It Pleased God…to Create
The words “it pleased God…to create,” in Westminster Confession of Faith 4.1, refer to divine willing, to the decree of God. Creation is due to the will of God. It is not necessary to the divine essence, however. The Triune…
Tag Westminster Confession of Faith
Considering Exceptions: Singing Psalms
Often, potential exceptions to the Westminster Standards take this form: “If the Confession is saying ‘x’, then I must state my difference with that section.” One particularly common example of this is found in WCF 21.5, which reads, If the…
Considering Exceptions
It is not uncommon for ministers in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA)–the denomination in which I pastor–to lament a lack of doctrinal uniformity among fellow pastors in our denomination. It is also not uncommon for ministers in the denomination in…
Chapter 33.3
iii. As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded that there shall be a day of judgment, both to deter all men from sin; and for the greater consolation of the godly in their adversity: (2 Pet. 3:11, 14,…
Chapter 33.2
ii. The end of God’s appointing this day is for the manifestation of the glory of His mercy, in the eternal salvation of the elect; and of His justice, in the damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and disobedient.…
Chapter 33.1
i. God hath appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world, in righteousness, by Jesus Christ, to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father. In which day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged, but…
Chapter 32
i. The bodies of men, after death, return to dust, and see corruption: but their souls, which neither die nor sleep, having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them: the souls of the righteous, being then made perfect…
Chapter 31
i. For the better government, and further edification of the church, there ought to be such assemblies as are commonly called synods or councils; and it belongeth to the overseers and other rulers of the particular churches, by virtue of…
Chapter 30.3, 4
iii. Church censures are necessary, for the reclaiming and gaining of offending brethren, for deterring of others from the like offences, for purging out of that leaven which might infect the whole lump, for vindicating the honour of Christ, and…
Chapter 30.1, 2
i. The Lord Jesus, as King and Head of His Church, hath therein appointed government, in the hand of Church officers, distinct from the civil magistrate. ii. To these officers the keys of the kingdom of heaven are committed, by…