Confession of Faith (1689) facts for kids

The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith is an important document that explains what many English Baptists believed. It's also known as the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith or the Philadelphia Confession of Faith. This confession was written by Baptists who followed a specific type of Reformed theology, which includes ideas about God's plan and how He relates to people. It helped define their beliefs about the church and how people are saved.

History of the Confession

The Confession was first printed in London in 1677. It was based on earlier documents, like the 1644 London Baptist Confession and the Westminster Confession of Faith. However, it was changed to clearly show the Baptist views on things like baptism and how churches should be organized.

In 1689, something big happened in England: the Act of Toleration. This law gave people more religious freedom. Because of this new law, leaders from over 100 Baptist churches met in London in September 1689. They looked at the 1677 document and officially agreed to it. Even though it was written in 1677, it became known as the "1689 Baptist Confession of Faith" because of this important meeting.

What the Confession Contains

The Confession has 32 chapters, plus an introduction and a list of the people who signed it. Each chapter talks about a different part of their beliefs. Here are some of the main topics:

• Of the Holy Scriptures: This chapter explains why the Bible is so important.
• Of God and the Holy Trinity: It talks about God and the idea of the Trinity (God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).
• Of Creation: This section discusses how God created the world.
• Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment Thereof: It explains how sin entered the world.
• Of God's Covenant: This chapter describes God's agreements with people.
• Of Christ the Mediator: It focuses on Jesus Christ and His role.
• Of Justification: This talks about how people are made right with God.
• Of Baptism and the Lord's Supper: These chapters explain the Baptist understanding of these two important church practices.
• Of the Church: This section describes what the church is and how it should work.
• Of the Last Judgment: This chapter discusses beliefs about the end of the world and God's final judgment.

Key Beliefs in the Confession

The 1689 Confession outlines several important beliefs for Baptists:

• God's Law: It teaches that God's moral laws are still important for Christians today.
• No Prayers for the Dead: The Confession states that people should not pray for those who have died.
• Sabbath Day: It emphasizes keeping one day a week as a special day of rest and worship, often called the Sabbath.
• Marriage: It defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman.
• Marriage Partners: It suggests that Christians should marry other Christians who share their core beliefs.
• Church Leaders: The Confession describes two main roles in the church: elders (also called pastors or bishops) who lead and teach, and deacons who serve the church.
• Future Events: It has an open view on some future events, like the millennium, meaning it doesn't take a strict stance on every detail.

How it Spread to America

Many Baptists who followed these beliefs moved to colonial America. In 1707, a group called the Philadelphia Baptist Association was formed. This group officially adopted the 1689 Confession in 1742. They added two small parts about singing hymns and the practice of laying on of hands after baptism. Because of this, it was sometimes called The Philadelphia Confession of Faith. Other Baptist groups in America also adopted this Confession.

Still Used Today

Many Baptist churches around the world still use the 1689 Baptist Confession today. They see it as a clear summary of what they believe. You can find lists of these churches in online directories.

Updating the Language

Over the years, some people have worked to update the language of the 1689 Confession. This is because the original text uses older English that can be hard for modern readers to understand. These updated versions try to make the Confession easier to read while keeping its original meaning. For example, an old phrase like "which maketh the Holy Scriptures to be most necessary, those former ways of God's revealing His will unto His people being now ceased" might be updated to "Therefore, the Holy Scriptures are absolutely necessary, because God's former ways of revealing His will to His people have now ceased."