Baptist Confessions

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German Baptist pin (around 1934)

The Baptist churches have formulated a number of creeds in their history. The first Baptist creeds emerged for two main reasons; On the one hand, they served as a basis for discussion in disputes with state and state church authorities; on the other hand, they were helpful in discussions and in gathering confessional Christians and congregations. The newer confessions are mainly used in interdenominational encounters. In the religious service and catechetical practice of the Free Church, they play a rather subordinate role. More frequent use is made of biblical confessions, such as B. “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” ( Eph 4,5  EU ) - see the picture opposite.

Baptist creed from 1677/1689 and its historical significance

As early as the first half of the 17th century, the first Baptist congregations grew up on the breeding ground of separatist puritanism in England . In 1638, under the direction of John Spilsbury in the London borough of Wapping, the first Baptist church with Calvinist beliefs was established. And a few years later finally publish the pastors of then already seven Calvinist Baptist churches of London, the First London Confession ( "First London Confession") of 1644, mostly quoted from the corrected second edition of 1646, in which it is clear from the Arminian beliefs the somewhat earlier "General Baptists" and the continental European Anabaptists . This shows very clearly that the historical roots of Calvinist Baptism can be found in Puritanism and that there is practically no historical or theological connection to the Anabaptists of continental Europe.

This theological roots in English Puritanism can also be seen in the Second London Confession, first published in 1677 . The two elders of the Petty France congregation in London, William Collins and Nehemiah Coxe , had set about putting together a new Baptist creed. In doing so, they drew heavily on the Westminster Confession of 1646: They mostly used the congregational revision of this confession, the Savoy Declaration of 1658. In this way, William Collins and Nehemiah Coxe express their solidarity with the other Puritan believers. They are not afraid to take over the sophisticated formulations of their predecessors and to modify them in places where they as Baptists have different convictions, such as in the doctrine of baptism, in the understanding of the church, in the understanding of the church leadership or in the application of federal theology and of the regulative principle in worship.

After the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and the enactment of the Law of Tolerance by the new regent William III. Finally, from Orange , the English Baptists also achieved more freedom. Thereupon they convene a general assembly of the Calvinist Baptist congregations for the year 1689, at which the present confession is accepted by over 100 representatives of Baptist congregations from England and Wales . This general assembly gave the creed its name: Baptist Creed of 1689 .

This creed remained the decisive basis of the creed of the Calvinist Baptists in the Anglo-Saxon world into the 19th century. Because even across the Atlantic, the Baptists - with certain modifications - made this creed their own in 1742. There it receives the title Philadelphia Confession (“Philadelphia Confession”).

But in the course of the 19th century the Baptist creed of 1689 was pushed more and more into the background. Finally, in 1888, the English Baptist Union expressly refused to commit to this creed again. It was not until a hundred years later, in the second half of the 20th century, that this creed experienced a revival that extends far beyond the Anglo-Saxon language area. Today there are many translations of this confession, and worldwide it can be observed how more and more Baptist congregations commit themselves again to this very confession.

New Hampshire Confession of 1833

This creed was written by John Newton Brown in 1833 and adopted by the New Hampshire Baptist Convention.

I. From Scripture We believe that the Bible was written by holy men under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and is a perfect treasure trove of heavenly instruction; that God is their author; that salvation is its end and that truth, without any error, is its substance; that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us. Therefore, the Bible is and will forever remain the true center of Christian unity and the highest standard by which human behavior and all beliefs and opinions are to be tested.

II. Of the true God We believe that there is only one true and living God, an infinite, intelligent spirit named YAHWE, the creator and supreme ruler of heaven and earth, inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, Loyalty and love; that the unity of the Godhead consists of three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; that they are alike in their divine perfection and, in harmony with one another, perform different functions in the great work of redemption.

III. On the Fall of Man We believe that man was created in holiness under the law of his Creator, but through willful transgression he fell from this blissful state with the consequence that all people are now sinners, not by compulsion but by free choice. So by nature man does not have the holiness that the law of God demands, but is firmly inclined to evil and therefore inexcusable under the righteous judgment of eternal ruin.

IV. On the way of salvation We believe that the salvation of the sinner occurs only by grace through the vicarious work of the Son of God, who, according to the determination of the Father, voluntarily took on our nature but without sin; that he honored the law of God through personal obedience and obtained a full atonement for our sins through his death; that he, risen from the dead, now sits on his heavenly throne and, in his wonderful person, unites the most heartfelt mercy with divine perfection and is therefore skilled in every respect to be a faithful, gracious and alone sufficient Savior.

V. On Justification We believe that justification is the gospel blessing that Christ works for those who believe in him; that justification includes the forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life based on righteousness; that justification is given not in view of any works we have done, but solely out of faith in the blood of the Redeemer, and that by virtue of that faith God undeservedly imputes his perfect righteousness to us; that justification brings us into a state of blessed peace and pleasure with God and guarantees us every further blessing we need for time and eternity.

VI. On the gift of salvation We believe that the blessing of salvation (salvation of the soul) is free for all through the gospel; that it is the immediate duty of all to accept this blessing with warm, penitent, and obedient faith; and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and his willful rejection of the gospel, which bring him into grave condemnation.

VII. Of Grace in Regeneration We believe that sinners must be renewed or born again in order to be saved; that regeneration consists in the bestowal of a new holy mind; that it is effected by the Holy Spirit in conjunction with divine truth in a manner beyond our perception to effect our voluntary obedience to the gospel; and that it manifests itself in the sacred fruits of repentance, faith, and new life.

VIII. Of Repentance and Faith We believe that repentance and faith are sacred duties and also inseparable virtues, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Holy Spirit, whereby we are deeply affected by our guilt, danger and helplessness Christ's way of salvation convinced, turning to God with unfeigned repentance, confessing our sins and pleading for mercy and at the same time we warmly accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our prophet, priest and king and rely on Him alone as our Savior.

IX. From God's Purpose of Grace We believe that election is God's eternal purpose according to which He graciously renews, sanctifies, and saves sinners; that it embraces all means connected with the end in accordance with man's free will; that it is a glorious display of God's supreme goodness, as it is infinitely free, wise, holy, and immutable; that it completely excludes all boasting and promotes humility, prayer, praise, trust in God and active imitation of His free mercy; that it promotes the use of the funds as much as possible; that it is known by its effects in all who truly believe the gospel; that it is the foundation of the Christian assurance of salvation; and that it takes and deserves the greatest diligence to fix it for us.

X. On Sanctification We believe that sanctification is the process by which we, according to God's will, become participants in His holiness; that it is an ongoing work; that it begins with rebirth; and that it takes place in the heart of the believer through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the sealer and comforter, in the continuous use of the designated means, including especially the Word of God, self-inquiry, self-denial, vigilance and prayer.

XI. On the Perseverance of the Saints We believe that there are only true believers who persist to the end; that their persistent attachment to Christ is the main characteristic that distinguishes them from superficial believers, that a special providence watches over their welfare, and that they are preserved by the power of God through faith for salvation.

XII. On the Harmony of the Law and the Gospel We believe that the law of God is the eternal and immutable rule of his moral rule; that it is holy, just, and good; and that the inability Scripture ascribes to fallen man to obey God's rules stems solely from human love for sin. To redeem him from it and to restore him through a mediator to unsuspecting obedience to holy law is a primary purpose of the gospel and the means of grace associated with the establishment of the visible church.

XIII. Of the Church We believe that a visible church of Christ is an assembly of baptized believers, united in the faith and communion of the gospel, that it obeys the ordinances of Christ and is governed by his laws; that she may make use of the gifts, rights, and duties given to her by his word; that their only scriptural ministers are the bishops (pastors) and the servants, whose qualifications, entitlements and duties are defined in the letters to Timothy and Titus.

XIV. On the baptism and supper of the Lord We believe that Christian baptism occurs through the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit to express in a solemn and beautiful symbol, our faith in the to testify to the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with his effect that we have died to sin and are raised to a new life; that Christian baptism is a prerequisite for connection to the community and participation in the Lord's supper, in which the members of the community, after serious self-examination through the sacred use of bread and wine, remember the dying love of Christ.

XV. About the Christian Sabbath We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord's Day or the Christian Sabbath and should be sanctified for religious purposes by abstaining from all worldly work and sinful amusement, by the devout use of all means of grace in secret and in public equally, and by preparing for the rest that remains for God's people.

XVI. By the State Government We believe that the state authority is ordained by God for the sake of social interests and order; that we must pray for and conscientiously honor and obey authorities, except in matters contrary to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ - the sole Lord of conscience and the King of kings.

XVII. Of the Righteous and the Wicked We believe that there is a crucial and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that only those are truly righteous before God who have been justified by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, whereas all who persist in obstinacy and unbelief are ungodly and under the curse before him; and that this distinction applies equally between people during and after death.

XVIII. From the World to Come We believe that the end of this world is near; that Christ will return from heaven on the last day and raise the dead from the grave for the Last Judgment; that the wicked should be separated from the righteous; that the wicked will be judged for eternal torment, and the righteous for eternal joy; and that this judgment according to righteous principles will forever determine the final state of man in heaven or in hell.

So now all this is supposed to dissolve, how are you supposed to be skillful with holy walk and godly being, that you wait and hurry to the future of the day of the Lord, in which the heavens will melt with fire and the elements will melt with heat. 2 Pet 3:11, 12

The creed of the Evangelical Baptist Churches in America, Great Britain, Hamburg and Jever from 1840

Title page of the confession written by Johann Ludwig Hinrichs

The original of this creed, handwritten by Johann Ludwig Hinrichs , is in the Lower Saxony State Archives Oldenburg in Oldenburg . A copy is in the archive of the Evangelical Free Church in Jever .

The evangelical baptismal creed was an attachment to a request that the Baptist community of Jever addressed to the Grand Ducal Consistory in Oldenburg on September 28, 1840 . It bears the heading: "Request for approval of the worship of God". The original spelling has been retained in the following text.

  • Article 1 (From the Word of God) : We believe that the scriptures of the Old Testament from the First Book of Moses to the Prophet Malachi, as well as those of the New Testament from the Gospel of Matthew to the Revelation of John, were truly inspired by the Holy Spirit so that these Books as a whole contain the only true divine revelation to the human race and must be the sole source of knowledge of God, of faith and of life.
  • Article 2 (From God) : We believe that there is only One living, true and eternal God: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, perfect in their natures and attributes, eternal, equal and inseparable. So that the Father is true, eternal God, the Son is true, eternal God, the Holy Spirit is true, eternal God, and yet we do not believe in three gods, but in one eternal, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipresent God. Man can only come to the knowledge of this God through the divine revelation of the holy scriptures and the holy spirit.
  • Article 3 (On Sin) : We believe that God created the first man in his own image, a righteous, holy and innocent creature, able to glorify his God and live blissfully united with him. Tried by the cunning of Satan, man sinned, lost the image of his God, fell away from him and immediately fell into a state of death in body and soul. Since all men have now sprung from the seed of Adam, they have all become equally partakers of the same fallen and utterly corrupt nature, so that they conceive in sins, are children of anger, utterly inept and unworthy of all good, but capable and inclined to everything Evil.
  • Article 4 (Of salvation) : We believe that since God could not save man from the terrible consequences of his fall other than through a full satisfaction and satisfaction of his holy righteousness, he has from eternity his only begotten Son Jesus Christ as his Atonement of the sinner determined. Accordingly, at the time God saw, Christ, the Son of the living God, appeared on earth in the form of mortal flesh and in it united his eternal Deity with the human nature of a truly human soul and body. However, since both were and remain perfectly pure, holy and spotless, so that no sin ever occurred, neither in the heart of Jesus nor in his external life. So he obeyed active in fulfilling all the law for us, and obedience suffering, in offering his body and soul as sacrifices for us; he became a curse for us because he bore the wrath of God, the punishment for our sins. We believe that this eternally full redemption of the Son of God is the sole cause of our salvation, and that from the same forgiveness of all our sins and transgressions, justification, an eternal righteousness, redemption from death, devil and hell, and eternal life are part of us so that through this we also gain power to hate sin, to die off from it, to will and to accomplish what is good. - After Christ had accomplished his redemption, he rose from the dead, ascended to heaven, sat on the right hand of the majesty on high, and sent us his holy spirit, who makes us willing to accept the blessings of this glorious redemption in faith . As high priest he represents us with the Father, is with us every day until the end of the world and will finally lead us into heaven when he has prepared the place for us.

Confession of the German Baptists from 1847

The main authors of this document are Johann Gerhard Oncken , Julius Köbner and Gottfried Wilhelm Lehmann . It goes back to two older confessions. One was made in Hamburg (Oncken, Köbner) at the request of the local state authorities in 1837 , the other (Lehmann) was created in Berlin and served as a submission to the Prussian authorities. While the Hamburg creed was more Calvinistic , the Berlin creed had Lutheran features ".

The 1977 Account of Faith

The account of faith is a common creed of the German-speaking Baptists. The title of this creed is not explained, but it ties in with the following passage in the Bible:

"Always be ready to answer to everyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you" ( 1 Pet 3:15  ESV )

This confession, called Account of Faith , was drawn up between 1974 and 1977 by an international commission made up of eight theologians. It included two members each from the Federation of Baptist Congregations in Austria , the Federation of Baptist Congregations in Switzerland , the Federation of Evangelical Free Churches in the GDR and the Federation of Evangelical Free Churches in the Federal Republic of Germany. The account of faith resulting from this cooperation was received by the Federal Council of the Federation of Evangelical Free Churches in Germany on May 21, 1977 in Nuremberg and by the Federal Council of the Federation of Evangelical Free Churches in the GDR on June 3, 1978 in Berlin-Weißensee recommended for use by the municipalities ”. The article "Faith and Baptism" (Part 2, 1st half, Article 3), which was not uniform in the 1977 and 1978 editions, was revised in 1995 so that a common version is now available.

Since the Baptists see the Bible alone as the actual basis of their faith, for them a creed is only an attempt to express their current common convictions (just an “account of the faith”). This is why cautious formulations such as “accepted” and “recommended for use” are used. The confession unfolds the Baptist view based on the guiding concept of the rule of God in 3 parts:

  1. The establishment of the rulership of God
  2. Life under the rule of God (1st half: The Church of Jesus Christ, 2nd half: The Christian in the world),
  3. The completion of the rule of God.

See also

literature

  • Günter Balders : Becoming and Effect of Confessions of Faith , in: "Word and Act" (magazine) 25, 1971, pp. 10-15.
  • Günter Balders: Challenged to Confession , in: "Die Gemeinde" (magazine) 1976, No. 27–32, each p. 10.
  • Günter Balders: To the baptismal articles of our earlier creeds with Gottfried Wilhelm Lehmann . Report on the origin of the creed from 1847 and a synopsis of the baptismal texts from 1837 | 1847 | 1912 | 1944 . In: Günter Balders, Uwe Swarat: Textbook. On the theology of baptism in German Baptism . Kassel 1994.
  • Edwin Brandt : On the Confession of the Baptists. 2. We believe and profess ... creeds in Baptism . In: Günter Balders (ed.): One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism. 150 Years of Baptist Congregations in Germany , 3rd edition Wuppertal 1989, pp. 179–190.
  • Josef Lehmann: History of the German Baptists , 1st part, ed. and revised by FW Herrmann. Kassel 1923, Chapter 9: Essence and principles of Baptism .
  • Gustav Gieselbusch : The new creed of the German Baptists . In: "Der Hülfsbote" (magazine) 29, 1909, pp. 124-132.
  • A. Scheve: Prof. Walter Rauschenbusch on the importance of creeds . In: "Der Hülfsbote" (magazine) 29, 1909, p. 132ff.
  • Eckhart Schaefer (Ed.): But we preach Christ as crucified. The account of faith interpreted in sermons (= Baptism Studies; 1). Oncken, Kassel 1999 (the sermons do not refer to the content of the account, but each take a heading as a starting point)
  • A. Scheve: On the origin of our creed . In: magazine "Der Hülfsbote" 29, 1909, 183.
  • WJ McGlothlin: Baptist Confessions of Faith , Philadelphia (1911) (1847 Engl.)
  • William L. Lumpkin: Baptist Confessions of Faith , Valley Forge, 2nd Edition, 1969 (1944)
  • G. Keith Parker: Baptists in Europe: History and Confessions of Faith . Nashville 1982

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. Baptist Creed 1689 online ; Accessed January 7, 2009
  2. ^ Translation from English: Ingo Breuer (2003); Orthographic correction: Gregor Helms (2004)
  3. The creed was printed by Margarete Jelten: Unter Gottes Dachziegel. Beginnings of Baptism in Northwest Germany , Bremerhaven 1984, p. 64ff
  4. Jump up ↑ Creed and constitution of the congregations of baptized Christians, usually called Baptists. With evidence from the Holy Scriptures (Hamburg 1847) ; Accessed January 7, 2009
  5. Account of the Faith online ( Memento of October 14, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 182 kB); Accessed June 20, 2010
  6. Instead of the old, inconsistent versions, the new version was received by the Federal Council of the Federation of Evangelical Free Churches in Germany on May 26, 1995 in Bochum and " recommended to the communities for use as part of the accountability of the faith until further common knowledge has been obtained" ( Conclusion of the Creed).