Reformed Presbyterian Testimony

1. God has revealed Himself in His works, called natural or general revelation, and His Word, called special revelation. This self-revelation contains all that man needs to know about God. The revelation of God in His works is clear, but it does not make known the covenant purposes of God. Hence, God began, from the creation of man, to make known the covenant relationship He had established between Himself and man. These matters could not have become known to man except by special (verbal) revelation.

2. These two forms of revelation, His works and His Word, are complementary. Any apparent obscurity of either of them, or alleged confusion or contradiction between them, arises from the natural limitations of man, and especially from his sinful state of rebellion against God, and the resultant curse of God upon him and the whole creation. The Scripture reveals that both the works of God and the written Word of God have been spoken into being by the Son, the living Word of God, the Creator, who also, as the incarnate Mediator and risen Savior continues to uphold the universe by His powerful Word.

3. The revelation of God’s works can be rightly understood only in the light of the written Word.

4. The living Word became man, Jesus Christ. In His life, death and resurrection He fulfilled the covenant broken by man’s disobedience and did most completely reveal God and His purpose for man. The Son makes the Father known to man; yet the Son is not known by man except by the Spirit through the Scripture. Hence, the Scripture is the final word of God to man for faith and life.

5. God gave His written revelation progressively by holy men whom He chose, and inspired and infallibly guided to write inerrantly and completely the revelation of His will. No further such revelation is to be received. The human authors with differing skills expressed themselves in the peculiar idioms and a variety of literary forms common to their times. They used human sources of historical information and they recorded interpretations of those events and prophecies concerning the future that God revealed to them. In all they wrote, however, they were guided by the Holy Spirit as to matter and manner so that their writings are indeed the Word of God

6. We reject any view of Scripture that denies the objective truth of the Bible by making the authority of its message dependent on the circumstances or the subjective experience of the reader.

7. We reject the notion that the process of revelation was a mechanical one in which the writers were reduced to mere stenographers.

8. We also reject all theories of composition that make the writers mere editors or collectors of human tradition and liturgy, so that their writings are but human accounts or interpretations of religious development under God.

9. We reject the teaching that prophecy is history written after the event.

10. The Old Testament is the word of Christ and is of equal authority with the New Testament. Nor are the earthly words of Christ quoted in the Scriptures in any way of greater authority or of greater significance to the Church than the rest of God’s Word. It is the triune God who speaks with equal and absolute authority in and through every part of Scripture.

11. The truthfulness of God, and not the reasonableness of any doctrine, is the ground of our faith. It is the work of the Gospel to cast down reasonings against the knowledge of God, and to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ

12. We reject the view that the Bible sets forth truth in the form of myth.

13. We reject the view that the Bible is only partially inspired, that inspiration pertains only to “revelational” matters, or “saving” truth, or that the Bible as originally given contains any inaccuracy in fact or history.

14. We reject the view that the Holy Spirit gives personal revelations or that He leads men apart from the general principles of the Word or contrary to its teachings.

15. We reject the concept that there is continuing revelation of God in the actions, decisions or decrees of the Church.

16. There are in the Scripture doctrines which unassisted reason could never have discovered; and yet, when revealed, are perfectly intelligible by the human mind. Other doctrines are taught in Scripture which human reason cannot fully comprehend and which must be received on the authority of God.

17. We reject any suggestion that God uses human reason on a level with Scripture to reveal His truth.

18. Bible translations must combine faithfulness to the original text with the idiom of the native language, and thus will always be imperfect. The Church is responsible to examine the documents available to determine as far as possible what was originally written, and to study the translations as to their accuracy in conveying the meaning of the original, and to advise the public concerning them. Paraphrases, which interpret rather than translate, must be used with great caution.

19. All men have the right to read the Bible, to inquire into its meaning, and to adopt the doctrines it teaches. In studying the Bible men must depend upon the illumination of the Holy Spirit. They must use God-given human faculties and search in earnest for the truth, in submission to the authority of Scripture. In interpreting the Bible consideration must be given to the historical situation in which the passage was written, to the grammatical structure, and to the literary form. The instruction and counsel of fellow believers, of teachers of the Word, and creeds and confessions of the Church should be given due consideration. When men understand the message of the Bible, they must earnestly seek to obey that message in all that they think and do

1. The true God is revealed in Scripture. Any concept of God, however sincerely held, that is contrary to Scripture is false, and in the end idolatrous. A knowledge of the true God is essential to saving faith.

2. We reject any teaching which denies or obscures the difference between God the Creator and man the creature or the rest of creation.

3. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are equally to be worshipped by angels and men.

4. The doctrine of the Trinity is knowable only by special revelation. It is not possible for an explanation or comparison from any other source to serve as a true representation of this doctrine.

5. We reject any teaching which subordinates any person of the Godhead as to substance, power or glory.

6. The Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, proceeds from the Father and the Son, and is truly God, of the same substance, equal in power and glory with the Father and the Son. He is to be believed in, loved, obeyed and worshipped by men in all ages.

7. The Holy Spirit, as the giver of life, is everywhere present and makes mani - fest the grace of God toward all His creatures. He supplies man’s powers of reason and conscience, restrains his disposition toward evil, and preserves a degree of justice and morality in society. His common work for all mankind does not regenerate but leaves those who reject God without excuse.

8. The special work of the Holy Spirit is to apply to the elect the redeem - ing benefits of Christ’s atonement. The outward and ordinary means through which He communicates the knowledge of redemption is the written Word, in which is infallibly recorded the will of God for man’s salvation. He prepares for the reception of the Word and accompanies it with His persuasive power. He regenerates the elect by His grace, convicts them of sin, moves them to repentance and persuades and enables them to embrace Christ through faith. In re - generation He works secretly, super - naturally and effectually. This work is in itself so distinct and necessary, that without it, no evidence of the truth of the Gospel, no power of argument, no persuasion of love or of terror, no human eloquence, no combination of the most favorable circumstances, can be effectual in producing salvation.

9. The Holy Spirit in uniting all be - lievers to Christ, dwells in them as their Comforter, guiding, teaching and performing in them all those gracious activities by which they are sanctified and sealed unto the day of redemption. His guidance and teaching cannot contradict anything written in God’s Word, but makes known the will of God to His people through prayer and submission to the Word.

10. We reject the teaching that inner light, dreams, visions or charismatic gifts provide a new, more advanced or infallible revelation of God

11. The sin against the Holy Spirit which will not be forgiven, commonly called the unpardonable sin, is the final—secret or open—rejection of His testimony concerning Jesus Christ. It is a sin unto death, because it is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and because, by its very nature, it is the willful and persistent rejection of the only hope of forgiveness through the Savior. On the other hand, the fear of having committed this sin, together with an earnest desire for fellowship with God in Christ, give evidence that this sin has not been committed

12. The Holy Spirit, abiding in believers, unites them to Christ the Head, and to one another in the Church which is His body. He imparts various gifts and graces to all her members that they may serve Christ. He calls and fits His servants for their work, and qualifies all officers of the Church for their particular tasks. He makes effective the Word and the ordinances of the Gospel. By Christ working through His Spirit, the Church will be preserved, increased, purified, and, at last, made perfectly holy in the presence of God to all eternity.

13. We reject the view that the work of the Holy Spirit is limited to individuals.

14. We reject the teaching that some true believers have not received the Holy Spirit.

15. We reject the teaching that particular charismatic gifts such as those of tongues and of healing are normal or necessary signs of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

1. We reject any teaching which asserts that God has not planned all that comes to pass.

2. It is God’s decree which by itself completely determines the course of history; it is never the course of history which in any way determines or modifies God’s decree.

3. We reject the teaching that God is unjust in choosing some sinners to salvation and leaving others to suffer merited condemnation.

1. The account of creation in Genesis 1 and 2 is history, not mythology.

2. Since all things were created and exist according to the will of God they are controlled in purpose and duration by the same will.

3. The theory of evolution which assumes that chance happenings are an explanation of the origin and development of matter and living things is unscriptural. God created various kinds of living forms with tremendous potential for variation. The increase of varieties which has occurred is within genetic limitations provided at creation.

4. We deny that man evolved from any lower form of life.

5. We reject all theories of continuing creation.

6. God created man and woman as His image bearers to complement one another. Scripture describes the responsibilities of each and their proper relationship to one another. Distinctions between the sexes do not imply superiority or inferiority of persons. Family life and social order become disrupted when these distinctions are confused or ignored.

7. God made man ruler over His creation in a covenant relationship with Himself in order to glorify His name. As ruler, man was not created to be his own law-maker, but is subject to the covenant. Since the fall man continues to fulfill the creation mandate. Through Christ’s redemptive reign over all things the gracious purposes of God for the whole creation are being accomplished through men, sinful though they are.

8. Man is steward of the creation and should treat his resources of material wealth, environment, health, energy and talents as gifts of God, for which he must give account.

9. We reject any view of man’s relationship to his environment which either leads to his irresponsible exploitation of, or denies his proper dominion over, the earth.

10. The whole creation now groans because of man’s sin. It, along with man, will be delivered from corruption at the consummation of all things.

11. The Scriptures teach that everything belongs to God; that the authority and power to obtain and use goods are given by God; and that men are to seek God’s glory in the use of their goods. The Scriptures direct how goods are to be obtained and used. No existing economic system incorporates all these teachings.

12. We reject Marxist communism because of its doctrines of atheism, necessary class struggle, economic determinism, dialectical materialism, and the inherent illegitimacy of private property.

13. We reject that form of capitalism which holds that men possess absolute property rights and that the state has no right to protect the weak and restrain evil in economic affairs.

14. We reject that form of socialism which denies the right to own property. We warn against the concentration of economic power in the hands of the state, as it tends to deprive men of the due reward of their labor.

15. The Scriptures require the Christian to exercise stewardship over his pos - sessions. In view of that requirement, he should contribute gladly to the Lord’s work and give generously to the poor and needy. Under the old covenant the Lord required the prac - tice of tithing. Recognizing the greater blessings under the new covenant and the fact that Christ endorsed tithing, the Christian should respond out of love by giving at least as great a propor - tion of his income to the Lord’s work through the Church.

16. The Church, regardless of the eco - nomic system under which it exists, has the duty to speak against social evils such as oppression of the poor. The Church must never become the instru - ment of any powerful exploiting class.

17. To possess wealth is not in itself sinful, but men should resist the temptation to accumulate wealth by exploiting others or for sinful pur - poses.

1. We reject all theories of the continuation or dissolution of the universe due to any other cause than the will of the Creator.

2. God’s providence should lead the believer to be patient in adversity and thankful in prosperity, resting confidently in his Lord. He is to seek to understand the meaning and purpose of God’s dealings with him in the light of the Word of God.

3. We reject the belief that God does not exercise His providence in all parts of His creation, and in all actions of His creatures; or that some areas of life are controlled by so-called luck or chance.

4. Gambling is a sin against God because it denies His providential care and increases dependence on the erroneous notion of luck or chance. It involves and encourages greed and the desire to get something for nothing at the expense of others. Its satanic character is demonstrated in the way it obsesses individuals. Some examples of unwarranted gambling the Christian should avoid are lotteries, bingo for gain, wagerings, raffles and bets. Many of the same objections may be brought against sweepstakes, door prizes, drawings and other similar practices. The Church should testify against the dependence of public agencies on revenues derived from gambling sources.

5. Satan has power in the world which includes predictions of the future, signs and wonders that deceive, and possession of persons. Satan often duplicates that which belongs to God even to the establishment of churches that serve him. Therefore Christians are to flee the working of Satan in such things as fortune telling, horoscopes, astrology, palmistry, witchcraft, conjurings, seances, drug experiences and Satan worship.

1. This corruption of man’s nature is commonly called total depravity. Two examples in the Scripture demonstrate that being human is not equivalent to being sinful—that of Adam before the fall and of Christ in His human nature. Since the fall every part of man’s nature is affected by sin. His understanding is darkened; he is motivated by wrong principles, is rebellious and wholly unable of his own will to love God or to obtain salvation. Natural men are not equally evil, nor as evil as they might be. They may conform to some human standards of goodness.

2. Every man was created in the image of God. His life, therefore, whether he is regenerate or unregenerate, should be recognized as having value to himself, to society, and to God.

1. We reject the teaching that Adam was not a covenant head and representative of all his descendants. We reject the view that Adam’s headship involves any injustice.

2. By this principle of covenant headship the guilt and penalty of sin come upon all men by Adam’s one sin; and by the obedience of Christ, the second covenant head, righteousness and life come upon all men who believe.

3. The Covenant of Works has not been revoked. All men remain under its requirement of perfect obedience and will have to give account according to it at the last judgment. In the Covenant of Grace Jesus Christ has fulfilled the requirements of the Covenant of Works for His people. By His death Christ secured the delay of the full penalty of death for sin (the second death, Rev. 20:14-15) for all men. They therefore may enjoy the creation and have some fruitful toil in it for God’s glory, even though they be rebellious against Him. This is usually called common grace.

4. We reject the concept that God extends grace to any man apart from the atoning work of Christ.

5. By the Covenant of Grace, God brings the elect into fellowship with Himself. This fellowship begins in this life when man repents and believes in Jesus Christ; it is a fuller fellowship when at death men depart to be with Christ; and it will be made perfect when believers shall be raised up in glory.

6. We reject the teaching that God will reinstate the temple and its rites and ceremonies.

7. We reject the teaching that salvation is or has been available in any way other than by the grace offered and confirmed in Christ.

1. Jesus Christ, as Mediator, governs all creatures and all their actions for His own glory. Submission is due to Him from all men and angels. All men, in every possible relation and condition, are under obligation to promote His gracious purposes according to His law. The holy angels minister, under His direction, to the heirs of salvation.

2. Jesus Christ, as Head over all things for the sake of the Church, rules in perfect wisdom and justice over all parts of His creation including wicked men and devils. He makes them, and all their counsels and efforts, serve God’s glory in the plan of redemption.

3. We reject any teaching that denies or obscures the truth that Jesus is both God and man in two distinct natures and one person forever.

4. We reject any teaching that would place any mediator between Christ and man.

5. It is in the office of Mediator that Christ fulfills and applies the Covenant of Grace, and in doing so, accomplishes the Covenant of Works.

6. We reject the teaching that all men already are in Christ and have been redeemed by Him, whether they realize it or not.

7. Christ did not lay down His life to atone for the sins of all mankind, nor for an indefinite number of sinners. His sacrifice was indeed sufficient to save the whole world, had it been designed to do so; but in the purpose of God and in the undertaking of Christ, it was determined that He should make atonement for those who were elected in Him to everlasting life; these only He represented, and these only shall be saved through His redemption. This truth is commonly called limited atonement or particular redemption

8. The reprobate, because of their connection with God’s elect who live among them, are partakers of some benefits which flow from Christ’s death; divine judgments are sometimes averted for the sake of the saints; the peace and prosperity of nations are furthered by the providence of God over His people; benevolence and temperance are promoted by the Church’s teaching and influence; and the world is continued under its present administration until all the elect are brought to salvation

1. We reject the teaching that the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration is dependent upon the exercise of man’s free will.

1. Preaching the Gospel consists in the offer of salvation through Christ to sinners, accompanied with such an explanation of the various parts of God’s Word as may help to persuade men to receive Christ as Savior, and to live and walk in Him

2. The elect are effectually called by means of the Gospel offer. This offer is not a declaration to any sinner that his name is in the Book of Life. It is founded upon God’s command to offer Christ and all His benefits to sinners. There is no inconsistency between the biblical doctrine of particular redemption and the command to offer the Gospel to all men.

3. We reject the teaching that the Gospel offer of salvation is freely and truly offered only to the elect. We reject the teaching that particular redemption is to be so understood and presented that Christ as ransom and propitiation is not preached or offered to all men indiscriminately.

4. We reject the teaching that all will be effectually called and ultimately saved.

5. We reject the view that those who are diligent and sincere in a false religion have eternal life.

6. Evangelism is the proclamation of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord as He is offered in the Gospel. Christ laid the responsibility upon the whole Church to make this proclamation. The task is not restricted to ordained officers. Each member is to take his share of the responsibility according to the gifts God has given him.

7. Those evangelizing should use all available means consistent with the Bible so that every person may be given the opportunity to hear, understand and receive the Gospel. While guarding against undue pressure, we must urge men to be reconciled to God.

8. Evangelism is not only to seek the conversion of sinners but also to build them up to become effective in the Church’s continuing task.

9. The Great Commission requires the Church to take the whole Gospel to the whole world. The Bible recognizes the legitimacy of diverse cultures. Every culture is to be transformed and made subject to Christ through redeemed men, all for the glory of God.

10. Wherever consistent with faithfulness to God’s truth, different branches of the visible church should cooperate in evangelism to strengthen their witness by demonstrating their unity in Christ.

1. Justification is a legal declaration that the sinner is acquitted from the guilt of sin, and is considered righteous before God. Although he is still an unworthy sinner, yet because he is united to Christ, he has Christ’s perfect righteousness imputed to him.

2. Faith in Christ is the only means of justification. The imputed righteousness of Christ is the only basis for justification.

3. We reject the teaching that man’s works have a part in his justification.

4. The justification of the believer does not diminish his obligation to obey divine law.

1. All the elect, and only they, are adopted into the family of God. The adoption of saints under the Old Testament dispensation was as real as that under the New Testament, although they were regarded as children under age. Under the New Testament God bestows His Spirit more abundantly. He gives more knowledge of, and intimacy with, Himself. He receives on equal grounds those from every part of the world. He allows greater boldness in approaching Him.

2. Justification and adoption, although inseparably connected, are nevertheless distinct from one another. They are both acts of God’s free grace. They are both performed once, and not repeated. They both spring from the grace of God; both give a right to all the privileges of the sons of God; and both are received through faith alone.

3. Justification applies to believers as those who were guilty, and in a state of condemnation, but whose sins are now pardoned, and they are accounted righteous. Adoption applies to believers as those who were aliens and strangers to God. They were children of wrath, but by this gracious act are brought near unto God and made the children of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.

4. There is a sense in which God is the Father of all men, because He created them. They are therefore obligated to love and seek the welfare of one another; yet to the redeemed alone belongs the right to be called the sons of God.

5. We reject the common conception of the universal fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of men, which denies the distinction between the saved and the unsaved.

6. We reject the teaching that sonship, conferred in adoption, will ever be annulled by God.

1. God’s work of sanctification is designed to restore the whole person after the image of God. The moral law of God, perfectly fulfilled in the life of Christ, reveals God’s holiness and declares His will to man, and is therefore the standard for sanctification.

2. We reject the view that in this life some Christians do not sin.

3. Proper proclamation of the doctrine of sanctification must call believers to struggle diligently against sin.

4. Sanctification is inseparably connected with justification, but is distinct from it. By justification the sinner is acquitted from condemnation; by sanctification he is made holy, and prepared for the happiness of heaven. Justification is complete at once, and equal in all believers; sanctification is neither equal in all, nor perfect in any, while in this life. Nevertheless, all who are justified shall be completely sanctified.

1. Saving faith is the gift of the triune God. It is the Father’s will that the elect should be united to Christ by faith. The Son, by His death, provided that saving faith should be freely granted to them. The Holy Spirit, therefore, regenerates each one of them, enabling them to receive Jesus Christ by faith as their Lord and Savior.

2. We reject the teaching that regeneration is the result of saving faith.

3. Saving faith will normally come to expression in a public confession of Christ within the visible church.

4. We reject the doctrine of universal salvation.

5. We reject the idea that a man can be saved by any means other than faith in Jesus Christ.

6. We reject the idea that unregenerate people can be persuaded to believe without the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

7. We reject the concept that saving faith is merely agreeing that the Bible is historically accurate, and that the doctrines of the Bible are true.

8. The proper basis for believing is the infinite sufficiency of Christ to save, the unrestricted free invitation to come to Him for salvation, God’s command to all to repent and believe, and the promise of salvation to those who believe and obey the Gospel.

9. God’s offer of salvation is genuine, regardless of man’s response.

10. We reject the idea that saving faith is a man’s persuading himself that he is elect, and that he has already been saved.

1. Repentance leads to eternal life only when it is accompanied by faith in Christ.

2. Although a believer is freed from the penalty of sin by justification, he is still bound to give perfect obedience to God’s law. Because of incomplete sanctification he is unable to do this, but daily breaks the commands of God in thought, word and deed. Therefore, all men are in continual need of repentance.

3. We reject the doctrine that Christians can in this life attain a condition in which they no longer have need of repentance

4. Unregenerate men may, and often do, feel regret or remorse, realizing that sin brings shame and misery and is an obstacle to the happiness they seek; but they may not see sin as an offense against the holy God. Since they do not turn to God, they do not exercise true repentance.

5. The unpardonable sin is the rejection of the testimony of the Holy Spirit concerning Jesus Christ. It is the willful and persistent rejection of the only hope of forgiveness through the Savior.

6. Self-examination is essential to true repentance. A person must examine his life to detect specific sins, and repent of them.

7. Since sin is primarily an offense against God, confession to other men cannot take the place of repentance toward God. Since each one is to confess his sins to God, the source of forgiveness, he has no need of priest or other intermediary except Jesus Christ. He should also confess to men against whom he has sinned, and submit to all lawful penalties.

8. Every man bears a degree of responsibility for the sins of groups in which he participates. When sins are corporate, repentance and confession should be corporate as well as individual.

9. Godly repentance implies true faith and union with Christ, but is not the ground of pardon. It precedes the joy which flows from the assurance of pardon.

1. Good works, while not a means of salvation, are required of believers as a testimony to God’s grace, as evidence of regeneration and as a blessing to mankind.

2. We reject the notion that sincerity of performance, or the declaration of a church, can make any act a “good work.”

3. We reject the idea that we, by good works, can win favor with God, either for ourselves or for others.

4. By God’s grace, many unregenerate men have generous impulses and may lead outwardly moral lives. Yet good works are only those things done in obedience to His revealed will, out of sincere love for Him and desire to serve Him. The Christian may work with unbelievers in seeking the good of society, but his chief motive should be the glory of God. Christians should avoid any voluntary association in which they cannot maintain a consistent testimony for Christ.

1. Men may profess faith in Jesus Christ and have the outward appearance of being regenerate, for a time, and yet finally fall away from this profession.

2. We reject the view that, because it appears to happen in human observation, true believers can fall away and be eternally lost.

3. The Church cannot discern hypocrites so long as they continue to profess the true religion, and appear obedient to the law of God.

4. We reject the view that the Church is able to judge the hearts of men.

5. We reject the accusation that the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is opposed to the believers’ responsibility to pursue their own growth in holiness.

1. A man may believe himself to be saved when he is not. A man can also fear that he is not saved, when in actual fact he is.

2. The Holy Spirit gives assurance of salvation by leading believers to rest confidently on God’s promises, producing in their lives the love for Christ and others which is the fruit of the new birth and enabling them to call upon God as their loving Father in heaven.

3. Spiritual experiences or circumstances, however worthy, such as birth of Christian parents, church membership, participation in the sacraments, the hearing of the Word, good works, response to an altar call, speaking in tongues, and other real or imagined evidences of grace, do not of themselves constitute a basis for assurance of salvation.

4. We reject the view that, without saving faith, participation in the sacraments or the use of any other means of grace is a proper basis of assurance.

5. We reject the teaching that assurance must be chiefly based upon one’s memory of a particular conversion experience.

6. It is the task of the Church to declare the Word of God so that the believer, being enabled by the Holy Spirit, can discern his own true inward condition, and thus know that he is saved; but it is not the proper function of the minister or any other person to tell people whether they are saved.

7. We reject the view that preaching the Gospel consists merely in urging people to assent to its truth.

8. While the Scriptures require self-examination, a believer must remember that his heart can be deceived, and that he is always subject to the temptation to trust in works rather than in Christ. A person should not lightly assume he is saved.

9. A believer’s lack of assurance may evidence sinful neglect. Fear respecting the state of a man’s own heart is not necessarily the sin of unbelief, for unbelief consists in rejecting the Gospel, not in questioning the presence of grace in the heart.

10. We reject the teaching that a full assurance of salvation is so inseparably connected with saving faith that a believer cannot be saved without it.

11. We reject the teaching that assurance of salvation leads to complacency, or is unimportant to the life and walk of faith, to prayer, and to good works.

1. This law is still the rule of God’s judgment of men. Christ has fulfilled the requirements of the law for His people by His perfect obedience and His propitiation for their sins.

2. The ceremonial laws were fulfilled by Christ as our high priest and are no longer binding.

3. We reject the teaching that believers are not required to keep all of the Ten Commandments under the New Testament.

4. A believer’s obedience to the law of God is a proper expression of his thankfulness for the love which he has experienced in the Savior.

5. We reject the view that obedience to God’s law is sinful legalism.

6. Sinful legalism consists of mere outward conformity to the law in the absence of love to the Lawgiver. It often involves the effort to gain salvation or reward through such obedience, and the tendency to require of others a similar pattern of conduct. It may also involve adding human requirements that evade God’s law.

1. Christian liberty consists primarily in the believer’s freedom from the guilt and power of sin, in freedom from the ceremonial law and in freedom of access to God through Christ.

2. Christ sets believers free not only from a feeling of guilt, but from actual guilt.

3. We reject the teaching that believers under the Old Testament had no such liberty as belongs to believers under the New Testament. The difference between the liberty enjoyed under the Old and New Testaments is one of degree rather than kind.

4. Conscience is a sense of right and wrong by which one evaluates his own thoughts and behavior. When one follows his conscience, he feels a measure of contentment; when he violates his conscience, he feels distress. Conscience is natural to man, and implies his accountability to God, but it is not the rule of faith and practice. Conscience shows the work of the law written on the heart, but is distorted by the work of Satan, by man’s sinful nature, and by the ungodly standards of the world. The Christian’s conscience is to be directed by God’s revealed law, under the illumination of the Holy Spirit, with due attention to the teaching and admonition of the brethren. Although conscience is not infallible, a person should not do what he believes to be wrong.

5. Liberty of conscience differs from Christian liberty. Liberty of conscience is the freedom to interpret and apply God’s Word to one’s own life. The Christian is to render due submission in the Lord to any lawful authority, but he has the right to disagree with any improper use of human authority. If that authority requires him to sin, he must obey God rather than man. Individual liberty is regulated by the principles found in Scripture and is limited by the mutual duties believers owe to one another, and by concern for the welfare of all men.

6. The civil magistrate has no authority to pronounce ecclesiastical censures.

1. All people are required to worship the true God, in a scriptural manner, with sincerity of heart. Sincerity cannot make unscriptural worship acceptable to God. Proper worship is to be conducted in an orderly manner. The tendency to emphasize ritual, liturgy and ceremony is contrary to the Scriptures.

2. Worship is to be offered only in accordance with God’s appointment, and in harmony with the scriptural principle that whatever is not commanded in the worship of God, by precept or example, is forbidden.

3. The use of pictures or images of Jesus in worship, or as aids to devotion, is unscriptural. The Scriptures do not provide a sufficient description of His physical appearance to picture Him. The work of artists should not be received as accurate representations of His Person.

4. Public prayer is to accompany the reading and preaching of the Word.

5. Singing God’s praise is part of public worship in which the whole congregation should join. The Book of Psalms, consisting of inspired psalms, hymns and songs, is the divinely authorized manual of praise. The use of other songs in worship is not authorized in the Scriptures. The Greek words in the New Testament which are translated “psalm,” “hymn” and “song” all appear in the Septuagint (Greek) version of the Book of Psalms.

6. The Psalms are to be sung without the accompaniment of instruments, which are not part of the New Testament pattern of worship. Musical instruments were commanded for use with the offering of sacrifices in the Old Testament temple worship. The death of Christ being the perfect and final sacrifice brought an end to this way of worship. There is neither command for nor example of the use of musical instruments in the words or practice of Christ and the apostles. The command of the New Testament is to offer the sacrifice of praise—the fruit of our lips.

7. Religious fasting is an ordinance of God in which the believer voluntarily abstains from food for a season for the purpose of seeking the will of God, strength for service or deeper spirituality. It should be accompanied by meditation, self-examination, humiliation before God, confession of sin, repentance and renewed dedication to a life of obedience

8. The presentation of tithes and offerings is warranted as part of worship.

9. Heads of families are responsible for leadership in family worship.

10. Worship in small groups is also encouraged by the Scripture.

11. We reject the teaching that the Fourth Commandment is no longer binding under the New Testament.

12. God promises rich blessings for keeping the Lord’s Day holy.

1. There is scriptural warrant for swearing with the hand uplifted. Christians should avoid all superstitious or pagan customs in taking an oath.

2. Those Scripture passages warning against taking oaths are to be understood as forbidding profane swearing, or the use of an oath to deceive or to escape one’s duty.

3. The administrator of an oath, whether civil or ecclesiastical, ought to explain the meaning of the oath, and administer it with suitable solemnity. The well-being of individuals and of society requires that the administrator of an oath know and fear God and understand its nature. Oaths should be administered only to those who understand their meaning.

4. An oath is a confirmatory act calling God to witness the performance of a promise. An oath may confirm a vow or a covenant.

5. A vow in Scripture is an act of voluntary dedication to God of one’s person, goods or service. A vow is usually made by an individual.

6. While it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between the uses in Scripture of the words “vow” and “covenant,” a covenant that men make with God differs from a vow in that it is a corporate act of pledging obedience to what God has commanded in His covenant.

7. God has established two covenants with men: the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace (see chap. 7). In accomplishing the Covenant of Grace God made covenants with Noah, Abra - ham, Israel at Sinai (renewed in the plain of Moab), and with David; these were fulfilled in the new covenant by Jesus Christ.

8. God’s covenants require obedience of all men whether they acknowledge their obligation or not. God’s people, individually and corporately, respond to His covenants by solemnly prom - ising to be the Lord’s and to keep His commandments. The Old Testament sacraments, such as circumcision, pass - over and the feast of tabernacles, were means of entering into and periodically renewing Israel’s covenant. Likewise, the sacraments of the New Testament are ordinances for entrance into and renewal of covenant union with God. In addition to these prescribed times of covenant celebration, God’s people under the old covenant engaged in corporate acts of repentance and renewal in relation to the transgres - sion of specific commandments or to general apostasy from God. Scripture calls such acts “covenants.”

9. Covenanting in the New Testament takes the form of confessing Christ and His Lordship. In view of the continued emphasis of the covenantal relationship of God to men in the New Testament, it is appropriate for churches and nations to covenant to be the Lord’s and to serve Him. The statements or documents produced in these acts of covenant response are dependent upon the Covenant of Grace. They are statements of responsibility arising from the application of the Word of God to the times in which they are made. Such covenants have continuing validity in so far as they give true expression to the Word of God for the times and situations in which believers live.

1. We reject the belief that civil government is unnecessary or essentially evil.

2. God has given the exercise of all authority to the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is the Divine Lawgiver, Governor and Judge. His will concerning the purpose of civil government and the principles regarding its functions and operation are revealed in the written Word of God. The Holy Spirit enables even unregenerate rulers to fulfill their proper functions. A true recognition of the authority and law of Christ in national life can only be the fruit of the Spirit’s regenerating power in the lives of individuals.

3. God has assigned to people, both individually and collectively, the responsibility for establishing and maintaining civil government, and the people are accountable to Jesus Christ for the proper exercise of this responsibility.

4. Every nation ought to recognize the Divine institution of civil government, the sovereignty of God exercised by Jesus Christ, and its duty to rule the civil affairs of men in accordance with the will of God. It should enter into covenant with Christ and serve to advance His Kingdom on earth. The negligence of civil government in any of these particulars is sinful, makes the nation liable to the wrath of God, and threatens the continued existence of the government and nation.

5. We reject the view that nations have no corporate responsibility for acknowledging and obeying Christ.

6. It is the duty of every Christian citizen to labor and pray for his nation’s official and explicit recognition of the authority and law of Jesus Christ, Preserver and Ruler of nations, and for the conduct of all governmental affairs in harmony with the written Word of God.

7. We deny that constitutional recognition of Jesus Christ means union of church and state.

8. We reject the teaching that Christians should not seek the establishment of Christian civil government.

9. No particular form of civil government is commanded in the Scriptures. Any form of civil government which observes the duties and limitations set upon it by God in His revealed Word is acceptable to God.

10. We deny that simply having a democratic or republican form of government insures God’s approval and blessing.

11. All officers and employees of a civil government are to be servants of God for good. They are responsible to God for the discharge of lawful duties rightfully assigned to them by human authority. Neither their official position, however, nor the orders of their superiors, nor the will of the people, exonerates them from blame for any unscriptural action or inaction.

12. We reject the view that it is wrong to wage war in defense of life, liberty or religion.

13. Citizens cannot abdicate their responsibility to determine the moral legitimacy of a particular war and to govern their participation accordingly. Such decisions should be made prayerfully in the light of Scripture and with the counsel of the church.

14. When justly administered, capital punishment is a scriptural application of civil authority.

15. The Christian, when such action involves no disloyalty to Christ, ought to be involved in the selection of and to vote for civil rulers who fear God, love truth and justice, hate evil, and are publicly committed to scriptural principles of civil government.

16. It is sinful for a Christian to take an oath which compromises his supreme allegiance to Jesus Christ. It is also sinful to vote for officials who are required to take an oath which a Christian himself could not take in good conscience. Voting involves the voter in responsibility for any act required of the official as a condition of holding his office

17. The Christian must profess publicly and the Church must witness, that Christ is the Ruler of every nation. Whatever the official action of the civil government of a nation may be, the Christian in his civil actions must always exhibit his loyalty to Christ. The Christian must relinquish every right or privilege of citizenship which involves him in silence about, or denial of the supreme authority of Jesus Christ.

18. We reject the portion of paragraph 3 after the colon.

WCF: The civil magistrate may not assume to himself the administration of the Word and sacraments, or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven: yet he hath authority, and it is his duty, to take order, that unity and peace be preserved in the Church, that the truth of God be kept pure and entire; that all blasphemies and heresies be suppressed; all corruptions and abuses in worship and discipline prevented or reformed; and all the ordinances of God duly settled, administered and observed. For the better effecting whereof, he hath power to call synods, to be present at them, and to provide, that whatsoever is transacted in them be according to the mind of God.

19. Both the government of the nation and the government of the visible church are established by God. Though distinct and independent of each other, they both owe supreme allegiance to Jesus Christ. The governments of church and state differ in sphere of authority in that due submission to the government of the visible church is the obligation of members thereof, while due submission to civil government is the obligation of all men. The governments of church and state also have different functions and prerogatives in the advancement of the Kingdom of God. The means of enforcement of the civil government are physical, while those of church government are not. Neither government has the right to invade or assume the authority of the other. They should cooperate to the honor and glory of God, while maintaining their separate jurisdictions.

20. Though responsible for maintaining conditions favorable to the spread of the Gospel, civil government should never attempt to convert men to Christ by the use of force or by persecution. It should guarantee to all its subjects every human right given by God to men. It should, however, restrain and punish its subjects for those sinful actions which fall under its jurisdiction.

21. No civil government which deprives men of civil or religious liberty, fails to protect human life, or proposes to force men to do violence to the spirit and precepts of the Christian religion or interferes unjustly with private ownership of property, can in such matters rightfully expect the submission of its citizens or the blessings of God promised for obedience to Him.

22. Both the Christian and the Church have a responsibility for witnessing against national sins and for promoting justice.

23. The failure of a civil government, through negligence, ignorance, or rebellion, to recognize the authority of Jesus Christ does not cancel its just authority. A civil government, though guilty of many sins, still has authority in so far as it furthers some of the scriptural ends of civil government.

24. Due submission of all persons, cheerfully rendered, to civil officers and to civil government in general, is pleasing to God. No person, however, is required by God to obey civil authority when such authority demands that the citizen or subject do that which is clearly contrary to the law of God as revealed in the Scriptures. In such cases the duty of the Christian is to obey God rather than men. The Christian has a special obligation to render due submission to civil authority in order to express his loyalty to Jesus Christ, to prove his concern for the welfare of all men, and to bring honor to the name of Christ

25. The only submission which a Christian may promise to any civil government is due submission in the Lord. Any promise of submission or oath of allegiance beyond this is sin - ful. If and when the civil government of a nation requires, as a condition of civil service or of holding office, an oath which implies that civil alle - giance transcends the swearer’s con - victions of conscience and obedience to God, it is the Christian’s duty to refuse such an oath. It is within the corporate power of the Church, acting through its courts, to declare that facts or circumstances which may exist in a specific situation render the taking of a civil oath sinful.

26. It is the duty of the Christian to as - certain whether any prescribed oath of allegiance to the civil authority involves acceptance of unchristian principles stated or implied in its constitution of government. If the oath of allegiance to civil authority explicitly or by clear implication requires support of antiChristian, atheistic, or secular principles, then the Christian must refuse on these grounds to take the oath of allegiance.

27. In the matter of taking oaths re - quired by civil authority, the Christian should seek the guidance and support of the Church.

28. It is the duty of the Christian Church to testify to the authority of Christ over the nations, against all anti-Christian, atheistic, and secular principles of civil government, and against all sinful oaths of allegiance to civil governments. When the Church by orderly processes in her own courts determines that the oath of allegiance to a civil government compromises the Christian’s loyalty to Christ or involves the Christian in the support of sinful principles of civil government, the Church must require her members to refuse such sinful oaths.

29. When participating in political elections, the Christian should support and vote only for such men as are publicly committed to scriptural principles of civil government. Should the Christian seek civil office by political election, he must openly inform those whose support he seeks of his adherence to Christian principles of civil government.

30. God alone is Lord of the conscience, and the decisions of civil courts cannot determine for the Christian what is morally right and what is sinful. However, since civil government is an institution of God, it is within the legitimate province of the civil courts of a nation to determine what the nation’s laws and required oaths of allegiance mean or do not mean. A decision of a civil court cannot legitimize sinful conduct, but it can place before a Christian a factual situation upon which a moral judgment can be made. It cannot be proper for the Christian to assume that an oath of allegiance implies sinful requirements, when the civil courts have explicitly contradicted such implication. Every oath must be understood in the sense intended by the authority requiring the oath. It is for the Christian and the Church to decide whether this sense involves sinful requirements.

31. We reject any inference that civil government has jurisdiction over conscience.

1. Marriage is an ordinance of God; however, to be unmarried is also an equally honorable state, and it may be the will of God for a person to remain single. Every effort should be made to submit to the direction of God in this matter, and to maintain a chaste and obedient life style.

2. Premarital sex relations or promiscuous sex practices as well as homosexuality and other perversions of the natural order are violations of God’s law and purpose. All should strive to discipline their sexual desires, maintain purity of thought and practice, and avoid situations which lead to sexual temptation

3. By God’s appointment the marriage relationship is to continue as long as both parties are living. Marriage may not be contracted for any other period. After the death of one party the other party may lawfully marry another.

4. Marriage is a covenant relationship made before God between a man and a woman.

5. The validity of marriage depends on the mutual agreement of the parties, rather than upon official administration; yet for the glory of God and the protection of the parties, and so that the greatness of the privilege and the seriousness of the responsibility of the marriage may be properly impressed on the parties, marriage should be contracted in the presence of a qualified officer and competent witnesses.

6. The marriage of Christians should ordinarily be solemnized by an ordained minister of the Gospel.

7. Parties to marriage should comply with the civil laws regarding marriage as long as these laws are not contrary to Scripture.

8. God created man, male and female, with specific responsibilities to each other.

9. As sexual beings, men and women are, in ordinary circumstances, to marry for the expression of love, the satisfaction of their needs, and the mutual enjoyment of each other, as well as the continuation of the race.

10. God has ordained a natural order within the family: the husband is the head of the family, having a relationship to his wife like that of Christ to the Church. He is ordinarily the provider for his family. He is to love his wife as Christ loves His Church and as his own body. He is to love, discipline and instruct his children, and to lead his family in worship

11. The wife is to be a helper to her husband. The Scripture commands submission to her husband in the Lord. She is to join her husband in the wise use of family resources, the care and instruction of children and the maintenance of the home as a place of love, cheerfulness and hospitality.

12. Children are commanded to obey and honor their parents in the Lord.

13. Family administration involves mutual responsibility. The exchange or confusion of roles in the family in ordinary circumstances results in God’s displeasure and in consequent unhappiness.

14. We deny that the submission in the Lord of a wife to her husband contradicts the equality, in value and dignity, of her person to his.

15. While we abhor the sinful abuses of a husband’s authority and the abdication of his responsibilities within marriage, common since the Fall, we deny that his headship is, in and of itself, a result of sin.

16. Although in certain circumstances in the service of God it may be unwise for a person to marry, we deny that Scripture forbids officers of the Church to marry.

17. We deny that marriage is a more spiritual state than the single life, or that it is necessary for eternal salvation

18. We deny that marriage is necessary for officers in the Church.

19. Unborn children are living creatures in the image of God. From the moment of conception to birth they are objects of God’s providence as they are being prepared by Him for the responsibilities and privileges of postnatal life. Unborn children are to be treated as human persons in all decisions and actions involving them. Deliberately induced abortion, except possibly to save the mother’s life, is murder

20. Christians should not marry those who give only nominal adherence to the Christian faith.

21. We reject the last sentence in paragraph 4 of the Confession of Faith.

WCF: Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity forbidden in the Word; nor can such incestuous marriages ever be made lawful by any law of man or consent of parties, so as those persons may live together as man and wife. The man may not marry any of his wife’s kindred nearer in blood than he may of his own; nor the woman of her husband’s kindred nearer in blood than of her own.

22. The prohibition of marriage with a deceased wife’s sister or a deceased husband’s brother is not warranted by Scripture.

23. Before seeking divorce, it is the responsibility of the innocent party to attempt reconciliation with the guilty party in the same manner as in any case of sin, first by his or her own appeal, and then, if need be, by calling on the elders of the church.

24. In any marriage threatened with dissolution, or even if divorce has occurred, both parties ought to strive for reconciliation on the basis of repentance for sin and willingness to forgive

25. Members of the household of faith should beware of seeking marriage counsel from unbelievers or from those who have failed to integrate their faith with their professional work.

26. Desertion can be a ground of divorce only when the departing person is an unbeliever.

27. If the unrepentant guilty party in a divorce marries another, he commits adultery

28. Where the guilty party shows evidence of repentance for the sin of breaking a marriage, the Church may receive or restore him or her to membership.

29. God is the source of all truth. The knowledge which man can attain merely reflects part of God’s creation, and cannot properly be understood apart from God. Therefore there can be no true education without a knowl - edge of God and His dealings with man, as revealed in the Scriptures. He enlightens man’s mind in the under - standing of the physical and cultural world. Christians are to ask the aid of the Holy Spirit in the educational task.

30. Education of children is primarily the responsibility of parents, though they may delegate part of this responsi - bility to the church or other agencies. The earliest and most important edu - cational institution is the home, where children are taught, by precept and example, basic principles of godly liv - ing. Parents should educate each child to the extent of their resources and the child’s ability, seeking to develop his God-given talents that he may serve God most fully and effectively. In order to promote the general welfare, the state may prescribe educational stan - dards and should provide educational opportunities, both in harmony with God’s law.

31. In the providence of God public schools have provided great social ben - efits. Yet in serving a highly pluralistic society they have attempted to be re - ligiously and morally “neutral,” which is sinful. To a large extent instruction is based on a secular, humanistic philosophy which ignores God and sees man’s welfare as the highest good. Local schools vary widely, however, according to the standards of the community and the quality of the teachers. All Christians, especially those who are teachers, school administrators or board members, should bear witness to the whole truth of God as it relates to education.

32. Where necessary and possible, Christian parents should cooperate in supporting or establishing schools whose curriculum presents a biblical world and life view, and place their children in them. This requires maintenance of the highest academic quality along with Christian orientation in every subject and activity.

33. We reject any attempt by the state to force a secular, humanistic philosophy on Christian schools.

34. Parents should take care to counteract any unbiblical teaching given to their children, whether in public or Christian schools. As youth increase in their knowledge and discernment, the home and the Church should help them to examine what is presented in school, to distinguish between Godgiven truths and human theories, and to integrate the facts learned with a Christian view of man and the universe.

1. The Church is the body of Christ, which He has redeemed with His own blood, to be a chosen people unto Himself.

2. It is the mission of the Church to preserve, maintain and proclaim to the whole world the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the whole counsel of God; to gather into her fellowship those of every race and people who accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and promise obedience to Him; to build them up in their most holy faith, and train them to be faithful witnesses for Christ in all his offices; to maintain the ordinances of divine worship in their purity; witness against all evil; and in every way to seek the advancement of the Kingdom of God on earth.

3. The Church is one among all nations, yet for the purpose of corporate worship and orderly procedures, distinct congregations and judicatories are warranted.

4. There is a visible and an invisible aspect of the Church, but these are not two churches.

5. We reject the teaching that the Church originated in the New Testament and is an interruption of God’s plan for the Kingdom.

6. The Lord Jesus Christ has clothed His Church with power and authority. This authority is vested in the whole membership of the Church, which has the right to choose its officers from among those of its own members who possess the scriptural qualifications.

7. Christ has appointed in His Word a particular form of government for the visible church. It is government by elders (Greek: presbyters) and is therefore called presbyterian. Each congregation should be ruled by a session of ordained elders, elected by the membership of the congregation. (See Testimony, chap. 31, par. 3; and Directory for Church Government, chap. 3, sect. I and II, and chap. 4.)

8. The permanent officers to be set apart by ordination are elders and deacons. The office of elder is restricted in Scripture to men. Women as well as men may hold the office of deacon. Ordination is a solemn setting apart to a specific office by the laying on of the hands of a court of the Church and is not to be repeated. Installation is the official constitution of a relationship between one who is ordained and the congregation.

9. The responsibility of the elders is in teaching and ruling. Although all elders are to be able to teach, the Scripture recognizes a distinction in these functions. All elders are equal in the government of the Church. This office is referred to in Scripture by two terms used synonymously: elder, and bishop or overseer

10. The elders are organized in courts (the session, the presbytery and the Synod) to which is committed the power of governing the church and of ordaining officers. This power is moral and spiritual, and subject to the law of God.

11. The diaconate is a spiritual office subordinate to the session and is not a teaching or ruling office. The deacons have responsibility for the ministry of mercy, the finances and property of the congregation, and such other tasks as are assigned to them by the ses - sion. Other officers mentioned in the New Testament were commissioned uniquely during the apostolic age for the establishment of the Church.

12. While the New Testament does not state plainly the authority or qualifications for a continuing office of Evangelist, it does clearly set forth the ministry of evangelism in calling all men everywhere to repent and believe the Gospel. Persons displaying the gift of evangelism should minister under the oversight of the Church in given situations.

13. We deny that the exclusion of women from the office of elder can be said to result in the frustration of one’s divine vocation or the neglect of one’s spiritual gifts for ministry.

14. Divisions that separate believers into denominations mar the unity of the Church and are due to error and sin. It is the duty of all denominations which are true churches of Christ to seek reconciliation and union. Such organizational unity, however, should be sought only on the basis of truth and of scriptural order. It is the duty of every believer to unite with the branch of the visible church which adheres most closely to the Scriptures.

15. The Church must have membership requirements based on Scripture, to which every member gives his assent. Those who give such assent and their children are church members. (See Directory for Church Government, chap. 1, sect. I.)

16. It is the duty of Christians to pray for and seek after the purity and unity of the Church.

17. When any church imposes sinful requirements for membership; when its constitution or creedal statements are fundamentally unscriptural; when its administration is corrupt; or when sound preaching and proper discipline are neglected, it is the duty of Christians to attempt its reformation. Then if such efforts prove ineffectual, it is their duty to separate from it, and to unite with a sound church.

18. Many antichrists will be present in the world throughout history. Prior to Christ’s coming the final “man of lawlessness” will be revealed. He will be destroyed by Christ

19. Christians should walk in the light. Their beliefs, purposes, manner of life, and their rules of action and conduct should be based on the Word of God and should not be concealed. Oathbound societies usually involve an improper requirement of secrecy, aims which are immoral, intimate fellowship with unbelievers or participation in unbiblical worship. Membership in such organizations is inconsistent with a Christian profession, however good their announced purposes may be.

1. Concern for fellow believers should be a restraint to evil, especially to unkind speech and action against one another.

2. The congregation is the primary organic unit in the presbyterian system of church government. It is commonly composed of Christians residing in the same community who meet together for the worship of God.

3. In addition to their obligation to assemble for worship, believers should assemble for social purposes as another means of support and growth. In response to Christ’s love for them, believers are to express their love to one another by using their diverse gifts and talents to help their brethren; by giving and receiving counsel, support, hospitality and comfort; by spending time with one another and sharing joys and sorrows. This is especially necessary when, in the providence of God, brethren need material support and moral and spiritual encouragement.

4. All people, regardless of their mental or physical condition, are made in the image of God. Each person’s life is a gift from God. We are not to evaluate individuals in terms of their mental and physical ability or appearance. The church should be careful to accept and cherish its handicapped, incorporating them into the life of the church. In evangelistic outreach the church should not overlook handicapped persons but seek them out, minister to them and pray for their conversion.

5. For preservation of life and because of respect for our bodies as God’s creation, we are to be careful in the use of drugs. Christians should avoid enslavement to alcohol, tobacco or any habit-forming drug. The Scripture strongly condemns drunkenness as a sin

6. Because drunkenness is so common, and because the intemperate use of alcohol is constantly being promoted by advertising, business practices, and social pressure, Christians must be careful not to conform to the attitudes and the practices of the world with regard to alcoholic beverages. To prevent damage to our neighbor, to provide mutual help in godly living, and to strengthen each other in living a disciplined life it is altogether wise and proper that Christians refrain from the use, sale and manufacture of alcoholic beverages.

7. The use of tobacco is detrimental to health and is to be avoided because of the responsibility to preserve the body which is a temple of God.

8. The use of drugs for pleasure or escape from moral responsibility should be avoided; one should strive for victory over physical and emotional weakness through the strength of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, and make wise use of proper medical care.

1. The sacraments are signs of our covenant union with Christ and His Church, and our common profession that we are owned by Him. They are to be observed under the direction of the elders in a service of worship in which members of the congregation are present.

2. The administration of the sacraments is to be accompanied by the reading and preaching of the Word.

3. We reject the view that sacraments are mere symbols and not means of grace.

4. We reject the view that the sacraments are not necessary in the Church.

1. All those who have received baptism are to be considered part of the covenant people of God.

2. The church accepts as valid the baptism which has been administered in any true branch of the visible church.

3. We reject the teaching that an essential feature of baptism is immersion.

4. The children of believing parents are to receive baptism because of their covenantal relationship.

5. In administering baptism to her children the church recognizes their rightful place within the covenant, and her obligation to give them pastoral care and oversight, and to assist the parents in carrying out their covenanted responsibilities. In presenting them for baptism, parents not only claim for their children the nurture and benefits of the Church, but dedicate them to God in the service of Christ.

6. The baptism of infants sets before parents the obligation to do all in their power to lead their children to a personal faith in Jesus Christ.

7. Baptism is not to be administered to the infants of persons who, though members of the church, have so neglected the means of grace as to cast doubt on their profession, or their intention to fulfill the baptismal vows.

8. We reject the teaching that a person cannot be saved without baptism; or that persons are regenerated by baptism.

1. The Lord’s Supper is to be repeatedly administered to a Christian congregation, at such times as the session deems advisable, according to the needs of the congregation. Observance of this sacrament is a corporate and personal profession of continued adherence to the covenant bond entered into at baptism.

2. When a congregation is observing the Lord’s Supper, worship services in which this sacrament is observed may be held for the sick and invalid who are of sound mind in the presence of members of the session and congregation. There is no instance in Scripture of private communion.

3. The sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is not to be exalted above the regular preaching of the Word.

4. Previous preparation, by self-examination, repentance of sin, meditation upon God’s grace, and resolution of new obedience is required of those who make this profession of their union with Christ and love to Him.

5. The Lord’s Supper is to be administered only to those who are accepted by the session dispensing the sacrament.

6. We deny that the individual is sole judge of his fitness to partake of the sacrament.

7. We reject the practice of offering the sacrament of Communion to any one who is not a member of the visible church.

1. Our Lord commanded church discipline, so no church which fails to exercise it where needed can hope for His blessing.

2. Discipline is required by the organic nature of the Church.

3. There are many ways provided by the Lord to deal with offenses in the Church. Christians have a responsibility to admonish one another in the Lord. Some offenses may be resolved by informal counsel by one or more elders. Official discipline is to be administered by the courts of the Church, not by elders individually. Such counsel and discipline should be received in a spirit of Christian submission.

4. The authority and discipline of the Church extends to all members, irrespective of rank or station in life. Children who are baptized members are subject to that discipline.

5. Discipline should be exercised with prudence and discretion, in dependence upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit, with love both for the Lawgiver and lawbreaker.

6. We reject the view that a church member should be disciplined for everything at which another may be justly displeased. (For specific details of discipline, see Book of Discipline.)

1. Christ is the only Head and Lawgiver of the Church. He gave the apostles authority to establish the permanent form of church government, which is set forth in the New Testament.

2. We reject paragraph 2 of the Confession of Faith.

WCF: As magistrates may lawfully call a synod of ministers, and other fit persons, to consult and advise with, about matters of religion; so, if magistrates be open enemies to the Church, the ministers of Christ of themselves, by virtue of their office, or they, with other fit persons, upon delegation from their Churches, may meet together in such assemblies.

3. No ecclesiastical authority is placed in the hands of private Christians or civil rulers; church judicatories are subordinate only to Christ Jesus. They appoint, by an exclusive right, their own times and places of meeting and adjournment. (For details, see Directory for Church Government, chaps. 6-7.)

4. We reject the systems of church government which center authority in one individual or in a hierarchy of bishops. We further reject the independent congregational system with authority vested in autonomous congregations.

5. Subordinate standards, such as the Confession of Faith, Catechisms and the Testimony, serve a necessary and useful purpose as a summary of biblical teaching, a basis for fellowship and common service, and as a testimony to the world of the church’s belief and practice. They are never to be taken as a substitute for God’s Word or as a complete or final exposition of it.

6. It is the responsibility of the Church to declare God’s Word to civil authorities as it applies to their use of the power that has been given them. (Compare also the Testimony, chap. 23.)

1. God has appointed to every man the time when he shall leave this world.

2. We reject the idea of inactivity of the soul between death and resurrection called “soul sleep.”

3. We reject the teaching that there is a “second chance” of salvation after death.

4. We reject the teaching that there is a purgatory, where souls must be purified before entering heaven.

5. We reject the idea that the soul at death is, or can be, reincarnated in another human or animal form.

1. The return of our Lord to earth is clearly taught in Scripture. He made many promises to return. His coming will be personal and visible. He will come in glory at a time unknown to man.

2. At the time of Christ’s second coming all the dead will be raised and the world will be judged.

3. We reject the teaching that the Kingdom of God can only be brought in by Christ’s return or that Christ is not now reigning as King over all things.

4. The final judgment for the Christian will be an assessment of his obedience to God and of his stewardship of the gifts and talents God has committed to his care. Whatever is imperfect will be burned away, and his faithfulness will be rewarded.

5. Believers are to look forward eagerly to the last great day, in which they will share in Christ’s final victory over evil and experience the fulness of joy which is found in the presence of God, forever.