Pt. 4 The Order and Outline of the 1689 LBCF

Okay, we're actually, we'll finish the introduction of our confession tonight, hopefully we'll finish it tonight. We've been looking at, this whole idea is that we're going to look at the confession chapter by chapter, but in order to do that, we decided to do a little introduction and a background on the confession.

All right, and so far, one of the things that we've looked at, we started the very first night, we looked at the biblical basis for confessions, remember? In other words, the legitimacy of the use of confessions.

Is it legitimate biblically to use confessions? And then we answered the question, why confessions? And we examined how the creeds were usually short statements, confessions were longer, and creeds usually came out of the councils, remember?

Why were most of the creeds developed? Because there was an error in the church, the church held a council and they decided on what certain doctrines were. Then we looked at a history of confessions. Remember last week we went right through from the earliest creeds and right up to the time of the Reformation, and saw that there were, the history.

Remember we saw the difference between creeds and confessions, and we put it this way, creeds tell us what we must believe, short statements. If you disagree with one of the major creeds, you've got a problem, you know, in Christianity.

And confessions tell us what we should believe, they're longer, alright? And again, especially as you see the 1689 London Baptist having 32 chapters. One of the other things that we looked at was that all Reformed churches developed confessions.

Every church coming out of the Reformation had a confession. We also looked a little bit at the relationship of the 1689 London Baptist confession to the other confessions, and we saw that our confession is very close, specifically to the Westminster and to the Savoy Declarations.

There you see it's almost verbatim, alright? The Westminster being the confession of the Presbyterians, and the Savoy Declarations of the Congregationless. That's all coming out of the Reformation. So now we're going to look just a little bit at the history of the 1689, just a couple of things before we get in.

Now I'm not a historian, so I'm not going to get in really deep with this, but there is somewhat of a fascinating history behind the confession, and even how it was developed from the Savoy and the Westminster, but again, I'm not a historian so I'm not going to get into that.

But the political scene was interesting as well, because at the time of the formulation of the confession, especially the Westminster and the Savoy, Cromwell had recently died. Everybody remember Cromwell?

No? Study Cromwell. I mean that's a great part of our history, it's English of course, but it's a great part of our history. Charles II had just assumed the throne, remember there was a period of time when there was no monarch in England, and Charles II had assumed the throne, and he had a lot to do with commissioning some of the confessions, so some of the major Reformed confessions were written in this time period where there was a change in the political climate of England, going from Cromwell's rule to Charles II.

The Westminster and the Savoy were written, and that was followed by the 1689 London Baptist Confession. Now just a couple of things too about the history of our confession. It's not documented in any of the literature at the time and whatnot, but we are firmly convinced, most scholars, that's not we, I don't consider myself a scholar of the confession, but they believe that Nehemiah Cox and William Collins were the main authors of the confession.

Nehemiah Cox died before the confession was ratified, so he's not a signer, but William Collins is. They were both from the Church of Petit France in London. One of the things that, if you ever see some of that historical period, London, like New York, has areas that go by different names, like we have Soho, Tribeca, and whatnot in New York.

London has similar things. Petit France was an area, and the church that Collins and Cox were from was the Baptist church in Petit France. Just a couple of interesting things. Now let's get right into the outline of the confession, and one of the things we see is our confession has a structure and an outline to it, even though the authors didn't publish an outline.

So it's kind of left up to interpretation, but I think as we go through it, you will see that there is a logic and a cogency and a progression in the structure of the confession, and I want to take the time to go through this before we get into the confession because it's important, and I hope you'll see why as we go through.

The 32 chapters in our confession are all placed carefully in a particular order within the confession. When we get into the confession, what you're going to see is that the first section of each chapter is kind of like a general or a generic section, which introduces the doctrine, and then the subsequent sections expand upon it.

Very similar in the confession itself. There's a general outline with four major sections. Now I have to confess here again that this outline, these are not original with me. I have borrowed heavily from Jim Renahan, Dr. Jim Renahan, the dean of the IRBS, Reformed Baptist Seminary.

I got a lot of this material from a series of lectures that he did on the confession. He is one of the foremost scholars on not just our confession, but other confessions, and especially our history going all the way back to England.

So I just want to make sure he's, he came up, I'm not sure if he came up with it, but he certainly is an adherent to this outline. The first six chapters, one through six, he calls first principles. In other words, and this is the foundation, and we're going to look at each of these six chapters.

Chapters seven through 20 is aptly titled The Covenant, and one of the things that you're going to see is the covenant is extremely important in Reformed Baptist theology. Chapters 21 through 30 are Christian liberty and Christian living, and I'm going to expand a little bit on what we mean by Christian liberty and Christian living, because that's often misunderstood.

Chapters 31, 32, the future. State of man after death, the last judgment, okay? So you can see, even in this outline, there is a progression, okay? So what we want to do is we want to start with the first section, which is first principles, and chapter one is of the holy scriptures.

That's the first chapter in our confession. Why do they start with the scriptures and not start with the doctrine of God? Think about that for a minute. Many confessions start with the doctrine of God, because he's the beginning of all things, all right?

But why does our confession not do that? Somebody want to take a shot? Huh? Did you hear what he said? How do you know who God is? The reason they started was because our knowledge of God comes from the scriptures.

Everything that we can know infallibly comes from the scriptures. Remember, it's our only source of inerrant revelation, natural revelation. I mean, the scriptures tell us that when you walk outside your house and you look at this creation, you know there's a God.

But natural revelation will never lead you to Christ. It won't do that. Paul goes through that in Romans chapter one. So, the founders of our confession started with the scriptures because that is the base of all of our knowledge, and that's why they started there, all right?

So you can see, again, that's a perfect place to start our confession. Chapter two of God in the Holy Trinity, all right? And again, this is very important because this chapter describes the nature of God.

It describes the doctrine of the Trinity, all right? And one of the things that you'll see if you go through this carefully is we see the language of the early creeds employed, all right? So remember, our confession, the 1689, is built upon the creeds and the church fathers, okay?

Remember, last week we talked about, we were talking about a history of the confession that the reformers felt that the true dispute with Rome was how do you interpret the church fathers? How do you interpret the creeds?

And so you can see our confession was built on the early creeds. And of course, it is all based upon the revelation of scripture, okay? So that's chapter two. So notice we're building. We have our epistemology, that's chapter one.

Now we have our doctrine of God, and we move on to chapter three of God's decree. By the way, notice decree is singular, not plural. It's not God's decrees, it's God's decree, all right? What this does, it demonstrates the sovereignty of God, and it shows the plan and purpose of God.

Now, again, remember, I'm just giving you a very brief outline here. We're going to look at each of these chapters in more detail. But one of the things that we see is, oh, it also introduces the doctrine of predestination, okay?

And one of the important things in this chapter is it says that all things that come to pass have been decreed by God. That includes the coronavirus. Coronavirus isn't here by accident, it's here by decree of God, and we need to understand that, okay?

Chapter four is of creation, all right? This describes how the world came into existence. God decreed from all eternity that the world would come into existence, and of creation tells us how it came into existence.

And of course, we know it's ex nihilo, and we're going to go through that in greater detail. It also describes the creation of humanity, describes man's relationship to God. We are creatures, he is God.

Very important distinction, which is often lost within the church today, okay? Chapter five, of divine providence. What is providence? Providence describes how God works out his purpose in time and space.

How does he accomplish certain things, all right? Some theologians, older theologians call this continuing creation. Not that he's creating anything new, but he's actually, what he has created, he is using that to accomplish his plan and purpose.

This section also describes the places of second causes, all right? For example, Saul committed suicide, right? When the Philistines were coming upon him, he didn't want to be captured, all right? But in that same chapter, second Chronicles 10, what does it say?

Because he had sought the medium and had rebelled, God killed him. How did Saul die? God killed him. What was the cause? He committed suicide, second causes. You'll see that in chapter five of providence.

Chapter six, of the fall of man, of sin and punishment thereof, okay? This answers questions. How did sin enter the world? What effect did that have on mankind? What were the consequences of the fall?

Oh, I went too far. What were the consequences of the fall, all right? Now, this is the end of part one, all right, first principles. Notice how it is a very logic and a cogency to how it comes about.

You can't do all chapter six unless you've got those first five chapters, okay? Now I'm going to pause before we get into part two. And again, this is definitely going from Dr. Jim Renahan because what he says about reading the confession, he says you have to read the confession sideways.

What he means by that is what is the context of the section being read? You can't just read down this way. You have to see where the section you're reading, the chapter you're reading, fits into the whole confession.

So you got to go up and down to see what precedes it, what follows it. Because some of the doctrines that are introduced in the beginning are expanded further on. For example, you have to ask what is its position in the confession?

Two examples. What is sin, all right? What is sin? We saw that. Where are we going to find that? Chapter six, right, of sin. But when we get to chapters 31 and 32, we have the state of man after death and judgment.

If you don't understand what sin is, judgment is not going to make any sense. So that's why you have to harken back to chapter six, which describes what sin is. Then you have to ask this question. There's no chapter on the Holy Spirit.

Did the authors overlook the Holy Spirit? No, because if you go starting right from chapter one, the Holy Spirit is mentioned in almost every single section. So there's no single chapter like there is on Christ the Mediator of the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit is throughout the entire confession.

And so if you're looking for a doctrine, what do Reformed Baptists believe about the Holy Spirit? You can't just go to one little section, you've got to look at the whole confession. Are you getting the idea that you have to study and read this confession?

It's super important. All right. All right. So now let's go to part two, the covenant. Now this is, again, this is extremely important. And the reason it's extremely important is it is this chapter and our view of the covenant that separates us from all the other Reformed churches.

If you ask most people, what's the difference between a Reformed Baptist and the Presbyterian? What's the standard stock answer you're going to get? Baptism. They're Paedo-Baptists, we're Believers-Baptists.

Why? It's our view of the covenant. It's our view of the covenant that forces our theology into Believers' baptism and their view of the covenant brings them to the conclusion of infant baptism. So that's why I say this is an important section, an important chapter.

It introduces the doctrine of the covenant. The view of the covenant is what separates Reformed Baptists from all the other Reformed Baptist churches. And this view of the covenant is the doctrine behind differing views on baptism.

That's why this is so crucial. Now again, remember now, part two is all called the covenant. Chapter seven introduces the doctrine and tells us in concise form what our view of the covenant is. Now, chapter eight follows this, and what do we see chapter eight as?

Of Christ the mediator. What is he the mediator of? Described as the covenant servant, he's the mediator of the new covenant. So notice, you couldn't have this chapter before because you haven't introduced the covenant yet.

The nature of Christ was put forth in chapter two, so we know about the nature of Christ being one person of the Trinity. Oh, by the way, I didn't mention it in chapter two. Remember when we were looking through creeds and we saw that the authors of the creeds preferred instead of persons, subsistences.

You'll notice that our confession uses the two interchangeably. The reason they use subsistence is because people started to confuse the person of Jesus Christ with us being a person, and there's a difference.

Here we see him in his role as the mediator of the new covenant, very specific. So now we come to another chapter. You're going to get tired of me saying this, but so many of these terms and chapters are misunderstood and misconstrued, of free will.

What's one of the charges leveled against Calvinists and Reformed Baptists? You don't believe in free will. We got a whole chapter on free will, but free will is most often misused, misunderstood, and this chapter addresses the will of man.

What was the will of man prior to the fall? What's the will of man after the fall? What was the nature of man's will before and after the fall? What is the effect of regeneration on the will of man? How is this all tied in with the covenant?

You can see how that is important. Now, chapters 10 to 13 presents the structure of the covenant from God's perspective, because as we go through this, you'll see there's a logic and a cogency if you separate it this way.

I'll show you what I mean. Chapter 10 is effectual calling. Sometimes referred to as irresistible grace. When God calls you, you will come. But notice, who does the calling? Who effects the calling? What is your role in effectual calling?

You don't have a role. This is all the work of God. Chapter 10, justification. Who justifies? Do you justify yourself? No. Chapter 12 of adoption. You go running to God and say, please adopt me? No, he adopts you into his family and then explains everything to you, so you can see.

And then of sanctification, and here some people balk a little bit. Who does the work of sanctification? God. Okay. Do you have responsibilities in your sanctification? Yes, you do. But it's the work of God.

Remember, Philippians, for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to do. Work out your sanctification with fear and trembling. But it's God who wills and God who does. Now that's the first part of the covenant.

Chapters 14 to 18 presents the covenant from man's perspective. Because remember, the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man run side by side. There's no conflict. God is sovereign and man is responsible.

Saving faith. Notice, that's why you might have said, well, where is faith? How come we didn't see faith in that first section? Because this is your responsibility. You have to exercise faith. Now you can't do that until God has done those other things.

Until he effectually calls you, you will never exercise faith. But faith is something that you do. Of repentance and life unto salvation. Repentance is your work. Again, God grants it to you. But it is something that you must do.

What did Peter say after the Pentecost? People said, what must I do to be saved? Repent and be baptized. Of good works. Good works. We're required to do good works in the kingdom of God. Not for salvation, as a result of the salvation.

And in fact, you see that even where it is in the perseverance of the saints. Granted the perseverance of the saints, God is at work there as well. But we are told that we are to persevere. We are told to overcome.

So it is definitely a part of our work involved in there. So you see, that's the covenant, okay? Now, coming out of that, no, wait a minute, we got a couple more, sorry. Of the assurance of grace and salvation, you say, well, assurance, is that my work?

Yeah, Peter tells us, make your calling and election sure. Assurance of faith is a result of spiritual maturity. If you've been a Christian for a long period of time, you shouldn't be vacillating over, am I saved or am I not saved?

And if you are, you need to work that out with fear and trembling. Because you'll never be as productive as you can be, you'll never reach your potentiality as a believer if you don't have assurance. Now, chapters 19 to 20 present how the gospel is spread, okay?

The law of God, what's the first step in presenting the gospel? People gotta know their lawbreakers, right? Remember, you've heard me say this a number of times back in the days of the hippies, back in the 60s and 70s, all right?

The hippies used, the Jesus people, they used to put up, Jesus saves, you know? Then somebody right underneath it, saved from what? All right, it's a good question. You can't present salvation unless you find out why do I need salvation?

Because we're all lawbreakers, okay? And so there's a whole chapter on the law of God. This is missing in most evangelical evangelism today. Chapter 20, of the gospel and the extent of the grace thereof.

Interesting, in a lot of the early confessions, not to Westminster, not to Savoy, and certainly not ours, chapter 20 is not in there, like in the Heidelberg, it's not there. Not that they didn't believe in evangelism, but they never sought fit to do this, and yet you see that we have a whole chapter on the gospel and its intent.

Okay, that's part two. Part three, and this again is where we come into a lot of misunderstanding of Christian liberty and the liberty of conscience, all right? The term Christian liberty is almost universally misused, and the first section of chapter, that should be chapter 21, I'm sorry.

Describes freedom from sin and from the wrath of God. That is really what Christian liberty is all about. When most people talk about Christian liberty, they talk about, I have the freedom to do this, you know?

You can't tell me I can't do this because I have Christian liberty. There's an element of that, but it's way, way down on the priority of chapter 21. The first section introduces freedom from sin and from the wrath of God.

That's the liberty that you have, all right? So we need to be very strong in that. This chapter introduces part three of the confession and tells us how the Christian should live in this world. You're free from sin, from bondage, and you have a conscience that gives you liberty, all right?

This is a quote from John Owen. No, I'm sorry, this is from John Calvin, all right? I get my Johns confused. All right, I want you to see this. Now, he's talking specifically about the Christian liberty.

I got that wrong up there, too. That should already be Christian liberty. We are now to treat of Christian liberty the explanation of which certainly ought to not be omitted by anyone proposing to give a compendious summary of gospel doctrine, for it is a matter of primary necessity.

Notice what he says. Primary necessity, one without the knowledge of which the conscience can scarcely attempt anything without hesitation, and many must demure and fluctuate and in all proceed with fickleness and trepidation.

In particular, it forms a proper appendix to justification and is of no little service in understanding its force. That's quite a statement. And then I want to show you one more quotation. This one is by John Owen, all right, and he says this.

Look at what he says. The second principle of the Reformation, you get that? According to Owen, the second principle of the Reformation, whereon the reformers justified their separation from the Church of Rome was this, that people were not tied up into blind obedience unto church guides, but were not only at liberty, but also obliged to judge for themselves as unto all things that they were to believe and practice in religion and the worship of God.

They knew that the whole fabric of the papacy did stand on this basis or dunghill, that the mystery of iniquity was cemented by this device, namely that the people were ignorant, and to be kept in ignorance, being obliged in all things unto implicit obedience unto their pretended guides.

I wish he was a little more clear. All right, chapter 22 of Religious Worship and the Sabbath. Now notice this is, what this whole section does, how do you live your life? Remember what we've done. We've got the foundation, all of the essential doctrine.

Then we have the second part, the covenant, how we are to work out our Christianity. Now here is, how do you live and how do you worship in society? So chapter 22 of Religious Worship and the Sabbath, all right?

First, and notice they put that as the first one. Chapter 23 of Lawful Oaths and Vows, it was very controversial, who could take vows, what vows should you take, etc. So the whole chapter on vows, chapter on the civil magistrate, what is our responsibility to the civil magistrate?

This is one of the things that the elders were discussing just before this. We've got to respond to this pandemic, and to reduce how many people can meet and everything else. We have certain obligations to the civil magistrate, and what we have to do as elders is work out, how does that affect us as a church, okay?

Of marriage, marriage is not something that two people decide to do. It's a God-ordained institution, and so the confession tells us about what marriage is, what's a legitimate marriage. Of the church, what do we expect of the church?

How do we fit into the church? What are our obligations to the church? What is the church's obligation to us? Of the communion of the saints, very neglected passage. Communion of the saints, what is our relationship one to another?

Remember, there's no such thing as a lone ranger Christian. God established the church, and because we are social beings and we need one another, all right? And that's why, just look at all the one anothering passages in scripture.

Love one another, edify one another, all of those things, all right? Of baptism in the Lord's Supper, introduces the ordinances, only two ordinances of the church, two sacraments or two ordinances, whichever you prefer.

And then in the next two chapters, it spells out what we believe about baptism, who's properly administered in baptism, and then, of course, the Lord's Supper. That's part three, all under Christian liberty and liberty of conscience.

Part four, it's very brief, it's the future, all right? And chapter 31 is the state of man after death and of the resurrection of the dead. You can see why this is chapter 31, can't put this before anything else, all right?

So what it talks about, what happens to you when you die as a believer and a non-believer, okay? And what about the resurrection of the dead, all right? So there's a lot of heresies that are refuted just by this section of the confession, and then the last one, of the last judgment.

One of the errors that we have seen creeping into the church is that of conditional immortality or annihilationism. If you read these chapters, it blows that away because you know what it is? Because it actually goes all the way back to of man and the free will, man has an immortal soul, right?

Your soul lasts forever once you're created, all right? And this is going to tell you what happens to it. Those who hold to conditional immortality reject those doctrines. They say, no, your soul will cease to exist.

That's a heresy, all right? And notice, here again is what does Jim Ranahan say? Got to read it sideways, okay? So you can't just read this. You got to go back to chapter six and that whole first section of the confession.

Then I just wanted to conclude with this. This is the concluding statement of the 1689 council. And so I'll just read that to you. We, the ministers and messengers of and concerned for upwards of 100 baptized churches in England and Wales.

Denying Arminianism, being met together in London from the 3rd of the 7th month to the 11th of the same, 1689, to consider of some things that might be for the glory of God and the good of these congregations.

Have thought meet for the satisfaction of all other Christians that differ from us in the point of baptism to recommend to their perusal the confession of our faith. Which confession we own as containing the doctrine of our faith and practice and do desire that the members of our churches respectively do furnish themselves therewith, that's how they concluded.

Questions on the structure or the outline of our confession? I hope you can see there is a logic and a cogency to it. Yes, no, no questions.