Scripture, Creeds and Confessions

The Hebrew and Greek Scriptures were "immediately inspired by God, and by his singular care and providence kept pure in all ages" (Westminster Confession 1.8). However, the Scriptures must be “translated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come”.

The King James translators worked from the texts the Reformation churches had received: the traditional Hebrew (Masoretic) text of the Old Testament, and the Greek New Testament later called the Received Text (Textus Receptus). Rev. Robert McCurley writes, "God alone supplies his Word, specifies his Word, and sustains his Word" (Robert McCurley, "Scripture Identified Scripture", in Why I Preach from the Received Text, ch. 14).

Modern versions differ mainly in the New Testament. Most follow a newer Greek text known as the Critical Text. Its editors weigh the many copies known today, with early translations and quotations, and give great weight to some of the oldest, several found long after 1611.

Several places where the texts differ are proof texts in our Standards. The King James reads "God was manifest in the flesh" (1 Timothy 3:16), where most modern versions read "He". As Rev. Philip Gardiner notes, the Confession uses that verse to prove Christ's two natures (8.2), and uses 1 John 5:7, "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one", to prove the Trinity (2.3). He grants that this is "one of the more difficult passages in the textual debate" (Philip Gardiner, "Should We Use Those Proof Texts?", in Why I Preach from the Received Text, ch. 9). The Shorter Catechism teaches the end of the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:13; Shorter Catechism 107). Christ's ascension is proved from the ending of Mark (Mark 16:19; Westminster Confession 8.4; Shorter Catechism 28).

The Trinitarian Bible Society notes that the translators aimed "to express without addition or diminution the exact meaning of the original Scriptures", that the English Bible is "designed for public reading", and that its words are "meant to be remembered" (The Excellence of the Authorised Version).

We do not say the King James is the only faithful translation. Rev. Gavin Beers calls it the most accurate English translation of the received text "at present", and will keep to it "until such times as a better, more accurate translation of the Received Text may be produced" (Gavin Beers, "From Atheism to the Authorized Version", in Why I Preach from the Received Text, ch. 4).

Read: An Exposition of the Westminster Confession of Faith, Robert Shaw; The Excellence of the Authorised Version, Trinitarian Bible Society; Plain Reasons for Keeping to the Authorised (King James) Version, Trinitarian Bible Society.

We are Confessionally Reformed. That is, we maintain a strict adherence to the Westminster Confession of Faith (1646/7). Such a Reformed Confession does not add to the Word of God, but it merely mirrors and systematizes what the Bible teaches concerning the Bible, God, man, Salvation, Christ, the Church, and other core beliefs.

See the Westminster Standards which we use.

Both are confessions of the Reformation, and they teach the same faith. They come from different churches and different stages of the Reformation, and they are arranged differently.

The Three Forms of Unity are three documents from the 1560s and early 1600s. They are the Belgic Confession (1561), the Heidelberg Catechism (1563) and the Canons of Dordt (1618-1619). The Heidelberg Catechism begins with comfort: "What is thy only comfort in life and death?" (Heidelberg Catechism 1). The Canons of Dordt answer certain errors about election, the death of Christ, grace and perseverance.

The Westminster Standards come from the Westminster Assembly, which met from 1643 to 1649. They are the Confession of Faith, the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, the Directory for Public Worship and the Form of Church Government. The Shorter Catechism begins with God's glory: "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever" (Shorter Catechism 1).

They belong to what Scottish history calls the Second Reformation, "the second reformation period from 1638 to 1650" (M'Crie, The Story of the Scottish Church, pp. 413-414). In the Solemn League and Covenant (1643) the three kingdoms bound themselves to seek "the nearest conjunction and uniformity in religion, confession of faith, form of church-government, directory for worship and catechising" (Solemn League and Covenant, art. I). The Church of Scotland received the Confession as "the chiefest part of that uniformity in religion which, by the Solemn League and Covenant, we are bound to endeavour" (Act of the General Assembly, 27 August 1647). That is why the Westminster Standards include a form of church government and a directory for worship as well as a confession and catechisms. The Assembly built on the earlier work. It acted "not from any love to novelty, or intention to disparage our first reformers" (Directory for Public Worship, Preface).

What is the same? The teaching on Scripture, on God, on sin, on the sacraments and on the church. Both teach salvation by grace alone, through faith in Christ alone.

What is different? Mainly form and fulness. The Westminster Standards say more on God's covenants with man (Westminster Confession 7), the Christian Sabbath (21.7-8) and the government of the church, and they also include a directory for worship.

Our church uses the Westminster Confession of Faith as its statement of belief, with the Larger and Shorter Catechisms. We also value the Three Forms of Unity and commend them for study. You can read all of them on our Resources and Library pages.

Read: The Heidelberg Catechism, Zacharias Ursinus and Caspar Olevianus; Belgic Confession of Faith; Canons of Dordt; An Exposition of the Westminster Confession of Faith, Robert Shaw.

The line is Scripture itself. What a minister preaches from the Bible, whether plainly taught there or rightly drawn from it, carries God's authority. His personal views on other matters do not.

What binds. The Confession says that the "whole counsel of God" for faith and life "is either expressly set down in scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture" (Westminster Confession 1.6). When a minister preaches what the Bible says, or what follows from it, we are to receive it "not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God" (1 Thessalonians 2:13). Jesus said of those He sent, "He that heareth you heareth me" (Luke 10:16).

What does not bind. A minister's opinions on matters Scripture does not settle are only opinions. Weigh them with respect, but do not receive them as God's Word. "God alone is Lord of the conscience" (Westminster Confession 20.2). Ministers are not to be "lords over God's heritage" (1 Peter 5:3). Paul wrote, "Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy" (2 Corinthians 1:24).

How to test what you hear. Hearers are to "examine what they hear by the scriptures" (Larger Catechism 160), like the Bereans, who "searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11). "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isaiah 8:20). The final judge of every question is "the Holy Spirit speaking in the scripture" (Westminster Confession 1.10).

If you are unsure whether something you heard comes from the Bible, ask an elder to show you from Scripture, or use our contact form.

Listen: The Art of Prophesying, Craig J. Scott (from 40:55). Read: Directions for Profitable Hearing, Richard Baxter; An Exposition of the Westminster Confession of Faith, Robert Shaw.

Yes, though the fault is never in sound doctrine, which is God's truth, and Scripture tells us to keep it: "Hold fast the form of sound words" (2 Timothy 1:13). The danger is in our hearts.

The first commandment forbids not only false gods, but "all other inordinate and immoderate setting of our mind, will, or affections upon other things, and taking them off from him in whole or in part" (Larger Catechism 105). That is, loving anything more than we should. Even our knowledge about God can be loved in His place.

• Knowing the Bible is not the same as coming to Christ. "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life" (John 5:39-40).
• Knowledge without love is empty. "Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth" (1 Corinthians 8:1).
• Right belief alone does not save. "the devils also believe, and tremble" (James 2:19).
• Human writings are helps, not the rule of faith. Even church councils "are not to be made the rule of faith or practice, but to be used as an help in both" (Westminster Confession 31.4). The supreme judge in religion "can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the scripture" (Westminster Confession 1.10). We hold the Confession because we believe it faithfully sums up Scripture.

So doctrine becomes an idol when we trust in our knowledge, are proud of it, or love being right more than we love God and our neighbour. The cure is not to care less about truth. It is to hold truth as Paul says, "in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 1:13).

Listen: Maintaining Free Church Heritage, Jonathan Mattull (from 15:42). Read: The Heidelberg Catechism (Questions 94 and 95); An Exposition of the Westminster Confession of Faith, Robert Shaw.

It is a grief. Paul pleaded "that there be no divisions among you" (1 Corinthians 1:10). Christ prayed for His people, "That they all may be one" (John 17:21). Division should sadden us, because its roots are error, sin and pride (Q&A with Rev. R. McCurley, 2024).

Why does it happen?

• Every church is imperfect. "The purest churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error" (Westminster Confession 25.5). No one church holds all of God's people.
• Sin in our hearts. "From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?" (James 4:1).
• Real differences over truth. Sometimes Christians part ways for conscience' sake, over what Scripture teaches about doctrine, worship or church government. "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3).

What should we do? Hold to the truth, and also endeavour "to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3). All true believers, united to Christ, are "united to one another in love" (26.1). So we pray that God would bring His people together in the truth, not by setting truth aside.

We ought to speak of other Christians with charity, and, "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men" (Romans 12:18).

Read: Q&A with Rev R. McCurley (April 7, 2024), R. McCurley; That Ye Love One Another, John Love; An Exposition of the Westminster Confession of Faith, Robert Shaw.