In a modern culture where words are cheap, contracts are routinely broken, and truth is often treated as relative, the biblical doctrine of oaths and vows might seem like an archaic relic. Yet, the Westminster Confession dedicates an entire chapter to this topic, elevating truth-telling and promise-keeping to profound theological acts. When a witness places… Continue reading A Solemn Promise: On Lawful Oaths and Vows (WCF 22.1–22.7)
Category: Confessional Standards
A Perpetual Rest: On the Sabbath Day (WCF 21.7–21.8)
In the first half of Chapter 21, we learned how we are to worship God (according to His Word alone). In the second half of the chapter, the Confession turns to the question of when we are to worship Him. While Christians are called to worship God every day in private and with their families, God has also claimed… Continue reading A Perpetual Rest: On the Sabbath Day (WCF 21.7–21.8)
The Unseen Christ: On the Prohibition of Images
In our study of Chapter 21, we examined the Regulative Principle of Worship—the biblical rule that we may only worship God in the ways He has explicitly instituted in His Word. This principle is the direct application of the Second Commandment. While the First Commandment tells us who to worship (God alone), the Second Commandment tells us how to worship… Continue reading The Unseen Christ: On the Prohibition of Images
In Spirit and in Truth: On Religious Worship (WCF 21.1–21.6)
In Chapter 20, we learned that God alone is Lord of the conscience, freeing the Christian from the man-made traditions and commandments of church leaders. This powerful principle naturally leads to a crucial question: If we are free from the traditions of men, how then should we worship God? Can we worship God however we… Continue reading In Spirit and in Truth: On Religious Worship (WCF 21.1–21.6)
Free from Men: On Christian Liberty and Conscience (WCF 20.1–20.4)
In Chapter 19, we learned that the Moral Law of God remains a permanent rule of life for the believer. But this immediately raises a tension: didn’t the Apostle Paul declare, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Gal. 5:1)? If we… Continue reading Free from Men: On Christian Liberty and Conscience (WCF 20.1–20.4)
The Use of the Law: On the Abiding Validity of God’s Law (WCF 19.5–19.7)
In our previous article, we saw how the Westminster Confession divides the Old Testament law into three categories: Ceremonial (which is abolished), Judicial (which expired with the nation of Israel), and Moral (which remains forever). But this raises a profound question: If Christians are saved entirely by grace, and if Paul explicitly states that we… Continue reading The Use of the Law: On the Abiding Validity of God’s Law (WCF 19.5–19.7)
A Rule for Life: On the Law of God (WCF 19.1–19.4)
If we are justified entirely by God’s grace through faith in Christ, and if our good works cannot merit salvation, what do we do with the Old Testament Law? Are Christians completely free from the Ten Commandments? Should modern nations enforce the civil codes of ancient Israel? Do we still need to observe Jewish dietary… Continue reading A Rule for Life: On the Law of God (WCF 19.1–19.4)
A Certain Hope: On the Assurance of Salvation (WCF 18.1–18.4)
In Chapter 17, we established the objective fact of the Perseverance of the Saints: if you are in Christ, you are safe forever. But there is a massive difference between being safe and feeling safe. A passenger on a sturdy ship may be perfectly secure, yet terrified that the ship is sinking. This brings us to Chapter 18 and… Continue reading A Certain Hope: On the Assurance of Salvation (WCF 18.1–18.4)
Kept by His Power: On the Perseverance of the Saints (WCF 17.1–17.3)
We have traced the golden chain of salvation from God’s eternal election, through His effectual calling, to justification, adoption, and the ongoing work of sanctification. But a terrifying question often haunts the sensitive conscience: “I have been saved today, but what about tomorrow? What if I sin so badly that I lose my salvation? What… Continue reading Kept by His Power: On the Perseverance of the Saints (WCF 17.1–17.3)
The Fruit of Faith: On the Nature of Good Works (WCF 16.1–16.7)
We have established that we are justified by faith alone (Chapter 11) and that we cannot even turn to God without His enabling grace (Chapters 10 & 14). This leads to an inevitable objection, one that Paul faced in Rome and Luther faced in Germany: “If I am saved entirely by what Christ did, does… Continue reading The Fruit of Faith: On the Nature of Good Works (WCF 16.1–16.7)