Confessions of a Recovering Legalist
Religious “Legalism” with a capital “L” is heresy. It’s the belief that one’s personal virtue and obedience to religious norms or standards merits God’s favor and/or salvation. This “do-it-yourself” religion is antithetical to the gospel of Christ and the Bible’s grace-based religion. “For by grace you have been saved through faith,” writes the apostle Paul. He goes on to remark, “This is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8). When asked what deeds God requires of men as a condition for eternal life, Jesus surprised his audience with the reply, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” (John 6:29; see also John 3:16, 36; Acts 4:12; 16:30-31; Rom 10:9-13). Read more 
Is Cultural Conservatism the Same as Theological Conservatism?
Churches that are faithful to the apostolic gospel are sometimes also the ones that are loyal to a culture becoming increasingly passé. In such a situation cultural conservatism can easily be mistaken for theological conservatism, for theological orthodoxy. In an age of confusing empirical pluralism and frankly frightening philosophical pluralism, in an age that seems to be stealing from us the Judeo-Christian worldview that prevailed for so long, it is easy to suppose that retrenchment and conservative responses on every conceivable axis are the only responsible courses for those who want to remain faithful to the gospel. Read more
Updating and Refining the 1689 Baptist Confession: Answers to Common Objections
It’s challenging to persuade people to modify their favored theological traditions even when the modifications suggested are intended to enhance the intelligibility and usefulness of the timeless truths embodied in those traditions. So I’d like to close this series on updating and refining the 1689 Baptist Confession by looking at some common objections that have been offered by some of my pastor friends and fellow believers. While I believe each of these objections is motivated by a concern to preserve biblical truth and the unity of the church, I haven’t found any of them sufficiently decisive or conclusive to preclude the framing of a new 21st century Reformed Baptist confession of faith upon the foundations of the old 1689. Read more
Obstacles to Updating and Refining the 1689 Confession: Subtle Traditionalism
The New Testament speaks of inspired apostolic tradition, which is good, and non-inspired religious tradition, which is often bad. This data should make us wary of any non-inspired ecclesiastical tradition that competes with or invalidates the supreme authority of Scripture. In this post, I’ll note the tendency of becoming over-infatuated with a good tradition and the tendency of reacting to modern errors by relying more on one’s favorite tradition rather than Scripture. Both of these tendencies can make good people resistant to changes in their tradition that are biblically warranted. Moreover, they can subtly influence one’s hermeneutic so that the Bible is read through the lens of the tradition rather than the tradition through the lens of the Bible. Read more
Obstacles to Updating and Refining the 1689 Confession: Strict Subscription
In previous installments, we suggested several ways in which the 1689 Baptist Confession can be improved by updating its language and refining its teaching. We also offered three worthwhile reasons for such a revision. In the next posts, I’d like to identify two potential obstacles to revising the Confession. These “obstacles” can influence the way people view the Confession, making it difficult for them to be open to the prospect of updating and/or amending the Confession’s teaching. The first obstacle we’ll consider is “strict subscription.” Read more
Updating and Refining the 1689 Baptist Confession: Toward a Humble Orthodoxy
Reformed Baptists often emphasize what makes them different from other evangelicals. While we don’t claim a “corner on the truth,” we sometimes give the impression that we view ourselves as closer to historical Christian faith and practice than others in every respect. Revising our Confession is a good opportunity to show our evangelical brothers that we don’t believe the illumination of the Holy Spirit ended with our Particular Baptist forefathers in the 17th century. Furthermore, borrowing language or insights from their creeds where appropriate demonstrates a teachable and humble spirit on our part. Read more
Updating and Refining the 1689 Baptist Confession: Reformed and Relevant
While the truth of God’s word doesn’t change, the languages through which it’s communicated and the historical/cultural situation of the audience to which it’s directed do change. Stated more succinctly, we must distinguish between timeless truth and the timely ways in which the church is called to proclaim that truth. Making this distinction will help us view the updating and refining of our Confession not as compromising the truth but, on the contrary, as making the same unchanging truth more accessible and relevant for our 21st century context. Read more
Updating and Refining the 1689 Baptist Confession: Applying Sola Scriptura
The colloquial adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” makes a valid point. If something is fulfilling its purpose adequately, there’s no need for repair. On the other hand, if something is working but if there’s a way to make it work better, why not make the necessary adjustments and refinements? I’ve attempted in previous installments to identify several areas in which the Confession’s language and teaching need to be updated and refined. In the following installments, I’d like briefly to highlight some worthwhile reasons for a contemporary Reformed Baptist Confession. The first has to do with applying sola Scriptura. Read more
Updating and Refining the 1689 Baptist Confession: Refining Sabbath Observance
The last two paragraphs of chapter twenty-two address God’s special day for corporate worship. Paragraph seven highlights its institution, perpetuity, and shift from the seventh to the first day of the week. Paragraph eight describes its observance, both in terms of what we should and should not do:
The Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts and ordering their common affairs aforehand, so not only observe an holy rest all day, from their own works, words and thoughts, about their worldly employments and recreations, but are also taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of his worship and in the duties of necessity and mercy.
Updating and Refining the 1689 Baptist Confession: Refining the Regulative Principle of Worship
Chapter twenty-two of the Confession addresses the regulation of pubic worship. I don’t take exception to the doctrine of the Confession per se. But I believe it could be refined to remove certain ambiguities and to make certain adjustments in emphasis. Such clarifications could, in my opinion, disarm those who attempt to use the Confession’s language as ammunition for worship wars. Read more
