The Goodness of Confessions and Creeds: An Introduction

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Lord’s Library contributor Jared Helms offers this introductory resource on the goodness of confessions and creeds. Check out Jared’s YouTube channel and two blogs: A Light in the Darkness and Blind Faith Examples. Lord’s Library’s Ministry Leaders Series is a collection of contributed articles written by ministry leaders on key Christian topics.

Ministry Leaders Series Badge1 Corinthians 15:1-4: “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

One of the many graces that God has lavished upon humanity is that He condescends to reveal to us who He is and what He has done, is doing, and will do. He reveals through the Holy Bible all that is essential to have eternal life abundant and free. So, it is written; see Romans 10:17 and Galatians 3:2, 5:

  • Romans 10:17: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
  • Galatians 3:2: “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”
  • Galatians 3:5: “He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”

The testimony about God is wonderfully consistent, as God does not change. It is possible then to work through the Scriptures compiling all of its teachings on a particular subject and then summarize them in plain, concise language, making the critical truths of the good news of salvation accessible. This makes it possible for us to state precisely what we understand from God’s revelation in the Bible. Preserving the essential message of the Gospel, and its supporting truths is critical to the mission of the Church.

Creeds and confessions have been a part of the life of the Church since the earliest days. They were used to solidify the sound teaching of the faith once and for all delivered to the saints, and to communicate those truths clearly and concisely within and without the Church. They were critical in establishing and maintaining the Christian identity. Their writing was a matter of great importance to the early church fathers, the reformers, and the Puritans.

The Gospel

The Goodness of Confessions and Creeds


Today we tend to use the term “Statement of Faith” in place of confession. The terms are entirely interchangeable, but the modern statement of faith is far less prominent than earlier documents. In modern America, many Christ followers have little connection to the classic creeds and confessions of the Church or even that of their own local church. We might wonder why we even have these documents when God has given us His inspired word and caused it to be available in the common tongue.

Some may even take a stand against confessions and creeds holding that do they more harm than good.

Creeds and confessions are simply concise formulations of Biblical truths. These statements are typically the work of committees of scholars dedicating many hundreds of hours to understanding and clearly summarizing what the Bible teaches on a particular issue. Confessions and creeds have tended to arise from determined challenges to the Orthodox faith, and the need to establish theological identity.

These were not documents of overzealous academic enthusiasm created by ivory tower-dwelling intellectuals for their own satisfaction. No, these were necessary missional documents created by pastors and theologians for the good of souls and the glory of God.

This article is intended as a defense of creeds and confessions and as a call to adopt and hold them. First, we wish to show that everyone adopts some form of confession and practices some variety of creed. Then we want to show how creeds and confessions can be useful to the Gospel mission. Finally, we will discuss how to hold a creed and provide notable historical examples and resources for further study.

Our hope in all of this is to see faith once and for all delivered to the saints more firmly established, and more fully understood for our good, the good of our unbelieving neighbors, and the glory of God. Amen.

The Inevitable Confession

Americans have always had issues with tradition, and many in the mainstream of evangelicalism hold creeds and confessions to be irrelevant. Phrases such as, “No creed but Christ” or, “The Bible alone” are quite popular. Those who pushed for the writing and enforcing of doctrinal statements tend to be suspect. After all aren’t confessions adding to the Bible? Isn’t holding a confession requiring more than faith in the risen Lord? Isn’t the complete canon of Scripture enough?

It all sounds very good, but a quick glance at history, even recent history, shows that the answer to all these questions is a resounding no!

We have an amazing capacity to believe what we want to believe. Many men have twisted the inspired word of God to claim salvation without ever bowing our need to the Lord of lords and King of kings. Well, if we would break Scripture itself what will keep us from breaking the confessions as well? Nothing, having a good confession is another safeguard for the truth; an added layer of accountability and security to keep us from wandering off into heresy.

The truth is we cannot avoid holding some creeds and confessions, it is a part of our nature to form these. Our only choice is whether we will form them in community with careful scholarship, or if we will form them alone based on our private interpretations. A.A Hodge frames this unavoidable decision in his Short History of Creeds and Confessions from 1689.

Men must interpret to the best of their ability each particular part of Scripture separately, and then combine all that the Scriptures teach upon every subject into a consistent whole, and then adjust their teachings upon different subjects in mutual consistency as parts of a harmonious system.

Every student of the Bible must do this, and all make it obvious that they do it by the terms they use in their prayers and religious discourse, whether they admit or deny the propriety of human creeds and confessions. If they refuse the assistance afforded by the statements of doctrine slowly elaborated and defined by the Church, they must make out their own creed by their own unaided wisdom.

The real question is not, as often pretended, between the Word of God and the creed of man, but between the tried and proven faith of the collective body of God’s people, and the private judgment and the unassisted wisdom of the repudiator of creeds.

Given the choice between a private confession, or a public one our instinct might be to take the private option. After all, it allows us to explore the issues for ourselves, to draw our own conclusions, and to serve our own needs. A public confession is much more difficult as it naturally comes with a certain amount of accountability. A private confession serves us, but a public confession serves a broader interest.

The utility of private confessions is immediate, but limited. They serve us in a moment but must fail us very quickly. This is because they were formed with our own limited resources. A public confession is made with the resources of a whole community, and therefore more robust to help us throughout our lives.

The choice is really between a poor confession and a good one. The decision we make regarding confessions and creeds says a lot about the earnestness of our faith. What we choose here reveals what we are seeking in our relationship with God. So, we had better choose wisely.

The work of forming a good creed is considerable, and it is good to know what we get for our investment. We cannot accurately judge the cost if we do not understand what can be done with the resulting document. So, it is time to turn our attention to the usefulness of creeds and confessions.

The Roles of Confessions

Statements of faith, confessions, and creeds are inherently worshipful documents. The work it takes to draft these statements upholds a high view of Scripture, a high view of the Trinity, and a great loving concern for the Bride of Christ. That Bride, the Church universal, is set upon a mission in hostile territory. Creeds, confessions, and statements of faith provide both for her defense and help her achieve her goal of making disciples.

A church’s beliefs direct its actions: Orthodoxy forms orthopraxy. If our beliefs are out of line with the Scripture our actions will be unfit, and even harmful. As one example: if our understanding of God is inadequate instead of worship will we have idolatry. We cannot worship the God we do not know. So, confessions are practical, and immediately applicable in the day-to-day life of the church. If God’s revelation is the foundation, our statement of faith is the framework of the structure.

Confessions contain an affirmation of the singular truth that brings eternal life, detailing its precise contours in an accessible format. It is no wonder that such documents would come under attack since it is the truth which sets us free and the ruler of this world does not like to lose his captive slaves. It is in the interest of the father-of-lies to obscure the truth. Therefore, it is Satan’s interest to downplay statements of faith and bury historic creeds and confessions.

When the faith is plainly defined, believers gain accountability to orthodoxy. A confession or statement of faith is a clear marker by which we can measure the integrity of our doctrines so that we can be accountable for what God has revealed. It is in the evil one’s interest to have us wander as lost sheep, contradicting each other and ourselves even on the most foundational points of the Gospel. The Devil wants an uncertain Christian faith that can easily be diverted and perverted; scorned, mocked; ignored, and dismissed.

If the teachings of the faith are left ambiguous the enemy has a free hand to work as he will.

Confessions defend the true faith, bring unity to the Church, and deepen our appreciation of God and His wonderful works. We are to have unity in and through shared commitment to the truth which cultivates a deep and abiding unity built upon a solid foundation of absolute reality. Stated plainly: is in the Devil’s interest to break churches apart, making Christianity appear weak, inept, and silly.

Confessions can also be used as tools for growing the understanding of new believers in the faith. This is done through a process called catechism wherein believers work through the individual sections of a statement understanding their meaning and memorizing them in the form of answers to questions. Not only is this a good way to gain a robust theological foundation, but the question-and-answer format also lends itself to apologetics. Of course, Lucifer prefers Christians to be ill-informed, and unprepared to answer any question about the Gospel faith.

The utility of confessions is clear enough, but that is not enough to firmly establish them in their proper place. For that, we need to go deeper into the usefulness of confessions and creeds to see how they accomplished Biblical mandates for the churches. First, we see how confessions help us to stand firm in the one true faith, then how they promote unity in the body, and finally how they help us to make disciples of all peoples.

Defending the Faith with Confessions

Jude 1:3-4: “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

There is no treasure so valuable as the Gospel, the message that because of the death and resurrection of the God-man Jesus Christ, it is possible to be saved by grace through faith as the free gift of God. It is life for the dying, hope for the utterly hopeless, and it entirely unique in its power to alter lives for the better. The treasure of the Gospel is truth, the truth which alone sets me free from the bondage of sin and death.

It is no wonder that such a great treasure attracts greedy souls who would abscond with it twisting and corrupting the Gospel of grace into something else for their own gain. Jude, Peter, John, and Paul all dealt with such men from the very beginning, and each of them warned us to guard the sacred truths of God’s revelation. The Gospel must be preserved in order for it to be spread across the globe from generation to generation till Christ returns.

This can be a difficult task as the Gospel is very precise, Jesus calls it a narrow way in Matthew 7:13-14: “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

And in John 14:6, and Acts 4:12 we see the dimensions of the saving faith are as precise as the unique persona and work of Jesus:

  • John 14:6: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
  • Acts 4:12: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

There are many teachings that are essential to a true understanding of who Jesus is and what He has done, which together comprise the faith once and for all delivered to the saints. It did not take long at all for people to begin wandering from the faith, introducing new interpretations of Scripture that support their own false teachings.

It is precisely because men re-interpreted Scripture, and continued to reinterpret it to the present day that Paul commends the young pastor Timothy to guard the Gospel not only by preserving Scripture, but also the correct interpretation of that Scripture which Paul and others taught Timothy, and which Timothy would teach to other men who would pass it on throughout history. See 2 Timothy 1:13-14:

  • 2 Timothy 1:13-14: “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.”

The early church encountered numerous distortions of the true Gospel, each attempting to corrupt the good deposit that had been handed down from the apostles. The leaders of the early church began to write down the correct interpretation of Scripture in clear, concise statements called creeds and confessions. As the Gospel was attacked again and again successive confessions appeared to uphold the truth and denounce lies.

The Reformers also wrote detailed confessions to clarify and communicate the truths they recovered from Scripture and the writings of early church leaders like Athanasius and Augustine. These documents helped to define and defend the Protestant faith against the Papist. Second and third-wave reformers continued to codify their understanding of Biblical truth in confessions as they were questioned by the more established branches of Christianity.

In recent decades, such works as the Chicago Statement on Inherency, the Denver Statement, and the Dallas Statement have been used to defend orthodox teaching against academic and popular attacks.

Confessions protect our faith in two ways. First as clear statements of what we have believed the Bible to teach; a confession prevents us from simply saying to everyone, “I’m sorry you were confused we never actually believed that.” Everyone can look at our prior confession and say, “Ah, but clearly you did because here it is in writing.” If we are going to change our minds, we will have to be honest about it before everyone.

That is likely to give us a bit more pause before we alter our theology. The risk of disillusioning those within and without is a consequence even the most callous-hearted charlatan would flinch at. In this way, confessions form a bulwark against outside pressures that would push us away from the Biblical faith.

Second, as clear summations of Biblical teaching, confessions provide a handy reference as our thoughts continue to develop. Our thinking is tainted by all sorts of evil desires that tempt us to reconsider what God has said. We also have an amazing capacity to deceive ourselves. Taken together these two facts make a clear reference of well-researched, thoroughly supported Biblical beliefs as an invaluable point of plumb line against internal doctrinal drift.

Unity Through Confession

A second charge against confession is that it sows division. It is true that upholding a strict confession will cause some people to leave, but these will be the people who never truly belonged in the first place. Those blessed subtractions will actually leave us with a more unified body of like-minded believers. God places a much higher value on unity than on sheer numbers. We see it in Acts 8, Philippians, and elsewhere.

The Bible is clear that true unity comes only from shared faith in the singular truth. Unity at the expense of truth is no unity at all. That which brings us together is the true Christ, we must know him truly to have any sort of unity with the rest of the family of Christ.

Let us also recall that what we are sent out to do is call men to a confession of the truth. See Matthew 28:18-19: “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”

We do not want them to be present bodily, without being committed spiritually. Indeed, that is the worst of all possible states for in it we believe we belong to the people of God and to eternal life while we remain inwardly dead and separated from God. Consider the cases of the rich young ruler, or Simon Magus.

When it comes to relationships between churches, shared confessions are the only means of establishing true unity. It is the faith that joins us, so if we hold major differences in belief we are not really together. The more beliefs we share the more we can cooperate without compromising ourselves and undermining our own integrity. We cannot afford to lose the truth for the sake of an appearance of unity.

“Peace, if possible, but the truth at any rate.” A quote from Martin Luther;  exact citation unknown.

See John 14:6: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

If we lose the essential, we may have some surface-level peace, but we cannot have peace with God. Perhaps this lack of peace is why many who have abandoned the

 cry so loudly for peace at any cost save that of submission to the authority of Christ and His commandments. Let us never forget what the Lord said in John 14:15: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

No peace at the price of the Gospel. Unity through faith in Christ alone. That is the only way to everlasting unity. It is the only means of obtaining eternal peace. And the wonderful truth is that peace is assured in Philippians 2:9-11: “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Discipleship with Confessions

There is One true God, and one Word of God which is the Bible, and so there is only one truth. This is the nature of Christianity’s core claim. A confession or statement of faith announces this claim of ultimate truth by its mere existence. The fact that we are able to draft a full summary of Biblical doctrine shows that we have a constant and complete source of knowledge.

The fact that we bind ourselves with a definitive statement of beliefs shows that God’s word is clear, knowledge of Him attainable, and our conviction sure. A well-considered statement of faith is in and of itself a lesson in what being a Christ follower means.

The statement of faith shows the scope of topics in Christian theology and might be used as a catalog of subjects for study. At the same time, the summary of each topic touched on in the statement gives some guidance in exploring the topic. We have a good stamen to measure other teachings against: it is even better when the statement of faith or confession contains supporting Scripture references.

However, the utility of these statements goes well beyond their inherent implications. They can be used to address questions, to define identity, and to teach the fundamentals of the faith. All of this is best accomplished through catechism which is a system of memorization based around a series of questions and answers drawn from confessions. The format lends itself to everyday life for the young and old as we encounter the questions as go along our way, and are reminded of the answers we learned. See Deuteronomy 6:6-9:

  • Deuteronomy 6:6-9: “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.”

Our creeds and confessions fulfill the command given to God’s people. Moreover, they pass down instruction from generation to generation. The old confessions carry the weight of the witness of ages with them. It is good to be reminded that the Gospel is indeed ancient, that all of its teachings and have been tried and proved true by many who have gone before us.

It is good to be connected through common belief to our forefathers in the family of Christ. The classic confessions are a part of our heritage, a legacy left to us by those with whom ought most to identify.

And the witness of those saints is that God has kept His promises. What better lesson could we learn today? God is faithful, the creeds prove it. They were created to ward off attacks, the attackers’ words have faded, but the creeds still remain. Not only the Bible itself but also its essential teachings go on just as God said they would In Isaiah 40:8: “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”

See also Matthew 5:18, 1 Peter 1:25, and Psalm 119:89:

  • Matthew 5:18: “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
  • 1 Peter 1:25: “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”
  • Psalm 119:89: “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.”

Rooting ourselves in the word and in Church history is a double blessing to our faith. We are at once building a foundation upon the solid rock, seeing that it has proven solid indeed already. Being anchored to the past keeps us from being carried away by the fleeting trends and movements of the present.

It should go without saying that confessions are only useful if we use them, and to get the most out of these statements of faith we will need to use them well. So, as we have seen how our creeds can help, let us turn our attention to how to hold them so that they can help us.

Using Confessions Well

Christianity is all about the truth, if there is no truth there is nothing here. A Christian organization that has a claim to truth is a contradiction in terms. Without a confession the word “Christian” is empty. A confession is a credential that proves a true Christian identity. Therefore, any organization, platform, movement, etc. which claims to be Christian ought to publish a statement of faith.

Churches ought to have the most comprehensive statements of faith as the center of their entire mission on proclaiming the faith. Para-church organizations need confessions detailed enough to cover their missions. A Christian education outfit will need a fairly detailed explanation of the faith they teach. A local charity that focuses on feeding the hungry can get by with a much shorter statement.

Of course, simply having a statement lying around is not enough. We actually have to hold to the statement of faith which means holding our people to it as well. Church members should sign their agreement to the statement of faith when they join. This practice simply provides a point of accountability should a member wander into heresy, or begin showing division over a particular teaching. Likewise, any organization that intends to instruct people in the faith must have all their instructors agree on what shall be taught.

Otherwise, the instruction shall only lead to disillusionment, and the deconstruction as a house divides against itself while claiming to teach truth: which has proven absolutely devasting on many occasions. The history of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is a good illustration of the importance of this point. A ministry can only assure consistency in its mission by having its contributors agree to work within a well-defined statement of faith covering all essential doctrine.

We have to insist on our doctrinal distinctives, but we do not have to be snobs about it. We must hold to our convictions, but we should not hold them pridefully. Of course, we believe our theology is superior to other systems, but that does not make us superior to anyone. A truly superior theology makes us like the poor wretch beating his chest and begging for mercy, not like the Pharisee that proudly proclaims to God his own merit. See Luke 18:9-14:

  • Luke 18:9-14: “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

None of us understand perfectly, we all have room to grow in the knowledge of God. We should be humble enough to turn back to the Scripture, to prayer, and to trust teachers to seek a better knowledge of the truth.

Our faith is not in confessions or statements, or creeds but in Christ alone. These documents point us to the sacred writing but are not themselves sacred. We uphold and defend these documents because of what they uphold and defend. We must keep ourselves from worshipping an image of the faith. We worship through these documents, not to them.

Yes, there is always a danger of idolatry, and of pride when it comes to confessions of faith. The same is true if we abandon any formal confession, for that is itself a confession and one ripe for sinful exploitation. The danger is not to detour us from writing down what we believe, but a further encourage us to do so. For when we write something down, we are much less likely to forget it. It is why God had the message written down in the first place.

There is much more that might be said here, but often it is more helpful for us to see than simply to hear. There are much better instructors to be found on this topic in the past. When it comes to the proper and profitable use of confessions Church history is ripe with examples both positive and negative.

Creeds and Confessions to Know

As we have said already there have been numerous confessions throughout Church history. Some of these are of particular importance/interest to our audience and we would shine a light on these as worthy examples.

We would draw particular attention to the Apostle’ss Creed, along with the Nicene, Chalcedonian, and Athanasian as these four are the most universally subscribed to, and are often seen to affirm the very foundation of the true faith. The reader will find the affirmation of these creeds carried forward into later works.

  • The Apostle’s Creed about 120 to 250: The Apostle’s Creed is a very early, very simple formulation that is still widely used today. It is an especially popular option for broad ecumenical efforts as nearly all denotations can affirm this creed without reservation.
  • Nicene Creed 325AD, revised and expanded in 381: Answering the heresies of Arius, the Nicene Creed affirms the full godhood of Christ.
  • Chalcedonian Creed 451: The council of Chalcedon was summoned to settle the dispute on the nature of Christ, and drafted this definitive statement that Christ had two natures being fully man and fully God at the same time. This answered numerous heresies lessening Christ in one way or another.
  • Athanasian Creed 500: This creed firmly established the orthodox teaching on the Trinity, and is still referred to for definition of the nature of the Godhead.
  • Augsburg Confession 1520: The Augsburg Confession is the statement of Luther’s Reformation and the foundational document of the Lutheran church.
  • The Helvetic Confession 1536 and 1586: The first and second Helvetic Confessions were the distillation of the Calvinistic faith
  • The Westminster Confession of Faith 1646: Perhaps the most widely affirmed Presbyterian Statement of Faith though it was originally drafted for use by the Church of England.
  • The London Baptist Confession 1689: The London Baptist Confession first appeared in 1677, but was expanded and revised twelve years later. The second confession is still popular with reformed Baptists today.
  • The Abstract of Principles for the Southern Baptist Seminary 1858: Drafted by the founding fathers of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, this is one of the earliest doctrinal statements of the Southern Baptist Convention. Though ignored for several decades, the Abstract of Principles has been restored as the standard by which all faculty at the seminary must abide.
  • The Chicago Statement on Inerrancy 1978, expanded in 1982: Against a rising tide of liberal theology which was bent on undermining the credibility of Scripture, a group of conservative scholars, pastors, and apologists came together to draft a definitive statement on inerrancy defining the term and solidifying the doctrine of scripture for orthodoxy. In 1982 a further statement on hermeneutics was added.
  • The Danvers Statement 1988: A definitive statement on the complementarian view of Biblical manhood and womanhood.
  • The Nashville Statement 2017: This statement is a Biblical response to the rise of the LGBTQIA+ movement.
  • The Dallas Statement 2018: As social justice radicalized, and its philosophies began to seep into Christian academia, this statement was drafted as a faithful response to and rejection of the social justice movement and critical race theory.

For Further Reading

The Credal Imperative by Carl R. Trueman is an excellent introduction to the need for creeds in the modern day.

Creeds, Confessions, and Catechisms: A Reader’s Edition by Chad Van Dixhoorn is a beautifully presented collection of thirteen of the most important from Church history.

In addition to these two volumes, there have also been numerous editions of the Westminster, and the London Baptist Confessions, some with commentary. Sadly A.A. Hodges’ work on creeds and confession cited earlier is out of print, and difficult to find though some parts still exist online.

Final Thoughts

It is good to see that the use of confessions is on the rise among church in America. A more confessional Christianity is a more stable, rooted, and well-defined Christianity which good for the cause of the gospel. We pray this trend will continue.

If the reader is unsure of their church’s confession, we encourage them to talk with their pastor. Obtain a copy of the statement of faith, and read it. Study its scripture references and meditate on them. Investigate the historical background of the statement. Knowing your confession is well worth the effort.

We encourage church leaders to make the confession public, read from it during services, study during small groups or mid-week gatherings. See that every member has access to the statement and place it where everyone can see. It is an anchor to the truth by which we stand.

Christianity is at its very core a confessional faith. It is part of who we are, and so part of what we do. The confession has stood the test of time, and withstood many attacks from various directions. The confessions have helped our forefathers, and continue to serve us well. To take-up arms against creeds and confessions is to fight against a standard of truth, against true unity, against accountability, and ultimately against the success of the Church mission. Therefore, let us side with truth, unity, and the cause of the gospel by upholding our faith before all men to the glory of God alone. Amen.


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Jared Helms
Jared Helms

Jared Helms

Jared received his Bachelor of Arts from Bryan College in 2012, and his Masters of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2017. He has pastored churches in Kentucky and Tennessee. Most importantly, Jared has walked with Christ most of his life. His interests extend from theology to church history, but he is particularly passionate about ecclesiology and homiletics.

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