Modern 1689 Confession

Purpose and Update

2011-02-01T12:32:00.000-08:00

See the original purpose statement . A draft of the confession is now complete, and plans are being made to publish it. Stay tuned!

Chapter 32: The Last Judgment

2009-06-02T20:43:00.000-07:00

Chapter 31: The State of Humanity after Death and the Resurrection of the Dead

2009-05-22T18:08:00.000-07:00

Chapter 30: The Lord's Supper

2009-05-19T09:32:00.000-07:00

Chapter 29: Baptism

2009-05-14T08:50:00.001-07:00

Chapter 28: Baptism and the Lord's Supper

2009-05-14T08:49:00.000-07:00

Chapter 27: The Communion of Saints

2009-05-01T07:32:00.000-07:00

Chapter 26: The Church (Part 2)

2009-04-23T15:07:00.001-07:00

Chapter 26: The Church (Part 1)

2009-04-12T15:26:00.000-07:00

Chapter 25: Marriage

2009-04-04T17:00:00.000-07:00

Chapter 24: Civil Government

2009-03-29T13:05:00.000-07:00

Chapter 23: Lawful Oaths and Vows

2009-03-22T12:59:00.000-07:00

Chapter 22: Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day

2009-03-01T14:57:00.001-08:00

Chapter 21: Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience

2009-02-22T14:45:00.000-08:00

Chapter 20: The Gospel and the Extent of Its Grace

2009-02-15T17:42:00.000-08:00

Chapter 19

2009-02-04T14:49:00.001-08:00

Chapter 18

2009-02-04T14:45:00.001-08:00

Chapter 17

2009-01-18T18:32:00.001-08:00

Chapter 16

2009-01-10T10:15:00.001-08:00

Chapter 15

2009-01-01T17:09:00.000-08:00

Chapter 14

2008-12-21T14:21:00.001-08:00

Chapter 13

2008-12-14T12:21:00.001-08:00

Chapter 12

2008-12-07T16:58:00.001-08:00

Chapter 11

2008-11-22T17:08:00.001-08:00

Chapter 10

2008-11-15T16:48:00.000-08:00

Chapter 9

2008-11-06T13:48:00.001-08:00

Chapter 8

2008-10-25T09:50:00.001-07:00

Chapter 7

2008-10-05T19:29:00.001-07:00

Chapter 6

2008-09-27T19:09:00.001-07:00

Chapter 5

2008-09-07T19:45:00.001-07:00

Chapter 4

2008-09-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Chapter 3

2008-08-25T20:10:00.000-07:00

Chapter 2

2008-08-17T18:06:00.000-07:00

Modern Version

Original Version

Chapter 2

God and the Holy Trinity

1. The Lord our God is one, the only living and true God.¹ He is self-existent² and infinite in being and perfection. His essence cannot be understood by anyone but him.³ He is a perfectly pure spirit.⁴ He is invisible and has no body, parts, or changeable human emotions. He alone has immortality, dwelling in light that no one can approach.⁵ He is unchangeable,⁶ immense,^a,7 eternal,⁸ incomprehensible, almighty,⁹ in every way infinite, absolutely holy,¹⁰ perfectly wise, wholly free, completely absolute. He works all things according to the counsel of his own unchangeable and completely righteous will¹¹ for his own glory.¹² He is most loving, gracious, merciful, and patient. He overflows with goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. He rewards those who seek him diligently.¹³ At the same time, he is perfectly just and terrifying in his judgments.¹⁴ He hates all sin¹⁵ and will certainly not clear the guilty.¹⁶

^atranscends all space
¹1 Corinthians 8:4, 6; Deuteronomy 6:4. ²Jeremiah 10:10; Isaiah 48:12. ³Exodus 3:14. ⁴John 4:24. ⁵1 Timothy 1:17; Deuteronomy 4:15, 16. ⁶Malachi 3:6. ⁷1 Kings 8:27; Jeremiah 23:23. ⁸Psalm 90:2. ⁹Genesis 17:1. ¹⁰Isaiah 6:3. ¹¹Psalm 115:3; Isaiah 46:10. ¹²Proverbs 16:4; Romans 11:36. ¹³Exodus 34:6, 7; Hebrews 11:6. ¹⁴Nehemiah 9:32, 33. ¹⁵Psalm 5:5, 6. ¹⁶Exodus 34:7; Nahum 1:2, 3.

2. God has all life,¹⁷ glory,¹⁸ goodness,¹⁹ and blessedness in and of himself; he alone is all-sufficient in himself. He does not need any creature he has made nor derives any glory from them.²⁰ Instead, he demonstrates his own glory in them, by them, to them, and upon them. He alone is the source of all being, and everything is from him, through him, and to him.²¹ He has absolute sovereign rule over all creatures, to act through them, for them, or upon them as he pleases.²² In his sight everything is open and visible.²³ His knowledge is infinite and infallible. It does not depend upon any creature, so for him nothing is contingent or uncertain.²⁴ He is absolutely holy in all his plans, in all his works,²⁵ and in all his commands. Angels and human beings owe to him all the worship,²⁶ service, or obedience that creatures owe to the Creator and whatever else he is pleased to require of them.

¹⁷John 5:26. ¹⁸Psalm 148:13. ¹⁹Psalm 119:68. ²⁰Job 22:2, 3. ²¹Romans 11:34-36. ²²Daniel 4:25, 34, 35. ²³Hebrews 4:13. ²⁴Ezekiel 11:5; Acts 15:18. ²⁵Psalm 145:17. ²⁶Revelation 5:12-14.

3. This divine and infinite Being consists of three persons,^b the Father, the Word or Son, and the Holy Spirit.²⁷ These three have the same substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence without this essence being divided.²⁸ The Father is not derived from anyone, neither begotten nor proceeding. The Son is eternally begotten of the Father.²⁹ The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.³⁰ All three are infinite and without beginning and are therefore only one God, who is not to be divided in nature and being. These three are distinguished by several distinctive characteristics and personal relations. This truth of the Trinity is the foundation of all of our fellowship with God and of our comforting dependence on him.

^bsubsistences, or distinguishable existences

²⁷1 John 5:7; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14. ²⁸Exodus 3:14; John 14:11; 1 Corinthians 8:6. ²⁹John 1:14,18. ³⁰John 15:26; Galatians 4:6.

Chapter 2

Of God and the Holy Trinity

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

( 1 Corinthians 8:4, 6; Deuteronomy 6:4; Jeremiah 10:10; Isaiah 48:12; Exodus 3:14; John 4:24; 1 Timothy 1:17; Deuteronomy 4:15, 16; Malachi 3:6; 1 Kings 8:27; Jeremiah 23:23; Psalms 90:2; Genesis 17:1; Isaiah 6:3; Psalms 115:3; Isaiah 46:10; Proverbs 16:4; Romans 11:36; Exodus 34:6, 7; Hebrews 11:6; Nehemiah 9:32, 33; Psalms 5:5, 6; Exodus 34:7; Nahum 1:2, 3 )

2. God, having all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of himself, is alone in and unto himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creature which he hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting his own glory in, by, unto, and upon them; he is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things, and he hath most sovereign dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever himself pleaseth; in his sight all things are open and manifest, his knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to him contingent or uncertain; he is most holy in all his counsels, in all his works, and in all his commands; to him is due from angels and men, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience, as creatures they owe unto the Creator, and whatever he is further pleased to require of them.

( John 5:26; Psalms 148:13; Psalms 119:68; Job 22:2, 3; Romans 11:34-36; Daniel 4:25, 34, 35; Hebrews 4:13; Ezekiel 11:5; Acts 15:18; Psalms 145:17; Revelation 5:12-14 )

3. In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, the Father, the Word or Son, and Holy Spirit, of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided: the Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son; all infinite, without beginning, therefore but one God, who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar relative properties and personal relations; which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence on him.

( 1 John 5:7; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Exodus 3:14; John 14:11; 1 Corinthians 8:6; John 1:14,18; John 15:26; Galatians 4:6 )

Chapter 1

2008-08-08T20:25:00.000-07:00

Chapter 1

The Holy Scriptures

1. The Holy Scriptures are the only sufficient, certain, and infallible standard of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience.¹ The light of nature and the works of creation and providence so clearly demonstrate the goodness, wisdom, and power of God that people are left without excuse; however, they are not sufficient to give the knowledge of God and his will that is necessary for salvation.² Therefore, the Lord was pleased at different times and in various ways to reveal himself and to declare his will to his church.³ To preserve and propagate the truth better and to establish and comfort the church with greater certainty against the corruption of the flesh and the malice of Satan and the world, the Lord put this revelation completely in writing. Therefore, the Holy Scriptures are absolutely necessary, because God's former ways of revealing his will to his people have now ceased.⁴

¹2 Timothy 3:15-17; Isaiah 8:20; Luke 16:29, 31; Ephesians 2:20. ²Romans 1:19-21; Romans 2:14,15; Psalm 19:1-3. ³Hebrews 1:1. ⁴Proverbs 22:19-21; Romans 15:4; 2 Peter 1:19, 20.

2. The Holy Scriptures, or the Word of God written, consist of all the books of the Old and New Testaments. These are:

THE OLD TESTAMENT: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

THE NEW TESTAMENT: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation

All of these are given by the inspiration of God to be the standard of faith and life.⁵

⁵2 Timothy 3:16.

3. The books commonly called the Apocrypha were not given by divine inspiration and so are not part of the canon or standard of the Scriptures. Therefore, they have no authority for the church of God and are not to be recognized or used in any way different from other human writings.⁶

⁶Luke 24:27, 44; Romans 3:2.

4. The authority of the Holy Scriptures obligates belief in them. This authority does not depend on the testimony of any person or church but on God the author alone, who is truth itself. Therefore, the Scriptures are to be received because they are the Word of God.^⁷

⁷2 Peter 1:19-21; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 John 5:9.

5. The testimony of the church of God may stir and persuade us to adopt a high and reverent respect for the Holy Scriptures. In fact, the heavenliness of the contents, the power of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the harmony of all the parts, the consistent theme of giving all glory to God, the full revelation of the only way of salvation, and many other incomparable qualities and complete perfections, all provide abundant evidence that the Scriptures are the Word of God. Even so, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority of the Scriptures comes from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.⁸

⁸John 16:13,14; 1 Corinthians 2:10-12; 1 John 2:20, 27.

6. The whole counsel of God concerning everything essential for his own glory and man's salvation, faith, and life is either explicitly stated or by necessary inference contained in the Holy Scriptures. Nothing is ever to be added to the Scriptures, either by new revelation of the Spirit or by human traditions.⁹

Nevertheless, we acknowledge that the inward illumination of the Spirit of God is necessary to have a saving understanding of what is revealed in the Word.¹⁰ We recognize that some circumstances concerning the worship of God and government of the church are common to human actions and organizations and are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian wisdom, following the general rules of the Word, which must always be observed.¹¹

⁹2 Timothy 3:15-17; Galatians 1:8,9. ¹⁰John 6:45; 1 Corinthians 2:9-12. ¹¹1 Corinthians 11:13, 14; 1 Corinthians 14:26, 40.

7. Some things in Scripture are revealed more clearly than others, and some people understand the teachings more clearly than others.¹² However, the things that must be known, believed, and obeyed for salvation are so clearly set forth and explained in one part of Scripture or another that both the educated and uneducated may achieve a sufficient understanding of them by properly using ordinary means.¹³

¹²2 Peter 3:16. ¹³Psalm 19:7; Psalm 119:130.

8. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew, the native language of the ancient people of God.¹⁴ The New Testament was written in Greek, which at the time it was written was most widely known to the nations. These Testaments were inspired directly by God and by his unique care and providence were kept pure down through the ages. They are therefore authentic, so that in all religious controversies the church must make their ultimate appeal to them.¹⁵ All God’s people have a right to and an interest in the Scriptures and are commanded in the fear of God to read¹⁶ and search them.¹⁷ Not all of God’s people know these original languages, so the Scriptures are to be translated into the common language of every nation to which they come.¹⁸ In this way the Word of God may dwell richly in all, so that they may worship him in an acceptable manner and through patience and the comfort of the Scriptures may have hope.¹⁹

¹⁴Romans 3:2. ¹⁵Isaiah 8:20. ¹⁶Acts 15:15. ¹⁷John 5:39. ¹⁸1 Corinthians 14:6, 9, 11, 12, 24, 28. ¹⁹Colossians 3:16.

9. The infallible rule for interpreting Scripture is the Scripture itself. Therefore, when there is a question about the true and full meaning of any part of Scripture (and each passage has only one meaning, not many), it must be understood in light of other passages that speak more clearly.²⁰

²⁰2 Peter 1:20, 21; Acts 15:15, 16.

10. The supreme judge for deciding all religious controversies and for evaluating all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, human doctrines, and individual claims to spiritual experience, and in whose judgment we are to rest, is nothing but the Holy Scripture delivered by the Spirit. In this Scripture our faith finds its final word.²¹

²¹Matthew 22:29, 31, 32; Ephesians 2:20; Acts 28:23.

Purpose

2008-08-08T19:44:00.000-07:00

I have long wanted to update the language of the 1689 Confession to make it more accessible to modern readers. I'm aware of other modern versions, but I object to the cost and copyright restrictions on the Carey edition (the most widely available version), and I've found that none of them seem to be very consistent in the way they approach the update. For example, the Carey edition seems to be nothing more than a paraphrase in some places and yet quite stilted in others.

I approach this whole thing with fear and trembling, and that's why I'm putting this on the web. I fear inadvertently changing the doctrine or confusing something that was clearer in the original. So I'm posting my attempts at an update so that folks can comment and make suggestions and corrections.

My goal is to maintain the structure and language to the extent that these lend themselves to clarity to the modern reader. When they don't, I will consider modern equivalent terms or rephrasing. In more difficult cases, I may rework the structure of a paragraph if it can be stated in a significantly more natural way in modern English without compromising the meaning. I don't pretend that the result will be readable on a 6th-grade level. The concepts in the confession simply don't lend themselves to such simplistic expression. Furthermore, I don't want to change well-established theological terms unless I judge that they are fairly obscure and can be greatly clarified by a modern expression.

As I wrestle through the rewording, I will be referencing and learning from the Carey edition, the Kerkham edition, the Masters edition, as well as the original, including the facsimile copy published by B&R Press. I expect my version to be sufficiently different from all the other modernized versions that there will be no violation of copyright. I've included links to electronic versions of the ones I'm consulting, except for the Masters edition, which I haven't found online.

I relish all constructive comments. I may not be able to respond to all comments or explain my reaction to them, but I will do my best to read and consider them.

Until I've finished all the edits and released a final form, I claim a copyright on the work in progress and do not grant permission to make copies. I will eventually provide permission to copy under certain conditions once I've finished it.