
from the Father and the Son.5
Nevertheless, God is not by this distinction divided into three,
since the Holy Scriptures teach us that the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit each has His personal existence, distinguished
by Their properties; but in such a way that these three persons
are but one only God.
It is therefore evident that the
Father is not the Son, nor the Son the Father, and likewise the
Holy Spirit is neither the Father nor the Son. Nevertheless, these
persons thus distinguished are not divided, nor intermixed; for
the Father has not assumed our flesh and blood, neither has the
Holy Spirit, but the Son only. The Father has never been without
His Son,6 or without His Holy Spirit. For these three,
in one and the same essence, are equal in eternity. There is neither
first nor last; for They are all three one, in truth, in power,
in goodness, and in mercy.
1 1 Cor 8:4-6.
2 Mt 3:16, 17;
Mt 28:19.
3 Eph 3:14, 15.
4 Prov 8:22-31;
Jn 1:14;
Jn 5:17-26;
1 Cor 1:24;
Col 1:15-20;
Heb 1:3;
Rev 19:13.
5 Jn 15:26.
6 Mic 5:2;
Jn 1:1, 2.
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ARTICLE 9 - SCRIPTURE
PROOF OF THIS DOCTRINE
All this we know both from the testimonies
of Holy Scripture1
and from the respective works of the three Persons, and especially
those we perceive in ourselves. The testimonies of Scripture which
lead us to believe this Holy Trinity are written in many places
of the Old Testament. It is not necessary to mention them all;
it is sufficient to select some with discretion.
In the book of Genesis God says:
Let Us make man in our image after our likeness .... So God created
man in His own image...; male and female He created them (Gen 1:26, 27).
Also: Behold, the man has become like one of Us (Gen
3:22). From God's saying, Let Us make man in Our
image, it appears that there are more divine persons than one;
and when He says, God created, He indicates that there is one
God. It is true, He does not say how many persons there are, but
what seems to be somewhat obscure in the Old Testament is very
plain in the New Testament. For when our Lord was baptized in
the river Jordan, the voice of the Father was heard, who said,
This is My beloved Son (Mt
3:17); the Son was seen in the water, and the Holy
Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form as a dove.2
For the baptism of all believers Christ prescribed this formula:
Baptize all nations into the Name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit (Mt
28:19). In the gospel according
to Luke the angel Gabriel thus addressed Mary, the mother of our
Lord: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the
Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God (Luke 1:35).
Likewise: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Cor 13:14).
In all these places we are fully taught that there are three persons
in one only divine essence.
Although this doctrine far surpasses
all human understanding, nevertheless in this life we believe
it on the ground of the Word of God, and we expect to enjoy its
perfect knowledge and fruit hereafter in heaven.
Moreover, we must observe the distinct
offices and works of these three Persons towards us. The Father
is called our Creator by His power; the Son is our Saviour and
Redeemer by His blood; the Holy Spirit is our Sanctifier by His
dwelling in our hearts. The doctrine of the Holy Trinity has always
been maintained and preserved in the true church since the time
of the apostles to this very day, over against Jews, Muslims,
and against false Christians and heretics such as Marcion, Mani,
Praxeas, Sabellius, Paul of Samosata, Arius, and such like, who
have been justly condemned by the orthodox fathers. In this doctrine,
therefore, we willingly receive the three creeds, of the Apostles,
of Nicea, and of Athanasius; likewise that which in accordance
with them is agreed upon by the early fathers.
1 Jn 14:16;
Jn 15:26;
Acts 2:32, 33;
Rom 8:9;
Gal 4:6;
Tit 3:4-6;
1 Pet 1:2;
1 Jn 4:13, 14;
1 Jn 5:1-12;
Jude 20, 21;
Rev 1:4, 5.
2 Mt 3:16.
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