LBCF 1689 Reflections. Part 109

Reflections on the Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689. 23 Aug 14 began a perhaps unbroken, orderly, and personal journey through my favorite written confession of faith. This will be my personal reflections on this beloved written codification of the Christian Faith which is according to a Baptist flavor.

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Section 11, paragraph 1b: “…but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ’s sake alone…”

The Gospel is Christ himself as my Savior. It’s not a system. It’s not just a body of beliefs. We don’t have faith in faith. As I’ve gotten older, I cannot communicate enough to others how freeing it is to truly have Christ alone as my hope and my boast. I have him. That’s the only way I can truly know that I’m his!

He has pardoned my sins. I could not ever say I have peace with God unless I had a complete pardon. Just one sin cast all of it into chaos. And I have peace? Yes, that’s what the Cross means to me. And not just peace from of my sins to date, but even, as wonderfully scandalous at it is, over all those through my death as well. I have pardon for all sin. Hence Romans 5:1-2 is my confession. “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand…”

I am accepted in mercy because by the Holy Spirit I’ve died with Christ (Galatians 2:20). The Law has entirely lost its jurisdiction over me (Romans 7:1-6) because he was crucified for my sin (1 Peter 2:24). He disarmed Satan (Colossians 2:15) and propitiated the Father’s own righteous wrath toward me looking forward to the fulfillment of the triune God’s great mercy over billions. Since he is my righteousness I can truly say, “I have righteousness” tonight.

Now, far from these things making me lazy as some naturally assert, I say no, they make me zealous! How could I ever sleep on such a wonderful Gospel!? I could not. How could I go on sinning? How could I be friends with the world anymore? How could I not love and nurture my wife? How could I not love my kids? Pray? Fast? Teach?

It is for Christ’s sake alone that I can be free. I love that. What I see here in this confession is the heart of what I mean when I say that my salvation is “Soli Deo Gloria” or all “to the glory of God alone.”