GRACE BIBLE CHURCH COVENANT
We, the Elders of Grace Bible Church, Carterville, Illinois do hereby undertake to state in orderly fashion our Confession of Faith, in keeping with the Scots Confession of 1560.
If any man will note in our Confession any chapter or sentence contrary to God's Word, that it would please him of his gentleness and for Christian charity's sake to inform us of it in writing; and we, upon our honor, do promise him that by God's grace we shall give him satisfaction from the mouth of God, that is, from Holy Scripture, or else we shall alter whatever he can prove to be wrong.
We call on God to record that from our hearts we abhor all heretical sects and all teachers of false doctrine, and that with all humility we embrace the purity of Christ's gospel, noting the difference between the Holy and profane, in that it is profane to think ones work will cover one before God, and that the True gospel is the Blood and Righteousness of Christ Jesus imputed to His elect as the alone ground of salvation.
CHAPTER I (1) THE TRIUNE GOD
That there is one Father who is over all, and before creation elected a people for Himself. That He is eternal, infinite, immeasurable, incomprehensible, omnipotent, invisible God over all, and that all things in heaven and earth, visible and invisible, to have been created, to be retained in their being, and to be ruled and guided by His inscrutable providence for such end as His eternal wisdom goodness, and justice have appointed, to the manifestation of His own glory.
That there is one Messiah, the promised redeemer, Jesus Christ the Lord, the incarnate One who took on the nature of humanity from the substance of a woman, a virgin, by means of the Holy Ghost. Thus was born the "just seed of David", The Emmanuel, the two natures united and joined in one person. We condemn all other so-called gods as false, and who by their supposed nature are no more than the figment of imagination, no more real than a mirage in the desert and all who adhere to them, by their nature are violent attempts to dethrone the Holy One, Jesus Christ.
The Holy Ghost, also called The Holy Spirit, or The Holy Comforter, was sent as Christ Jesus so stated, and that He is to "reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment," who dwells within the elect believers as proof of their union with Christ.
CHAPTER II (2) THE CREATION OF MAN
We confess and acknowledge that our God has created man, Adam, after His own likeness, to whom He gave wisdom and self-consciousness. From the dignity and perfection of their created state, man and the woman both fell, being deceived by the serpent, and man obeying the voice of the woman, thus both conspired against the sovereign majesty of God. .
CHAPTER III (3) FIRST SIN
God set Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden with plain direction of His demand for perfect obedience as stated in Genesis 2: 16 - 17 , with the consequence of "thou shalt surely die" if disobedient. In chapter 3 of Genesis, the serpent tempted Eve with a lie, changing God's Word of "thou shalt surely die" to "thou shall not surely die", and the allurement that then their "eyes would be opened and be as gods." This sin of rebellion against Holy God was imputed to the whole human race as seen in Romans 5:12 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." The death was that of eternal separation from God in eternal torment, and sealed as being so by temporal death out of this body. Man, in following Adam has sought to cover his sin by his own "inventions" or works of self-righteousness as the result of this imputed sin of Adam.
CHAPTER IV (4) SALVATION
Yet this Triune God having a chosen people that are to be His throughout eternity purposed to save these by His sovereign Grace, which is unmerited favor, by the alone blood and righteousness of His Son, Jesus Christ. This Christ came and perfectly fulfilled all of the Father's demands about these, ie. Perfect obedience of the law of the Father, and Colossians 2:14 , "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross." He thus shed His blood for the remission of their sin,. "for without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin." They are saved by the alone work of Christ in their behalf and not by their own works. They are then covered by the blood and righteousness of Christ as their alone covering, they seek not their own works as any means of hope or acceptance before Thrice Holy God.
CHAPTER V (5) FAITH
That these elect were un-believing is un-contestable in Scripture yet the promise of salvation to them by the revelation of His Word to them is likewise un-contestable. Thus in time God sends His, "ministering spirits, to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation," Hebrews 1:14 , and they then hear the gospel of Christ Jesus and are made to understand by the working of The Holy Spirit who gives them a new heart and they are re-born from above by the Word of God. Having been saved by the faith OF Christ, then they have faith in Him as the alone ground of their union with Him through salvation. Their hope is in the blood and righteousness of Christ Jesus as the alone cause and ground of their salvation.
CHAPTER VI (6) THE REVELATION OF THE PROMISE
We firmly believe that God, after the fearful and horrible departure of man from His obedience, did see Adam again, call him, rebuke and convict him of his sin, forgive him and cover him with a blood token of the Christ to come, thus the joyful promise, that "the seed of the woman should bruise the head of the serpent."
CHAPTER VII (7) THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST JESUS
When the fulness of time came God sent His Son, His eternal Wisdom, the substance of His own glory, into this world, who took the nature of humanity from the substance of a woman, a virgin, by means of the Holy Ghost. And so was born the "just seed of David," the "Angel of the great counsel of God," the very Messiah promised, whom we confess and acknowledge to be Emmanuel, true God and true man, two perfect natures united and joined in one person. So by our Confession we condemn the damnable and pestilent heresies of any other Messiah, God, or Savior.
CHAPTER VIII (8) WHY THE MEDIATOR HAD TO BE TRUE MAN AND TRUE GOD
Since the Messiah, Christ Jesus came to save His Father's elect, "it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.”
CHAPTER IX (9) ELECTION
That same eternal God and Father, who by grace alone chose us in His Son, Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world was laid, appointed Him to be our Head, our Brother, our Pastor, and the great Bishop of our souls. But since the opposition between the justice of God and our sins was such that no flesh by itself could or might have attained unto God, it behoved the Son of God to descend unto us and take Himself a body of our body, flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bone, and so become the Mediator between God and man, giving power to the elect to believe in Him and to be sons of God. By this most holy brotherhood whatever we lost in Adam was, "I restored that which I took not away," therefore we are not afraid to call God our Father, not so much because He has created us, which we have in common with the reprobate, as because He has given unto us His only Son to be our Brother, and given us grace to acknowledge and embrace Him as our only Mediator. Further, it behoved the Messiah and Redeemer to be true God and true man, because He was able to undergo the punishment of our transgressions and to present Himself in the presence of His Father's Judgement, as in our stead, to suffer for our transgression and disobedience, and by death to overcome him that is the deceiver of the brethren. But because the Godhead alone could not suffer death, and neither could manhood overcome death, He joined both together in one person, that the weakness of one should suffer and be subject to death, which we had deserved and the infinite and invincible power of the other, that is, of the Godhead, should triumph, and purchase for us life, liberty, and perpetual victory. So we confess and most undoubtedly believe.
CHAPTER X (10) CHRIST'S DEATH, PASSION, AND BURIAL
That our Lord Jesus offered Himself a voluntary sacrifice unto His Father for us, that He suffered contradiction of sinners, that He was wounded and plagued for our transgression, that He, the clean innocent Lamb of God, was condemned in the presence of an earthly judge, that we should be absolved before the judgment seat of our God; that He suffered not only the cruel death of the cross, which was accursed by the sentence of God; but also that He suffered for a season the wrath of His Father which sinners had deserved. But yet we avow that He remained the only, well beloved, and blessed Son of His Father even in the midst of His anguish and torment which He suffered in body and soul to make full atonement for the sins of His people. From this we confess and avow that there remains no other sacrifice for sin; if any affirm so, we do not hesitate to say that they are blasphemers against Christ's death and the everlasting atonement thereby purchased for us.
CHAPTER XI (11) THE RESURRECTION
We undoubtedly believe, since it was impossible that the sorrows of death would retain in bondage the Author of life, that our Lord Jesus crucified, dead, and buried, who descended into hell, did rise again for our justification, and the destruction of him who was the author of death, and brought life again to us who were subject to death and its bondage. We know that His resurrection was confirmed by the testimony of His enemies, and by the resurrection of the dead, whose sepulchers did open, and they did rise and appear to many within the city of Jerusalem. It was also confirmed by the testimony of His angels, and by the senses and judgment of His apostles and of others, who had conversation, and did eat and drink with Him, after His resurrection. That Christ's resurrection is proof of His Father's full acceptance of His blood and righteousness in the stead of the elect for whom Christ died, and that therein is proof of their resurrection also. Thus we confess and confirm that Christ's resurrection is the believers hope!
CHAPTER XII (12) THE ASCENSION
We do not doubt but that the selfsame body which was born of the virgin, was crucified, died, buried, and which did rise again, did ascend into the heavens, for the accomplishment of all things, where in our name and for our comfort He has received all power in heaven and earth, where He sits at the right hand of the Father, having received His kingdom, the only advocate and mediator of us. Which glory, honor, and prerogative, He alone amongst the brethren shall possess till all His enemies are made His footstool, as we undoubtedly believe they shall be in the Last Judgment. We believe that the same Lord Jesus shall visibly return for this Last Judgment as He was seen to ascend. And then, we firmly believe, the time of refreshing and restitution of all things shall come, so that those who from the beginning have suffered violence, injury, and wrong, for righteousness' sake, shall inherit that blessed immortality promised them from the beginning. But, on the other hand, the stubborn, disobedient, cruel persecutors, filthy persons, idolaters, and all sorts of the unbelieving, shall be cast into the dungeon of utter darkness, "where their worm shall not die, nor their fire be quenched."
CHAPTER XIII (13) FAITH IN THE HOLY GHOST
Our faith and its assurance do not proceed from flesh and blood, that is to say, from natural power within us, but are the inspiration of the Holy Ghost; whom we confess to be God, equal with the Father and with His Son, who sanctifies us, and brings us into all truth by His own working, without whom we should remain forever enemies to God and ignorant of His Son, Christ Jesus. For by nature we are so dead, blind, and perverse, that neither can we feel when we are pricked, see the light when it shines, nor assent to the will of God when it is revealed, unless the Spirit of the Lord Jesus quicken that which is dead, remove the darkness from our minds, and bow our stubborn hearts to the obedience of His blessed will. And so, as we confess that God the Father created us when we were not, as His Son our Lord Jesus redeemed us when we were enemies to Him, so also do we confess that the Holy Ghost does sanctify and regenerate us, without respect to any merit proceeding from us, be it before or be it after our regeneration. To put this even more plainly; as we willingly disclaim any honor and glory for our own creation and redemption, so do we willingly also for our regeneration and sanctification; for by ourselves we are not capable of thinking one good thought, but He who has begun the work in us alone continues us in it, to the praise and glory of His undeserved grace.
CHAPTER XIV (14) REPENTANCE
We firmly confess, and believe this to be a necessary confession of a believer, that repentance is not the means of how an unbeliever becomes a believer. We firmly believe that the "other sheep I have which are not of the fold" are brought by the merit of Christ's blood and righteousness and His faith before His Father that His own work completely satisfied the Father for them that they are brought to Him by His own working. That these "other sheep" are brought to Christ by the means of the preaching of the gospel, being caused to turn from "dead works" to serve the living God. This repentance is the turning from the false gospel imputed to them from Adam, the lies of who God is, to the acknowledgment of the true Christ, of His gospel and submission to His Word. This is the repentance not to be repented of.
CHAPTER XV (15) SANCTIFICATION
We confess that to be sanctified is to be set aside. That this is the work of God for and in us, and that we are set aside from sin, to mercy and grace and love in/by Christ Jesus. We firmly avow we are:
CHAPTER XVI (16) THE CAUSE OF GOOD WORKS
The cause of good works, we confess, is not our free will (which man does not have), but the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, who dwells in our hearts by true faith, brings forth such works as God has prepared for us to walk in. For we most boldly affirm that it is blasphemy to say that Christ abides in the hearts of those in whom is no spirit of sanctification. Therefore we do not hesitate to affirm that all workers of iniquity have neither true faith nor anything of the spirit of the Lord Jesus, whom God's chosen children receive by true faith, takes possession of the heart of any man, so soon does He regenerate and renew him, so that he begins to hate what before he loved, and to love what he hated before. Thence comes that continual battle which is between the flesh and the Spirit in God's children, while the flesh and the natural man, being corrupt, lust for things pleasant and delightful to themselves, are envious in adversity and proud in prosperity, and every moment prone and ready to offend the majesty of God. But the Spirit of God, who bears witness to our spirit that we are the sons of God, makes us resist filthy pleasures and groan in God's presence for deliverance from this bondage of corruption, and finally to triumph over sin so that it does not reign in our mortal bodies. Other men do not share this conflict since they do not have God's Spirit, but they readily follow and obey sin and feel no regrets, since they act as the devil and their corrupt nature urge. But the sons of God fight against sin; sob and mourn when they find themselves tempted to do evil; and if they fall, rise again with earnest and unfeigned love. They do these things, not by their own power, but by the power of the Lord Jesus, apart from whom they can do nothing.
CHAPTER XVII (17) THE CHURCH
As we believe in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, so we firmly believe that from the beginning there has been, now is, and to the end of the world shall be, one Church, that is to say, one company and multitude of men chosen by God, who rightly worship and embrace Him by true faith in Christ Jesus, who is the only Head of the Church, even as it is the body and spouse of Christ Jesus. This Church is universal, because it contains the chosen of all ages, of all realms, nations, and tongues, be they of the Jews or be they of the Gentiles, who have communion and society with God the Father, and with His Son, Christ Jesus, through the sanctification of His Holy Spirit. It is therefore called the communion, not of profane persons, but of saints, who, as citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, have the fruit of inestimable benefits, one God, one Lord Jesus, one faith, and one baptism. Out of this Church there is neither life nor eternal felicity. Therefore we utterly abhor the blasphemy of those who hold that men who live according to equity and justice shall be saved, no matter what religion they profess. For since there is neither life nor salvation without Christ Jesus, so shall none have part therein but those whom the Father has given unto His Son, Christ Jesus, and those who in time come to Him, avow His doctrine, and believe in Him. This church is invisible, known only to God, who alone knows whom He has chosen and includes both the chosen who are departed, the Church triumphant, those who yet live and fight against sin and satan, and those who shall live hereafter.
CHAPTER XVIII (18) THE IMMORTALITY OF SOULS
The chosen departed are in peace, and rest from their labors; not that they sleep and are lost in oblivion as some fanatics hold, for they are delivered from all fear and torment, and all the temptations to which we and all God's chosen are subject in this life, and because of which we are called the Church Militant. On the other hand, the reprobate and unfaithful departed have anguish, torment, and pain which cannot be expressed. Neither the one nor the other is in such sleep that they feel no joy or torment, as is testified by Christ' parable in Luke XVI, His words to the thief, and the words of the souls crying under the altar, "O Lord, Thou that are righteous and just, how long shalt Thou not avenge our blood upon those that dwell in the earth?"
CHAPTER XIX (19) THE WORKS WHICH ARE COUNTED GOOD BEFORE GOD
We confess and acknowledge that God has given to man His holy Word, in which not only all such works as displease and offend His godly majesty are forbidden, but also those which please Him are to be loved and obeyed. These good works are of two kinds: One; done to the honor of God, Two; to the profit for our neighbor, and both have the revealed will of God as their assurance. To the one God, to worship and honor Him, to call upon Him in all our troubles, to reverence His holy Name, to hear His Word and to believe it, and to share in His holy ordinance, belong the first kind. To honor father, mother, princes, rulers, and superior powers; to love them, to support them, to obey their orders if they are not contrary to the commands of God, to save the lives of the innocent, to repress tyranny, to defend the oppressed, to keep our bodies and, finally to repress the desire to harm our neighbor, are the good works of the second kind, and these are most pleasing and acceptable to God as He has commanded them Himself. So we affirm good works to be those alone which are done in faith and at the command of God who, in His word has set forth the things that please Him. We affirm that evil works are not only those expressly done against God's command, but also, in religious matters and the worship of God, those things which have no other warrant than the invention and opinion of man. From the beginning God has rejected such, as we learn from the words of the prophet Isaiah and of our Master, Christ Jesus, "in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
CHAPTER XX (20) THE PERFECTION OF THE LAW AND THE IMPERFECTION OF MAN
We confess and acknowledge that the Word of God is most just, equal, holy, and perfect, but our nature is so corrupt, weak, and imperfect, that we are never able perfectly to fulfil the works of the Word. Even after we are reborn, if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth of God is not in us. It is therefore essential for us to lay hold on Christ Jesus, in His righteousness and His atonement, since He is the end and consummation of the Law and since it is by Him that we are set at liberty so that the curse of God may not fall upon us, even though we do not fulfil the Word in all points. For as God the Father beholds us in the body of His Son Christ Jesus, He accepts our imperfect obedience as if it were perfect, and covers our works, which are defiled with many stains, with the righteousness of His Son. We do not mean that we are so set at liberty that we owe no obedience to the Word, for we have already acknowledged its place, but we affirm that no man on earth, with the sole exception of Christ Jesus, has given, gives, or shall give in action that obedience to the Word which the Word requires. When we have done all things we must fall down and unfeignedly confess that we are unprofitable servants. Therefore, whoever boasts of the merits of his own works or puts his trust in works of supererogation, boasts of what does not exist, and puts his trust in damnable idolatry.
CHAPTER XXI (21) THE GIFTS FREELY GIVEN TO THE CHURCH
Although the Word of God truly preached, the Ordinances rightly ministered, and discipline executed according to the Word of God, are certain and infallible signs of the true Church, we do not mean that every individual person in that company is a chosen member of Christ Jesus. We acknowledge and confess that many weeds and tares are sown among the Church and grown in great abundance in its midst, and that the reprobate may be found in the fellowship of the chosen and may take on outward part with them in the benefits of the Word and ordinances. It is for the True Church to continue with them in hopes that by hearing they will hear and believe, and that it is the Lord's to separate the chaff from the wheat in that day of days before Him.
CHAPTER XXII (22) THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE
We confess and acknowledge that empires, kingdoms, dominions, and cities are appointed and ordained by God; the power and authorities in them, emperors in empires, kings in their realms, dukes and princes in their dominions, and magistrates in cities, are ordained by God's Holy ordinance for the manifestation of His own glory and for the good and well being of all men. We hold that any men who conspire to rebel or to overturn the civil power, as duly established, are not merely enemies to humanity but rebels against God's will. Further, we confess and acknowledge that such persons as are set in authority are to be loved, honored, feared, and held in the highest respect, because they are the lieutenants of God, and in their councils God Himself doth sit and judge. Therefore we confess and avow that those who resist the supreme powers, so long as they are acting in their own spheres, are resisting God's ordinance and cannot be held guiltless. We further state that so long as princes and rulers vigilantly fulfil their office, anyone who denies them aid, counsel, or service, denies it to God , who by His lieutenant craves it of them.
CHAPTER XXIII (23) THE ORDINANCES
As the fathers under the Law, besides the reality of the sacrifices, had two chief ordinances, that is, circumcision and the pass-over, and those who rejected these were not reckoned among God's people; so do we acknowledge and confess that now in the time of the gospel we have two chief ordinances, which alone were instituted by the Lord Jesus and commanded to be used by all who will be counted members of His body, that, Baptism and the Supper or Table of the Lord Jesus, also called the Communion of His Body and Blood. These ordinances, both of the Old Testament and of the New, were instituted by God not only to make a visible distinction between His people and those who were without the Covenant, but also to bring His children to assurance of His promises, and of that most blessed conjunction, union, and society, which the chosen have with their Head, Christ Jesus. We readily admit that we make a distinction between Christ Jesus in His eternal substance and the elemental signs of the ordinance. So we neither worship the elements, in place of that which they signify, nor yet do we despise them or undervalue them, but we use them with great reverence, examining ourselves diligently before we participate, since we are assured by the mouth of the apostle that "whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the lord." We do not hold any mystical or superstitious meaning to the taking of the elements in the Lord's Supper. This is not receiving His body and blood, it is exactly as He states in the Word, "this do in remembrance of Me." So we also hold that the administrating of these ordinances is to be by the True Church by it's pastor and elders for the glory of Christ in His Church.
CHAPTER XXIV (24) THE NOTES BY WHICH THE TRUE CHURCH SHALL BE DETERMINED FROM THE FALSE, AND WHO SHALL BE JUDGE OF DOCTRINE
Since Satan has labored from the beginning to adorn his pestilent synagogue with the title of the "church of god', and has incited cruel murderers to persecute, trouble, and molest the true Church and it members, as Cain did to Abel, Ishmael to Isaac, Esau to Jacob, and the whole priesthood of the Jews to Christ Himself and His apostles after Him. So it is essential that the true Church be distinguished from the filthy synagogues by clear and perfect notes lest we being deceived, receive and embrace, to our own condemnation, the one for the other. The notes, signs, and assured tokens whereby the spotless bride of Christ is known from the horrible harlot, the false church, we state, are neither antiquity, usurped title, lineal succession, appointed place, nor the number of men approving an error. For Cain was before Abel and Seth in age and title; Jerusalem had precedence above all other parts of the earth, for in it were priests lineally descended from Aaron, and greater numbers followed the scribes, pharisees, and priests, that unfeignedly believed and followed Christ Jesus and His doctrine, and yet no man of judgment, we suppose, will hold that any of the fore-named were the Church of God. The notes of the true Church, therefore, we believe, confess, and avow to be:
- First: the true preaching of the Word of God, in which God has revealed Himself to us, as the writing of the prophets and apostles declare.
- Second: The right administration of the ordinances of Christ Jesus, with which must be associated the Word and promise of God to seal and confirm them in our hearts.
- Lastly: Ecclesiastical discipline uprightly ministered, as God's Word prescribes, whereby vice is repressed and virtue nourished.
The Word directs us to "show the difference between the holy and profane." Herein is the distinction; is the preached word directing the people to flee their own works, supposed righteousnesses', and rest on the alone work of Christ Jesus as the ground of all salvation and hope? If so this is true. If, however on the other hand ones own works, goodnesses, be they casting out demons or any other supposed good work, is stressed as ground for hope, this is a false trust and not a sign of a true church. We dare not receive or admit any interpretation which is contrary to this point of our faith.