Confession of Faith

New Covenant Baptist Church in Auburn Hills, Michigan, is a Reformed Baptist church that upholds the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession of Faith. This historic confession serves as a formal statement of our beliefs, offering an orderly summary of key doctrines concerning the Christian faith, the life of the church, and how we live as believers.

A Tradition of Confessional Beliefs

The 1689 LBCF stands alongside several other historic Reformed confessions, each with a rich heritage. While these confessions reflect various nuances, they all align on the essential doctrines of the faith: the nature of God, the deity of Christ, salvation by grace through faith, and the authority of Holy Scripture. In fact, the 1689 LBCF is rooted in and inspired by the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF), which remains central to Presbyterian belief. The WCF, in turn, draws from earlier confessions, all of which are grounded in the ancient creeds of the universal (catholic) church.

Why Confessions? Isn’t the Bible Enough?

The Bible as the Ultimate Authority

The Bible is our inerrant and infallible rule of faith, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only rule of faith. It is the final rule, by which all other beliefs, traditions, and interpretations are judged. This concept, known as Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone), was a foundational principle of the Protestant Reformation. At that time, the Roman Catholic Church had elevated its own traditions and the authority of its leaders—known as the magisterium—over Scripture. The church claimed the right to both give and interpret God’s Word, effectively asserting that the church’s interpretation was the final word.

The Reformers saw this as a reversal of God’s intended order. Christ builds His Church (Matthew 16:18), and it is the Holy Spirit, not the church hierarchy, who inspired the Scriptures (2 Peter 1:21). Therefore, Scripture must judge and inform all church traditions and teachings—not the other way around.

Sola Scriptura, Not Solo Scriptura

However, Sola Scriptura does not mean “just me and my Bible.” The New Testament repeatedly emphasizes the importance of teaching and following the example of faithful leaders. In Philippians 3:17, Paul urges, “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.” Similarly, in 1 Corinthians 4:16, Paul says, “Be imitators of me,” and again in 11:1, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”

Scripture Alone means that Scripture is our only infallible rule of faith—not our only rule of faith. Creeds, confessions, and traditions are helpful guides, provided they are always subordinate to Scripture. The problem with Rome was not that it interpreted Scripture, but that it treated its own interpretations and traditions as equal or even superior to God’s Word.

The Purpose of Confessions

Confessions of faith serve an important role in the life of the church. As Thomas Kidd explains in his article, Confessions of Faith and the Baptist Tradition:

“Historically, Baptists have intuitively understood that confessions foster unity by setting up ecclesiological and doctrinal fences… What would be the point of keeping a church in fellowship with a Baptist denomination if it rejected believer’s baptism? Or if its pastor was an agnostic?… All social, political, and religious groups have to set some limits, or they’d become incoherent and pointless.”

Confessions clarify and articulate what a church believes, providing a consistent framework for teaching, worship, and fellowship. The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, for example, addresses crucial doctrines such as salvation, the covenants, the church, and the ordinances (baptism and the Lord’s Supper). It also grounds its claims in Scripture, ensuring that the Bible remains the final authority.

Churches that hold to the 1689 LBCF, like New Covenant Baptist Church, affirm these key doctrines, giving members and visitors confidence in the core beliefs of the congregation.

What a Confession Is—and Isn’t

While confessions provide a valuable framework for a church’s beliefs, it’s important to recognize what they are not. Confessions, like the 1689 LBCF, do not settle every theological issue. Even among churches that identify as Reformed Baptist, there can be significant differences in non-essential matters.

For instance, at New Covenant Church, we use a mixture of contemporary worship music and hymns. Other Reformed Baptist churches may insist on singing only a cappella Psalms. Similarly, while the 1689 LBCF affirms the essentials of biblical eschatology—including the visible return of Christ, the bodily resurrection of the dead, and the final judgment—it allows for diversity of thought on specific end-times views. This clear affirmation of the bodily resurrection is crucial, as it stands against full preterism, which erroneously teaches that the resurrection has already occurred in a spiritualized form.

A confession is not a comprehensive systematic theology. It does not attempt to address every doctrinal question or practice, but rather outlines the essential doctrines necessary for a church to function faithfully. Confessions ensure consistency and clarity on foundational matters while allowing room for differences on secondary issues.

Conclusion

In summary, the historic Reformed confessions, including the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession of Faith, help the church remain unified in core doctrinal matters. They ensure that all teachings are tested by Scripture, provide clarity on key issues of the faith, and allow for orderly instruction and worship. While confessions do not replace the Bible, they provide a trusted guide for churches to articulate their beliefs in a world where doctrinal clarity is needed more than ever.

At New Covenant Baptist Church, we find great value in the rich theological heritage expressed in the 1689 LBCF, as it keeps us grounded in the truth of God’s Word while allowing for grace and understanding in matters of secondary importance.