We all believe something.

I believe Christianity is true.

I believe that the Reformed stream is most accurate.

I believe that of the Reformed, the Baptist group has it closest.

Today, I want to add that I am Confessional. Now, this is somewhat different compared to the previous qualifiers. Confessionalism is not a denomination or stream of Christianity. Rather, it is placing oneself in agreement with a particular Confession.

Of course, questions arise. What is a Confession? Why are confessions important? Before I answer these important questions, I feel the need to give a disclaimer addressing an issue one may have with Confessions themselves: No Confession claims to be on the same level as Holy Scripture. In fact, many of the Confessions begin by declaring Scripture as the final authority!

So what is a Confession? In short, it is a summary of what the Bible teaches concerning its most important doctrines. The fall, God’s Decree, His Covenants, Christ as Mediator, the doctrine of the Church, the Sacraments/Ordinances, the Return of Christ – these are some of the topics addressed in the Confessions.

In today’s day where Confessions are not exactly popular, it would be forgiven to ask why Confessions are important. Allow me to give three useful benefits of Confessions and being Confessional: it limits confusion, enhances understanding, and assists devotion.

Confessions limit confusion

First, Confessions limit confusion. Have we not all had the experience of meeting someone who claims to be a Christian, yet after two minutes you find yourself thinking, “You’ve never even heard the Gospel, have you?” Unfortunately in our post-Christian world, saying “I believe the Bible” means little. Probably most of the people who say that have never even read the entire thing! Confessions give a pointed statement of faith that Scripture, not designed to be a systematic theology, simply doesn’t. That doesn’t make Scripture deficient, it just makes it different. I’m not sure where this comes from, but I once heard a fantastic quote:

Roman Catholics claim to find their theology in the Bible, but they’ll never find it in the Westminster Confession of Faith.

When I meet someone who says “I believe the Bible”, I really don’t know much about what they believe. But if I meet someone who says “I believe the Bible as understood in the 1689 London Baptist Confession”, then I know exactly what they believe concerning the most important doctrines of Scripture.

Confessions enhance understanding

Next, Confessions enhance understanding. Commentaries are great, but they tend to be pretty heady, and those less confident with their understanding often find them intimidating. Study Bibles certainly have their place, but while they provide helpful information, it is tied to a particular verse. Obviously that is not a bad thing, and when your question is “What does [Insert specific Bible passage here] mean?” they can be helpful. But oftentimes our questions are not about a particular passage, but Scripture as a whole. Study Bibles have a hard time answering the question, “What does the Bible say about [insert topic here]?” That is when the Confession comes in handy. Because the Confessions are summaries of the Bible’s teachings (doctrines), a trusted Confession is a great place to turn. Of course, Confessions are themselves subject to error, just like commentaries and Study Bibles, but they are very helpful nonetheless.

Confessions assist devotion

Lastly, Confessions assist devotion. As Christians, we want to fall deeper in love with our King. This is not done through mystical practices. Scripture tells us in Romans 12:2 these words:

Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. – Romans 12:2

Devotion is something done through the mind. This is assisted by well-spoken summaries of the truths of Scripture. See the 1689’s description of God Himself from Chapter 2, paragraph 1:

The Lord our God is but one only living and true God; whose subsistence is in and of himself, infinite in being and perfection; whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but himself; a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; who is immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, every way infinite, most holy, most wise, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will for his own glory; most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek him, and withal most just and terrible in his judgments, hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty. – 1689 LBC 2.1

Read that a couple times, really think about what the writers of the Confession were conveying here, and watch as your passion for God grows. I am not posting it here, but each section in the Confessions gives cross-references from Scripture. That is extremely important. No matter how beautiful a doctrine may be, I don’t believe a doctrine because I see it in the 1689, I believe it because I see it in Scripture.

Series Conclusion

So five posts later, here we are. Of all the different religions, I believe Christianity. Of the different stripes of Christianity, I believe the Reformed. Of the Reformed groups, I believe the Reformed Baptist understanding. Add to that, I believe in the historical, doctrinal, devotional value of Confessions, and I hold to the 1689 London Baptist Confession in particular.

This entire series has served as an introduction of sorts to this blog. I have a lot of ideas for blog posts, but I wanted to make my worldview known. There will likely be a considerable amount of time between this post and the next, because I want to get a bunch of them written before I post my first one. But for those who have kept up so far, I truly thank you for allowing me a small bit of your valuable time. I hope I do not waste your generosity.