We have stood on the mountain peaks of God’s eternal decree and witnessed the pristine beauty of creation in the Garden. But now, the narrative takes a catastrophic turn. To understand the world as we see it today—broken, violent, and groaning—and to understand our own hearts, we must descend into the valley of the shadow… Continue reading Wherein All Have Sinned: On the Fall and Original Sin (WCF 6.1–6.6)
Category: Westminster Confession of Faith
His Hand and Counsel: On the Providence of God (WCF 5.1–5.7)
Having contemplated the eternal decree in Chapter 3 and the work of creation in Chapter 4, we now turn to God’s work in history. It is one thing to believe in a Creator who made the world; it is another to believe in the God of the Bible who governs it. Many are content with… Continue reading His Hand and Counsel: On the Providence of God (WCF 5.1–5.7)
In the Beginning, God: On the Work of Creation (WCF 4.1–4.2)
Having established the eternal decree by which God ordained all things, the Confession now turns to the first outworking of that decree in history: the act of creation. This is where God’s eternal purpose breaks forth into temporal reality. The doctrine of creation is the starting point for the entire biblical narrative and the necessary… Continue reading In the Beginning, God: On the Work of Creation (WCF 4.1–4.2)
The Unfolding Plan: On Predestination and Providence (WCF 3.5–3.8)
In the previous article, we stood at the edge of the precipice, looking down into the deep canyon of God’s eternal decree. We established that God has unchangeably ordained “whatsoever comes to pass” and has specifically predestined a definite number of angels and men to eternal life. But this raises immediate and practical questions: On what… Continue reading The Unfolding Plan: On Predestination and Providence (WCF 3.5–3.8)
From Everlasting: On God’s Eternal Decree (WCF 3.1–3.4)
From the majestic heights of God’s being in Chapter Two, the Westminster Confession descends into the profound depths of God’s will in Chapter Three. Having told us who God is, it now explains what God has eternally purposed to do. We are entering into one of the great mysteries of the faith: the doctrine of God’s eternal decree. This… Continue reading From Everlasting: On God’s Eternal Decree (WCF 3.1–3.4)
The One and the Three: On the Nature of the Triune God (WCF 2.1–2.3)
After laying the foundation of Holy Scripture, the Westminster Confession moves with reverent logic to its first and greatest subject: God Himself. If Chapter One tells us how we know, Chapter Two tells us Who it is we know. There can be no more important, more majestic, or more humbling topic for human thought. The divines do not rush… Continue reading The One and the Three: On the Nature of the Triune God (WCF 2.1–2.3)
A More Sure Word: On the Sufficiency and Clarity of Scripture (WCF 1.6–1.10)
Having established the Holy Scripture as the necessary, inspired, and self-authenticating Word of God, the Westminster divines proceed to answer a series of practical and vital questions. If the Bible is God’s final written revelation, is it enough? Is it clear enough for the average person to understand? How can we trust our copies and translations? How do… Continue reading A More Sure Word: On the Sufficiency and Clarity of Scripture (WCF 1.6–1.10)
Thus Saith the Lord: On the Foundation of Holy Scripture (WCF 1.1–1.5)
Every great theological work, like any well-constructed building, must begin with a solid foundation. Before we can speak of God, humanity, sin, or salvation, we must first answer a more fundamental question: How do we know? On what authority do we base our claims about reality, eternity, and the very character of God Himself? The theologians of… Continue reading Thus Saith the Lord: On the Foundation of Holy Scripture (WCF 1.1–1.5)